Shades of “the emperor with no clothes” from John Key……….Parata is a top communicator and hugely talented apparently. Nothing of the fiasco in the Ministry of Education has much to do with her apparently.
Oh, please bring back Tolley!! All is forgiven! She did the will of Key as obligingly as Parata, but Parata is even more effectively putting across his anti-education wishes!
No thank you, Off Your Trolley(Tolley) was the one that wiped out a long tradition in NZ by cutting the night classes. A start off point for many a successful business.
Just because there is one incompetent it does not fair well to replace it with an equal incompetent.
The answer is, get rid of Smile and Wave Shonkey and all his pack of incompetent prats
Did someone just avail the Slippery one of the latest results from National’s internal polling???, (snigger), now there’s a read to put anyone off their dinner…
Unfortunately i cannot help but remember yesterdays news from Social Development Minister Paula Benefit,
Paula has managed to give 12,000 the kick off of various benefits while in the news this morning the Council of Trade Unions has quoted the unemployment benefit figures as remaining the same,
While i KNOW that a number of those ‘moved off benefits’ are now reliant on the charity of various Inner City Ministries for their daily bread having no income whatsoever, i cannot in all honesty raise 1 iota of sympathy for the Slippery little Shyster we have as Prime Minister choking on His Pasta which in all likelihood was paid for by the tax-payer…
Melatonin pills are sold over the counter as a treatment for jet lag in North America, one possible side effect is dizzy-spells and in some cases fainting, Key just returned from Hawaii, so I would probably guess it is related to that with nothing more sinister going on.
I concur. Nevertheless the National Party backers and electoral organisation will be running through lists of alternative names while he is away in their minds, perhaps on paper, not online.
Key has reprised his starring role as the salesman who brought in the deals at Merrill for this government. Love him or hate him, he has been the public face of this administration with memorable lines such as “Beckham is as thick as batshit”.
Without him we are left with English, Brownlee, Joyce, Collins, Ryall, Parata, Bennett, Carter, McCully ..
Not very good. Hopefully just a one off. Might be the record heat we are having, and him all trussed up in a suit in a stuffy restaurant — by ‘stuffy’ I mean really hot/humid with bugger all ventilation.The Antarctic chill will be a welcome change for him.
The restaurant manager says it wasn’t stuffy, and that she had commented earlier in the evening that Key looked tired, unwell and was sweating noticeably.
The Antarctic NZ spokesperson put it down to jet lag, and also said Key looked exhausted.
Key obviously passed the “Work Capacity Test” by three doctors (truly “independent” ones I trust), so surely sick and disabled WINZ beneficiaries better “toughen up” and pass the future UK designed – and Dr Bratt (MSD) approved – “work ability tests” as well with pride, and sign up as “jobseekers” ready for work the day after.
The PM is “leading” by example, yet again, I presume.
One of the few reason I read the stuff website in the morning is for any sign that something terrible has befallen the Nat Govt. Maybe the country awakes of its collective coma overnight and says “ENOUGH Key must go!”. Nat calls a snap election and then get booted out. Its my fantasy and I’m sticking with it.
However after reading that article this am I did feel slightly guilty for wishing disaster upon Key in general and a bit sorry for JK having a fainting turn. Like Pete says below, it’s scary experience, and you wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. He has been having some difficulty coping for some time now. I also wonder in all seriousness that as well as the long work hours the strain of your personality not being a good fit for the job : ie, he’s a taker, not a giver, (and certainly not a leader) and that doesn’t fit with the requirements of being of service to a nation, is a source of constant stress to him.
Yes, oh horror, this happening to the adorable PM, just before leaving for Antarctica, that is of course of “national concern”.
With all respect, I do not wish John Key any harm, and I trust it may just be “chronic fatigue syndrome” or the likes, but do hundreds or even more of other people not “faint” somehow every day???
I am sure, it will be at the top of the MSM TV news tonight.
Never mind any debate about unemployment figures, welfare slashing, the state of the economy, Parata’s bungles and what else is happening.
Thank goodness he was able to get attention instantly from so many specialists in such a short time. I hope they were all male specialists. How many ORDINARY people had to wait while his little faint was attended to?
I imagine coming back from holiday to a high profile high stress job that everyone knows you don’t want to do anymore would knock you for six. And stress kills.
For his and his family’s sake, hopefully he was just ‘tired and emotional’ and nothing more serious. For the country’s sake he should sort his shit out and decide whether he’s up for this gig anymore.
Despite generally being a fan of UK TV comedy, there is some TV coming out of the US that is worth watching. One of these is Portlandia, a show about the city of Portland, Oregon. The show consists of sometimes related skits and reoccurring characters which examines our social norms, and critiques our ideologies, morals and ethics.
The first clip on the latest show was called one party at a time which considered the challenges and problems associated with contemporary protest movements.
The ‘protest’ begins with a vague discussion of the problem, and the participants don’t really know what they are protesting against.
The protest repeatedly descends into a self obsessed party where the original concern gets lost and individualism takes over.
Firstly they attempt to redefine the protest as more political, then more simple, then finally based on hippy ideals…but they all fail. Challenges to the protest include sexualisation, short attention span, glitter and glamour, and image over substance.
The end of the clip shows how easy it is for those in power to end the protest, and silence the protesters.
This 2 min clip is funny, but it is also depressing….its a powerful critique of protests today, but also shows how protest has been rendered ineffective against the seduction of hyper-capitalism.
This Portlandia clip reminds me of Zizek’s call to do less activism and more thinking. Less doie, more Hui. Unfocused resistance can often end up making our current situation seem the best option.
It seems to me that a broad left wing discourse* is just getting started again, after years in the wilderness. A few small groups suvived, and there have always been friends talking amongst themselves, but getting alternative world views heard, far and wide, to counter the TINA which has stifled dissent for so long, must be a big priority. One of the biggest barriers seems to be concern for how we are perceived – as if it is necessary to win others over with the first hearings. Most people take a lot longer to change their minds – points of view tend to evolve. But repeated exposure is the key. Something the marketing/focus-group, approach to politics has completely failed to grasp, if indeed their proponents actually care about anything beyond winning and market share.
But I don’t think we can just defer action while we sort out our thinking. Things are not static and there must be some responsibility to act as the jack boot of the elites comes down on more faces more often, and the environment is used and abused.
*When did I start routinely using terms like “discourse” and “meme”? Certainly not before I started spending time here. I really hope the particular language we use doesn’t create barriers, like some kind of exclsuive club..
But I don’t think we can just defer action while we sort out our thinking. Things are not static and there must be some responsibility to act as the jack boot of the elites comes down on more faces more often, and the environment is used and abused.
True…there has to be a balance. The Gap Filler project in Christchurch is an example of a grassroots movement that is focused on action, and appears to encourage not thinking too much.
Its interesting that you refer to things not being ‘static’ as one of the representatives from Gap Filler Ryan Reynolds suggests here that we should embrace the temporary…after all, what is permanent these days?
However, in saying that, Gap Filler’s call for action sits upon their already well defined ideology which requires action now, and is suitable to the socio-political environment of Christchurch.
Hi Fatty. We’re forever on the look out for funny and smart viewing. Sure as hell you can’t get it on NZ TV.
Came across Portlandia awhile ago and downloaded it. We’ve been enjoying it for several reasons. One aspect that struck me was the way the show demonstrated some of the pompousness, hypocrisy, exclusivity and naivety that you can come across within some movements. These attributes can really kill an otherwise useful and energetic movement. It’s one of the main reasons I stay on the outside of activism these days. I can’t be bothered dealing with the ego’s.
On an entertainment note the show is just plain funny. Those two main actors are good at playing a real variety of characters. Kyle McLaughlin (sp?) plays a good role as Mayor of the town too.
Yeah, the Mayor off Portlandia is very funny.
A few other comedies that I enjoy and make me think:
Louie (US comedian Louis CK struggling through life) Curb Your Enthusiasm (Larry David, ex Seinfeld creator getting pissed off at life) Nathan Barley (Chris Morris / Charlie Brooker also pissed off at dickheads) Snuff Box (weird shit) Veep (the US version of ‘the thick of it’…not as good as the US version, but still written by Armando Iannucci) The Armando Iannucci Shows (prob my favourite TV show ever, from the creator of ‘the thicl of it’) Time Trumpet (more Armando Innucci) Black Mirror (Charlie Brooker drama/thriller/comedy – amazing. New Ep. soon!..that link is episode 1 of 3 in first season) A Touch of Cloth (Charlie Brooker, very dry comedy, piss take of UK police dramas) Them From That Thing (skit show, Charlie Brooker is one of the writers, only 2 episodes)
Some of these are quite old and can be hard to find, some are on youtube
Hey Fatty thanks heaps for those links. I just had a quick peek at the Armando Iannucci shows and I did actually laugh out loud. Am looking forward to watching all the others.(I like the sound of a touch of cloth). Thanks for doing all the leg work!
Have seen all the Nathan Barleys. Liked that. Was interesting to see thingie Barrett who played Howard Moon in the Mighty Boosh, play a character in Nathan Barley.
One thing we’ve got planned to watch is the box set of This is England ’86. It’s drama, certainly not comedy. The first movie This is England was set in Thatchers Britain in the early 80’s. Trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0jkv2bRFgQ. We got This is England ’88 out on DVD without realising there was a four part series set in ’86. The ’88 movie was very real and gritty and really woke you up. When you see movies like that it reminds how insipid most movies are. Anyway, you might have seen it already and I’m waffling on like this is Weekend Social, not Open Mike.
Big ups for the links.
no worries…and thanks for info about This is England ’86. I’ve been meaning to watch the movie, but didn’t realise there was a TV show too, I’ll check it out
Is the Maori Party headed for the scrap heap of minor Government support Party’s in the Parliament, the news item on OneNews last night,(if anywhere near the truth), would have current co-Leader Sharples proclaiming ‘hell no He won’t go’ as far as relinquishing His leadership position is concerned, (Pita might be hanging in there sweating on ‘the knighthood),
While OneNews didn’t interview Flavell, they quoted ‘a rumor’ that Flavell has indicated He may not stand for the Maori Party again unless He is given a Leadership position after the departure of Tariana Turia,
It’s AGM time for the Maori Party and an elegant solution would be to simply drop the requirement to have both a male and female Leader of the Party in the Parliament, (which would be quite an intelligent option considering there is no guarantee that the Party will have a female MP in the Parliament after the 2014 election),
It’s all a bit of a ‘snigger’ really as it’s looking ever more likely that the Maori Party won’t have any MP’s after the next election, i doubt that after 6 years of National Auckland Maori are going to vote for someone who has sat there as a Government Minister and paid ‘lip service’ to those who put Him into the Parliament while the National Government has taken to their very means of existence with a Patu,
Flavell holding His seat is the Maori Party’s best chance of survival but Annette Sykes this far out from 2014 is 50/50 to take it off of Him this time being aided with Flavell having been tarred for the past 6 years by the same brush wielded by Tariana and Pita…
The advert placed on the Australian Seek website in late December calls for “expressions of interest” for 80 construction carpenters for a “major construction project in New Zealand to commence in early 2013”.
Placed by Perth recruiting company TR7, it seeks carpenters with formwork and roofing experience. It says they will be employed on a fly-in, fly-out basis from West Australia, working three weeks then a week off.
If the project goes ahead….
So what big projects in Auckland are in a planning phase at the moment?
Possible answer= i believe the figure for construction workers having left New Zealand for Australia since this National Government took office is in the realm of 27,000,
Perhaps ‘Seek’ has been given the task of trying to lure some of them back again…
Key’s fainting could be attributed to High Blood Pressure or his Heart,that’s right he
hasn’t got one,(only for the top 1-2%), he certainly hasn’t got one for those kicked
off welfare for various reasons,kicked out of stable HNZ houses to allow the top
1-2% to further increase their portfolio’s,he certainly doesn’t care for the children
in NZ that are facing starvation every day, He certainly doesn’t care for the sick
and disabled,insisting they can find work,there is no excuses accepted,go forth
and find a job,or else you will have to beg,steal or borrow, he could not give a
damn.
Perhaps the god’s are sending him a message, ‘you eat well on behalf of all of
those women,men and children, who in one way or another feed you, take that,
you poor excuse for a human being’
Gareth Morgan explains why the Antarctic is important to Key, and why Key is ken to reinforce NZ’s rights there:
Certainly his visit matters a lot more than the mindless platitudes of green groups. It is great that he has gone down there….
But the main reason for going is that Antarctica is vital to our national security, climate and much of our unique wildlife. And there are many issues facing the region, including climate change and the race for resources, not just fish and whales but possibly a renewed interest in the minerals locked under Antarctica’s ice cap.
I don’t go with Morgan’s lip service to climate change and environment, while slamming “greenies” and his talking up of Key’s approach.
Yes Maui, thought of something similar. In the meantime Key waxes lyrical about the beautiful unspoilt continent while in his mind he’s thinking oil, minerals, digging, drilling…
Remember in the 90’s when Morgan was the evil lisping right wing economist of the nation? And now he’s like NZ’s version of Joseph Stiglitz. He’s having a go (not sure why) at ‘the greenies’ now, but maybe given another 20 years he’ll catch up a bit further. In the meantime he’s got a soccer team to run into the ground…
I’m surprised that Key did not realise that a life-style involving Honolulu-Auckland-Wellington-Scott Base-[SouthPole ?]-Wellington commuting would not involve potential health consequences such as deep vein thrombosis or jet lag, impairing prime ministerial judgment.
But is it jet lag ? It seems to be a very politically convenient explanation.
I am sure it can easily appear homophobic on a quick shallow reading. But a closer such reading will reveal that the opinion is about a place in the world for a group who want to do their own thing on their own. It is a view that is positive to that group, not negative to any other group. Subtle but real. By way of comparison, people who advocate for some separate institution for, say, just women are not automatically man-haters are they? Or are they? Many say they are, but those people are also shallow readers.
Bullshite. That is not evidence of “an extreme and irrational aversion to homosexuality and homosexual people” and I have explained that. You are ignoring that explanation and that points to a deficiency in your approach to this mini-thread.
Just because one group wants to play in their own sandpit away from the other kiddies it does not mean they have “an extreme and irrational aversion” to those other kiddies.
What is so hard to understand about that simple proposition?
Your postion is akin to a Kiwiblog type ranter who claims those who want, as per previous example, to set-up some institution for women are man-haters.
Just because one group wants to play in their own sandpit away from the other kiddies it does not mean they have “an extreme and irrational aversion” to those other kiddies.
“away from the other kiddies” = “aversion“.
No logical reason for their desire = “irrational“.
We’re not talking about just not inviting someone to play poker of an evening. Marriage is a legal construct that, most of the time when it is applied, you personally have no idea about it. Two people in a car? No idea if they’re married. Both wearing wedding rings? Are they married to each other, or just LOTR geeks? But it can make legal procedures in extremis a whole lot easier.
Denying people legal recognition and rights (even if you personally might never know whether someone you encounter has used those rights) for no reason other than an irrational aversion is pretty “extreme“.
“away from the other kiddies” = “aversion“.
No logical reason for their desire = “irrational“.
McFlock, seriously? That does not equate to aversion. Did you wonder perhaps that outside of that short period of time playing in the sandpit they all might enjoy playing together and be friends? There is an abundance of shallow short thinking going on.
Or maybe when a couple of friends of mine go and have a catch up without me that means they have an aversion to me. That is just plain dumb.
And as for irrational, ffs. People right across humanity like keeping similar company. People of like kinds congregate. Be it religious, sporting, racial, financial, cultural, genderal. People enjoy hanging out with their own types. It is not irrational, it is exactly human behaviour.
Definitely averse to sharing the sandpit. The example isn’t “oo, happy to play without you there”. The situation is “we do not want you in the sandpit with us. If you try and play even in part of the sandpit we aren’t using, we will stop you”.
That’s not even “separate but equal”.
“like” is “irrational”. Not rational. No logical basis. By your definition of “irrational”, no hatred, loathing, aversion or fear will be “irrational”, because humans across the world have them. So beating someone to death because you thought they walked like a gay man is not “irrational”, because people across the world attack and kill those who are different.
Edit: so muzz, what’s an acceptable number of homophobes in a forum, according to you?
“They” (you and the other bigots) want to do “things” (get married) “on their own” (alone together, or something), and this is not affected by anything that anyone else (including gay people) want to do, in any way whatsoever, except that perhaps I might be driving past, and yell “fuck you, you homophobic assholes” just as you were about to kiss the other bigot, which might put a damper on proceedings.
But I can’t see what gay people wanting to get married has to do with this sad spectacle.
vto: why should a tiny minority (of bigots) get to dictate to the rest of us, and force us to accept their (your) definition of marriage?
So what if you are offended (or outraged, or undermined, or saddened, or driven to insanity) by gay marriage? Gay marriage is not the pain in your mind: your sad prejudice is.
vto, you don’t get to decide whether the label of bigot sticks to you:
“Off topic” – the topic is your hateful homophobia, and what a tiny minority you belong to, and the contempt which accrues as a result. I’m neither poking nor prodding, I’m just rubbing your nose in it.
If Pops inference was along those lines, then perhaps he might validate that his original comment was aimed at VTO, otherwise its a throw away remark, which can be as arbitrary, as substituting in, *too many […….] on this site*!
In which case, one McFlock could be seen as too many eh!
We covered this earlier: “So what if you are offended (or outraged, or undermined, or saddened, or driven to insanity) by gay marriage?”
What a hypocrite you are to whine about rudeness while maintaining your ill-mannered prejudice, and insistence that your minority opinion be treated with anything other than contempt.
Yes rude. Why don’t you re-read the thread. The accusation was homophobia. No evidence has been provided to fit the definition (but feel free to point which of the posts above has done this, if you can) and prove the kiwiblog type knee-jerk over reaction of both you and Pop.
The rudeness is the personal. You have called me sad, hateful, ill-mannered, contemptful, bigoted and in addition you continue to call me homophobic without substance, and prejudiced. It is all ther in black and white.
Nothing you have posted has established anything except that typical left wing arrogance and ignorance that anything that does not accord with your world view is somehow extreme and hateful. This drives people away from the left in exactly the same manner as right wing extremism drives people away from them.
You make baseless accusations that you cannot back-up. You are weak.
You are clearly incapable of understanding how your desire to interfere in other people’s relationships constitutes homophobia, but don’t worry: no-one else will have any trouble working it out.
You cannot point to which of the posts above of yours or anyone elses has shown how the view expressed fits the definition of homophobia. You have failed. You should apologise for your mindless knee-jerk accusation.
Ever heard of that saying about a hole and digging?
Imo gay people who want to tie a knot in it should get their own institution and leave those straight people alone ffs instead of gate-crashing someone else’s party.
The institution of marriage doesn’t belong to you. To use your stupid metaphor, it isn’t your party, and gay people are invited. So fuck off, bigot.
Political journalists and commenters are interested in a number of more or less petty things, it seems, but have evidently LITTLE or NO interested in people on welfare facing the most radical and draconian reforms in at least a generation here in NZ.
So I was having to learn once again, when reading Bryce Edward’s “political roundup” today, for the summer period now nearing the end when Parliament slowly returns to business late this month.
It is astonishing that debate about drones, about a PM fainting, about personality politics, apart from admittedly some important issues, but otherwise lots of side-show matters, dominate the tabloids, the online media, the newsmedia in general here in NZ.
NO mention of the most substantial welfare reforms at all. That tells me, I belong to a group of people that have no right to exist, as whatever I and others face is NOT relevant at all.
Mabe bring in a system now to do away with us – for good, so we do not “stain” the social and political environment with our blemished, useless, “bludger-like” existence?
Xtasy you hit on an interesting train of thought here…
The strategy appears to be long and , to convince an entire nation, that there is no more important issues/messages than what the MSM chose to convey, creating an environment of perceived safety, actual complacency, and total apathy! It looks like the strategy has been well bedded in NZ, and elsewhere.
Also, while convincing the, *entire nation* (those wasting energy following MSM), that there is no threat to them, while at the same time exposing the threat (to those such as yourself), by simply ignoring the issues which the *threats* consists of. Additionally the disenfranchising of huge numbers of people that *switch off* from MSM and politics altogether, but simultaneously keeping just enough people engaged with the dros served up, to maintain some, *order*
There’s an ever growing number of *groups*, which are, effectively deemed irrelevant, and there is an ever growing number of *groups*, who are yet to realise that they were deemed *irrelevant* years back also. Many are busy putting the boot into beneficiaries, and other vulnerable groups, as they can’t see the threat to *their group*, and thus act out accordingly!
Strategically, one has to *admire* the *techniques*, but equally, when as blatant as the tactics employed have been, one has to accept that a turn around in NZ, is unlikely to eventuate!
But what is being presented to us as the supposed “reality”, perceived “security”, and as the “convention of the presence”, that will inevitably get “boring” to the majority, so there may be hope that they stumble across any such not noticed “groups” and “re-discover” that there is another world around them out there. They may then actually take an interest and start opening their mind.
I admit though, it is a slim chance of that happening. Meeting homeless, beggars, scruffily clothed and neglected poor will possibly in most cases have the opposite effect. People will appreciate their own security, in the best case make a little donation to a welfare agency, but then move on back home to their safe suburban home.
In reality it is not so much media communication of a sense of “security”, it is a communication of well-selected “threats” that are presented to the wider public and media consumer, this being CRIME.
Look at the APN and Fairfax websites, look at the TV news, listen to radio (even increasingly also National Radio). Crime, accidents, disaster news, that is always at the beginning and top of the news in most news presentations now. So the public are conditioned to be extra sensitive to crime and disaster, which again feeds feelings for a need of “security”, which again misleads most to support the status quo system, as any change will be associated with insecurity and risks.
That is also, what keeps this present government pretty safely in place.
Pop, your attitude that anyone who has a view on gay-straight issues that is opposed to your own is homophobic is the attitude to be expected from the right, just switched around like looking in a mirror. See my last reply to oth.
It is intersting to look back a few years on how David Shearer and Phil Goff were perceived by the right before David became Leader.
The link above to David Farrar’s research in April ’09, six months after Phil took over from Helen is quite chilling.
“Phil Goff has been shifting Labour more towards the centre, with the departure of Helen Clark and Michael Cullen. He is attacking National for not sticking with tax cuts, he let Clayton Cosgrove attack over Maori prison units and he is refusing to back Maori seats on the Auckland Council. Plus Labour are backing most of the RMA changes and voted to repeal the EFA.
But the extent to which Goff wants to pull Labour away from the left astonishes even me. As we all know, David Shearer is his hand picked candidate for Mt Albert – his former school friend and Ministerial advisor.”
……..and these quotes are from David Farrar!
“Now I agree with Shearer, but I can imagine it is going to be very uncomfortable for Labour when he is an MP. Everytime Goff or King gets up to accuse the Government of having a privatisation agenda, the Nats will laugh and remind them that they have an MP who supports privatising the army. And when you consider Labour’s entire strategy is to basically label everything National does is as privatisation, well Naional can’t wait until Shearer is an MP. Hell, they are probably tempted to endorse him themselves.” http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2009/04/privatising_protection.html
As we all know, David Shearer is his hand picked candidate for Mt Albert – his former school friend…
‘School friend’ was a MSM created myth. They went to the same high school but at different times. They didn’t know each other until years later. My understanding at the time is that it was Phil Twyford (who was a close friend forged at a time both were linked to the UN) who persuaded Shearer to return to NZ and stand for Mt. Albert. That is not to say Goff didn’t fully support the nomination, but these things are never quite as simple as has been suggested.
It’ true, Goff was at the Right end of the Labour Party but, to be fair to him, he did shift further to the Left during the 2011 campaign. But it was too late! Everything was “too late” and God knows how many members (including me) tried to tell them. This is where the BIG DISCONNECT first came in to the picture – at least in recent times.
Can’t wait for the party to spin that one away. What happened to trends and momentum and other such bullshit?
I asked on red alert for predictions of where Shearer’s Labour should be sitting in the polls if they are to mount a successful challenge in 2014
No one answered.
I’m guessing it’s something to do with the top table being held to account if they are way off, like I suspect they will be in 2015
Of course they all deserve a rest but … I mean God I’d had enough “resting” with my in-laws after week 1!
January is the time to seize back and hold the political agenda for the year ahead.
Journalists are begging for stories. Especially stories about the year ahead. Predictions.
So far Labour have put Shearer up to comment just once, so we now have to endure a further week of stories about the Antarctic for God’s sake.
Shearer has made a massive strategic mistake.Nothing against Chippie being night-watchiman per se, but it really needed that apparent impending game-changer speech to be this week or last, not in late January.
Last week someone with some nous and the capability to do good political stunts needed to to blow the housing story out of the water. Like set fire to a derelict state house and call the cameras and then help put it out talking about housing stock, or live a week with a homeless family, or promise to hand over this years’ salary to a housing trust and then go help them build a house in a weekend, or hijack the Hobsonville ferry opening coming up with a pointed speech to camera, or go to a house auction with a couple and pay their house deposit to the bank out of their own MPs pocket or indeed out of an LEC’s and do it with cameras rolling, God it’s not hard to think of something beyond sending another press release out. Paul Holmes was a master of the stunt, as was Bob Harvey in his prime. Sigh.
With Aucklands Unitary Plan hearings, and the Christchurch rebuilt accelerating, this is the year for housing as a gamechanger, and Labour has the policy to do it.
After all the best way to predict the future, is to make it happen. Instead these polls.
So we’ll end up next election about 50-50 as a bunch. I should just relax. Sigh. Relax.
the standard definition of stupidity being to do the same thing over and over again, expecting something different to happen. whatever Labour have been doing since 2009, this January it was time to do something different. Shearer is not culpable for the era prior to him, of course, but he is responsible for the results now. He had a fallow January field for media and is so far reaping the rewards of doing the same thing over and over again.
The dude gained 4% over the previous year’s january dip, reversing 4 years of steady decline at that point. In his first year as leader.
31.5% sucks, but it’s better than 27.5%.
Now, there’s many a slip ‘twixt dress and drawers, and I’m still looking to see some 35% threshold breakers, but performance-wise it’s not a major tragedy unless key calls a chardonnay-snap election.
So when do you hope to see those 35% threshold breakers?
And using those figures and logic, Shearer is less popular than Goff in his first months as leader. Not really a win, aye.
Maybe I should ask when do you expect Shearer to hit 33% ?
Actually I think I wrote something about one or two RM polls 35% by feb leadership vote waiting before beginning to think it looks like Labour’s back in the doldrums. Shearer personally? probably not until next year. opposition bias and all. Haven’t really looked at party vs leader stats though.
Today, Labour =31.5%.
2 months ago November 2012, Labour = 31.5% (+/- 0.5%)
7 months ago June 2012, Labour = 31.5% (+/- 0.5%)
12 months ago Feb 2012, Labour = 31.5% (+/- 0.5%)
19 months ago July 2011, Labour = 31.5% (+/- 0.5%)
22 months ago April 2011, Labour = 31.5% (+/- 0.5%)
There’s definitely consistency here for Labour, not so sure that it’s an upward trending one though.
Just demonstrating natural variability about a mean, McFlock. A student t-test will show that to you. Nothing unfair there. If you want me to give you more data points sitting right on top of 31.5% I can, but they are sitting there for you to see.
The point being that you don’t know whether there is actual improvement. Especially given 2011 Labour was going down, so to stay in approximately (for a given value of approximate) the same place labour actually needs to have improved in the last 12 months.
It’s called “regaining lost ground”. And shearer didn’t lose the ground.
The average of the 24 Roy Morgan polls since Jan 2012 is 46% for National and 31% for Labour.
No F@c&ing change. Shearer has to fire Mallard immediately. The strategy is F@c&ed!
We are not winning this way.
We are loosing this way.
Does Shearer not see that he is surrounded by the same twits who lost in 2011?
Please change something. This is the most painful disaster to watch.
Key’s idiot crew screw up everything and we can’t take a single percentage point off them!’
Change
Change
Change
You may like to know that on the Concert program pm 24 January there is a program of American protest song ,Trade Union songs and old socialist songs . Should be worth a listen .
I’ve always thought it more a video medium, but you’re right, I should.
I just bought some half decent studio headphones today and half deaf as I am, I can hear again.
Not looking forward to rectifying all those tracks when all I want to do is write, but if I win lotto tomorrow I’ll not hire the guy that did kim.com’s records to do it for me.
You may like to know that on the Concert program 7. pm 24 January there is a program of American protest song ,Trade Union songs and old socialist songs . Should be worth a listen .
Excellent. We spend some lots of time in a part of the country where these things are still regularly sung and strummed. It’s like stepping back in time. Reaching back to feel the times. Tis quite something. Woody Guthrie and the like. Mining songs. Old ones.
Well old smile and wave is back. Already the photos are appearing in the press. Nothing escapes this man He got into the act regarding the accident involving the Bethlehem School.
However surely the most outrageous photo is the one on page 3 of to-day’s Herald . What a buffoon what has Aotearoa done to deserve this clown. .
I think RNZ is the only public service broadcaster we now have. I like the Charter, and think RNZ does fulfil a lot of it, but not as much as I would like.
Charter –
(1) The functions of the public radio company shall be to provide innovative, comprehensive, and independent broadcasting services of a high standard and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to provide –
(a) Programmes which contribute toward intellectual, scientific, cultural, spiritual, and ethical development, promote informed debate, and stimulate critical thought; and
(b) A range of New Zealand programmes, including information, special interest, and entertainment programmes, and programmes which reflect New Zealand’s cultural diversity, including Maori language and culture; and
(c) Programmes which provide for varied interests and a full range of age groups within the community, including information, educational, special interest, and entertainment programmes; and …
f) Comprehensive, independent, impartial, and balanced national news services and current affairs, including items with a regional perspective; and…
(g) Comprehensive, independent, impartial, and balanced ….
It isn’t always as critical and in-depth as I would like these days. Impartiality is an impossibility to achieve, but a PBS should aim for a diversity of perspectives, but also to follow the evidence. RNZ could do better on that IMO, and also more to cater to the interests of younger listeners.
I don’t see the point in such tactics. If it’s an issue of interest, people continuing discussing a topic long after other topics have been added below, on Open Mike.
I don’t believe it’s anything of the sort AV. PP has been around The Standard for a few years now and he (‘he’ note) is an elderly Labour supporter (had his 80th last year from memory) who nearly always posts on subjects he’s interested in regardless of whether they are under discussion or not. He is a Londoner (I think) from way back and has stayed true to the Labour cause all his life. Don’t always agree with him, but he’s an honest, retired working man and I doubt he would know what you’re talking about.
Geez. Sydney’s hottest day on record (by a fraction of a degree over a 1939 temp). I sympathise. I almost passed out one day at work, in western Sydney once – no air conditioning, had to sit down for a while. Temperatures getting into the 40s are getting beyond what I can take. And feeling like I was about to pass out is no fun either.
New Zealand needs a decent left wing radio station, especially since Radio NZ became radio National, and since state tv was taken over totally by neo liberals. Is the standard and left blogs the only truly free and honest media left in New Zealand?
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Carereport released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced$802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Carereport in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquirypublished its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone iconon the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive:Transport Minister Simeon Brownannounced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloittereport for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’sOliver LewisScoop:Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announcedthe Board of Te Whatu Ora-Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Orderimage, ...
Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
Waiting In The Wings:For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSAannounced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
Te Rangi e tu nei (The sky above us) Te Papa e takoto nei (The land beneath us) Tatou katoa te hunga ora (To us all the living) Tena koutou katoa (Greetings) ...
A late change to charter school legislation will cheat educators out of fair pay and negotiating power proving charter schools are just a vehicle to make profit out of our education system. ...
In 2004 te iwi Māori rallied against the Crown’s attempt to confiscate our coastlines and moana with the Foreshore and Seabed Act. This led to the largest hīkoi of a generation and the birth of Te Pāti Māori. 20 years later, history is repeating itself. Today the government has announced ...
It has been five and a half years since the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care was established to investigate the abuse of children, young people, and vulnerable adults within state and faith-based institutions. Yesterday, the final report - Whanaketia through pain and trauma, from darkness to light ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to take action off the back of the International Court of Justice ruling on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine. ...
On Friday the International Court of Justice reaffirmed what Palestinian’s have been telling us for decades: that the occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands by Israel is illegal and must end immediately. They also called for reparations for Palestinian’s who have lived under Israeli occupation since it began in 1967. ...
Labour calls on the Government to act after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian Territories is illegal. ...
The 53.7 percent rise in benefit sanctions over the last year is more proof of this Government’s disdain for our communities most in need of support. ...
Aotearoa could be a country where every child grows up feeling safe, loved and with a sense of belonging in their whānau and community. But for some of our children, this is far from reality. Instead, they are trapped in a maze of intergenerational harm that they can’t escape on ...
Te Pāti Māori are calling for David Seymour to resign as Associate Health Minister in response to his call for Pharmac to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi. “This announcement is just another example of the government’s anti-Tiriti, anti-Māori agenda.” Said Co-leader and spokesperson for health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. “Seymour thinks it ...
The soaring price of renting is driving the rise of inflation in this country - with latest figures from Stats NZ showing rents are up 4.8 per cent on average while annual inflation is at 3.3 per cent. ...
National’s Emissions Reduction Plan will take New Zealand further from the economy we need to ensure the next generation has a stable climate and secure livelihoods. ...
Following consultation with named parties and thorough consideration of privacy interests, the Green Party is in a position to release the Executive Summary of the final report from the independent investigation into Darleen Tana. ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon should be asking serious questions of his Minister for Resources Shane Jones now it’s been revealed he misled the public about a dinner with mining companies that he didn’t declare and said wasn’t pre-arranged. ...
Te Pāti Māori have submitted to the Justice Select Committee against the Sentencing (Reinstating Three Strikes) Amendment Bill. The bill will further entrench racism in our justice system and fails to focus on rehabilitation. “Reinstating Three Strikes will empower a systematically racist system and exacerbate the overrepresentation of Māori in ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is set to make a determination on the Residential Tenancies Amendment (RTA) Bill in the coming weeks. “This legislation will give landlords the power to kick our whānau out onto the street for no reason” said Housing spokesperson, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “Their solution to the housing ...
“National’s campaign was about tackling crime and the best they can do is a two-year long Ministerial Advisory Group,” Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
“There are more examples of charter schools failing their students than there are success stories. The coalition Government is driving to dismantle our public school system and instead promote a privatised, competitive structure that puts profits before kids,” Jan Tinetti said. ...
“This government is choosing to deliberately mislead and withhold information, keeping our people in the dark about this government’s agenda and the future of our mokopuna,” said co-leader and spokesperson for Health, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. The call comes after the demand from the Chief Ombudsman that Associate Minister of Health, Casey ...
“Today’s climate announcement by Simon Watts makes clear the National Government is simply paying lip service to meeting its climate change targets,” Megan Woods said. ...
National is choosing to make life harder for workers by taking away the rights our communities have fought hard for. Here's how they’re taking workers backwards. ...
Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue. We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views. “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
Tēnā tātou katoa, Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts. “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet. “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks. “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. At the heart of this report are the ...
For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced. “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024. “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane. “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says. “This will be our third visit to ...
Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today. “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum. While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation. “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan. “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says. “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests. Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone. Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
Christopher Luxon: hurdles The little man from National jumps hurdles in his sleep. He’s quite good at it in his dreams and even though the reality doesn’t quite match up you have to give him credit for getting up every morning and crashing into the very first hurdle of the ...
Comment: It was a good two hours into the conversation when Tyrone Marks raised the most basic of questions when I first spoke to him in 2017. “They didn’t explain the things they did to me. They never told me why. And they still haven’t. There’s no explanation for it. ...
Last summer when Matairangi burned, Ginny and Tom stood at the window of their lounge, watching kākā shoot skyward from the burning trees. From the distance, they looked to Ginny like pages torn from books and thrown into a bonfire. It was Tom, voice tight, who told her it was ...
Opinion: The Canadian short story writer Alice Munro – winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 – died in May at the age of 92. Her work was about “the damage people inflict on one another in the name of love”, Deborah Treisman wrote in the New Yorker. ...
This month marks two years since the most powerful telescope ever built sent its first pictures back to earth. From its lofty vantage point, beyond the moon in orbit around the sun, the James Webb Space Telescope was tuned to observe the first stars and galaxies being born soon after ...
Comment: After Climate Change Minister Simon Watts’ preview several weeks ago, I had some optimism about the Government’s emissions reduction plan. Now I’ve read the discussion document, that hope has been dashed. How can the Government propose a plan that wants to take New Zealand taxpayers’ hard-earned money, and spend ...
Madeleine Chapman rounds out Death Week on The Spinoff with a final recommendation. You can read all of our Death Week coverage here. Nothing forces you to reflect on your life and relationships quite like proximity to death. For those whose nearest and dearest have died, there are reasonably obvious ...
Whitney Greene takes us through her life in television, including the TV character she’d like to plan a funeral for and her cow lung catastrophe on The Traitors NZ. “If the phone rings, I have to answer it,” Whitney Greene from The Traitors NZ warns as we begin our My ...
Maddie Ballard reviews the debut essay collection of Pōneke writer Flora Feltham.In ‘The Raw Material’, the longest essay in Flora Feltham’s dazzling debut collection, the author heads out for a run after hours of weaving and sees the world turn to textile. “Pounding along the Parade, I saw the ...
Andy Christiansen, one half of the experimental rock-pop duo TRiPS, shares the tunes inspiring the band’s perfect weekend and new release. “Good speakers, good food, good music, no distractions”: that’s all you need to enjoy the psychedelic stylings of TRiPS, a new band formed by Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir ...
Celebrating our quadrennial opportunity to become experts in a bunch of sports we never normally watch.The games of the XXXIII Olympiad are upon us. Paris will host this year’s showcase of sporting and athletic prowess, which means some late-night and early-morning viewing for us in Aotearoa.But what sports ...
The photograph is striking and beautiful, but also disturbing – a reminder that my love for John was often entangled in shame.The Sunday Essay is made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.In the spring of 1980, in Dunedin, shortly before his death, someone took a photograph ...
Get to know Babushka, our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Babu’s humans, Jo and Isabel, for their support. Dog name: Babushka (Babu for short) Age: 2Breed: Border Collie X poodleIf rescued, ...
Pacific Media Watch A Lebanese photojournalist who was severely wounded during an Israeli air strike in south Lebanon carried the Olympic torch in Paris this week in honour of her peers who have been wounded and killed in the field — especially in Gaza and Lebanon. Christina Assi of Agence ...
The first report in a five-part web series focused on the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women taking place in the Marshall Islands this week.SPECIAL REPORT:By Netani Rika in Majuro Women continue to fight for justice 70 years after the first nuclear tests by the United States caused ...
Christopher Luxon has joined with Australia and Canada's leaders in voicing support for US President Joe Biden's ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The 2022 election brought the “teal wave” into parliament. The next election will test whether teals, who occupy what were Liberal seats, and other independents can maintain their momentum. Joining us on the Podcast ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide Pixavri/Shutterstock A major Federal Court class action has been dismissed this week after Justice Michael Lee ruled there was not enough evidence to prove the weedkiller Roundup causes cancer. Plaintiff Kelvin ...
In The Week in Politics: politicians have to decide what to do about child abuse, Health NZ is booked in for major surgery and Darleen Tana returns. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Corbould, Associate Professor, Contemporary Histories Research Group, Deakin University Mainstream media are surprisingly muted at the prospect of the world’s most powerful nation being led for the first time by a woman – specifically a woman of colour, Vice President Kamala ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Bennett, PhD Student, Associate Research Fellow, Deakin University Last week, a drone delivery company called Wing (owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet) started operating in Melbourne. Some 250,000 residents in parts of the city’s eastern suburbs can now order food from ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonathan Foo, Lecturer, Physiotherapy, Monash University pikselstock/Shutterstock In the next 40 years in Australia, it’s predicted the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of people aged 85 and over will more than triple. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katrina Grant, Research Associate, Power Institute for Arts and Visual Culture, University of Sydney Jonas Åkerström’s 1790 work, Session of the Accademia dell’Arcadia on August 17 1788.Nationalmuseum/Cecilia Heisser Ever wondered whether you’d have a better chance at winning an Olympic gold ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Jones, Program Lead, Food Governance, George Institute for Global Health wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock On Thursday, Australian and New Zealand food ministers at state, federal and national levels met to thrash out what’s next for health star ratings on packaged foods. Now, after ...
The Abuse in Care report found many Pacific survivors lost their connections to their culture and language, resulting in trauma that has been carried from generation to generation. ...
In the regulatory review, ECC intends to suggest that ERO focus on curriculum delivery reviews rather than the Ministry, because it’s not efficient or effective to have two agencies with radically different approaches climbing over each other. ...
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori invites the current government to work in partnership with them to develop a pathway forward, including the development of a parallel pathway and meaningful policy and strategy for Kura Kaupapa Māori ...
If you haven’t started watching yet, Tara Ward begs you to reconsider. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. In the world of New Zealand reality television, we have many gems in our crown. There’s the delicious second season of the Celebrity Treasure ...
A new poem by Fiona Kidman. The clothes of the dead I did not keep my mother’s furry red beret for long nor the stringy scarves that adorned the necks of my aunts, although I have kept tag ends of gold, the rings and trinkets they wore, the brooches no ...
The government’s announcement that it will re-open the foreshore and seabed controversy by changing the rules on recognising centuries-old Māori customary title for a third time goes against the rule of law and New Zealand values,” Mr Tipa says. ...
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 Lioness by Emily Perkins (Bloomsbury, $25) Roarrrr! Perkins’ brilliant, award-winning, Marian-Keyes anointed, darkly funny, long ...
The 2004 Act vested ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown, extinguishing any Māori claims to ownership and causing widespread outrage and protests among Māori communities. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Antje Deckert, Associate Professor (Criminology), Auckland University of Technology Getty Images Despite the connection between institutional harm and gang membership made clear in this week’s mammoth royal commission abuse-in care report, the government seems unlikely to soften its “get tough on ...
From Lewis Clareburt in the swimming to the start of the rowing – the first seven days of Paris 2024 promise to be big for New Zealand. There are few events that bring the country together quite like an Olympic Games. Nothing quite matches the excitement of getting up in ...
Groundbreaking local science just showed up in the most surprising of places: the season finale of The Kardashians. In the season five finale of The Kardashians last night, several members of the family gathered together in one of their signature empty, cream-coloured rooms to hear test results that had been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University The Middle East is on the brink of a possibly devastating regional war, with hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah reaching an extremely dangerous level. Washington has engaged in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Elizabeth Eades, Rheumatologist, Monash University Lupus is an inflammatory autoimmune illness, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks itself. Lupus can affect virtually any part of the body, although it most commonly affects the skin, joints and kidneys. The symptoms ...
A law firm that specialises in working with survivors of abuse in State care is disappointed that the Government fails to recognise that its boot camps can be directly compared to previous boot camps from the 1990s and 2000s. ...
Dying is a natural part of life, like updating your Wof or seeing your hairdresser, but without the word-of-mouth recs that help guarantee a good service. What if we changed that? Dying Reviews received by The Spinoff have had the names of organisations redacted while Hospice NZ collects further data. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Mike Lewinski/Flickr, CC BY On any clear night, if you gaze skywards long enough, chances are you’ll see a meteor streaking through the sky. Some nights, however, are better than others. At ...
Despite having no bars or other designated spaces for lesbians, Auckland boasts a small but mighty lesbian museum. So how did it get here? The past 18 months has brought increasing hostility towards the queer community across Aotearoa. Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull’s anti-trans rally in Tamaki Makaurau last March led to a ...
Poneke Antifascist Coalition has invited Wellingtonians to stand in solidarity with the Kanak people at 12pm today outside the French Embassy in Wellington. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Layton, Visiting Fellow, Strategic Studies, Griffith University Drones are the signature technology of the Ukraine war. A few miniature aircraft designs were used in the war’s early days, but an incredible array of drones have now evolved. There are different types, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Slee, Associate Professor, Clinical Academic Neurologist, Flinders University Francisco Gonzelez/Unsplash Migraine is many things, but one thing it’s not is “just a headache”. “Migraine” comes from the Greek word “hemicrania”, referring to the common experience of migraine being predominantly ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee White, Senior Lecturer and Horizon Fellow, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Sydney Australia was slow to introduce minimum building standards for energy efficiency. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) only came into force in 2003. Older homes ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney The past century of human-induced warming has increased rainfall variability over 75% of the Earth’s land area – particularly over Australia, Europe and eastern North America, new research shows. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Heynen, Program Coordinator, Sustainable Energy, The University of Queensland A temporary stadium in the Champ-de-Mars, ParisEkaterina Pokrovsky/Shutterstock As Paris prepares to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the sustainability of the event is coming under scrutiny. The organisers have promoted ...
A night of karaoke and community in a pub that feels like a memory. You’d barely even notice it, unless you knew to look. Tucked away behind a liquor store on busy Constable Street is the capital’s last great pub. Newtown Sports Bar is an emblem of the pub culture ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Wright, Professor in Marine Geology, University of Canterbury Louise Corcoran/Getty Images The decline in the number of doctoral candidates at New Zealand universities is a worrying sign for the country’s effort to build a knowledge-based economy. Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laurie Berg, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney defotoberg/Shutterstock Migrant worker exploitation is entrenched in workplaces across Australia. Tragically, a deep fear of immigration consequences means most unlawful employer conduct goes unreported. On Wednesday, however, the government officially launched a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vaughan Cruickshank, Senior Lecturer in Health and Physical Education, University of Tasmania Paris is about to host its third summer Olympics. While we don’t yet know what the legacy of this year’s games will be, let’s take the opportunity to reflect on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Deputy Director, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Griffith University In the wake of the assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump, there were calls from bothsides of US politics, as well as internationally, to reduce the brutal, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Keith Rathbone, Senior Lecturer, Modern European History and Sports History, Macquarie University Two high-profile assaults on Australians in Paris have raised concerns about security ahead of the Olympic Games. On Saturday evening, a young woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a ...
Dying is inevitable and, so it seems, is it costing a lot, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here.The cost of dying ...
The government took Joyce Harris's first baby and sent her off to a girls' home. Half a century on - and out of oceans of hurt - it asked her to be a mother figure. ...
It’s the deadliest fictional town in the country, but which death has been the most bonkers? Alex Casey looks back at 10 seasons of The Brokenwood Mysteries to find out. Warning: The following ranking story contains famous New Zealand actors appearing to be dead (not alive). The Spinoff has been ...
Water cremation is the biggest thing to happen to the death industry in the last 100 years. Alex Casey meets the people trying to bring it to Aotearoa. Through a set of mirrored doors down the industrial end of Christchurch’s St Asaph Street, death is getting a new lease on ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 26 July appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Shades of “the emperor with no clothes” from John Key……….Parata is a top communicator and hugely talented apparently. Nothing of the fiasco in the Ministry of Education has much to do with her apparently.
What ???
Nobody else wanted the job.
I thought the master communicator tag was bizarre.
Anne Tolley must be thinking fuck for that for a laugh.
Oh, please bring back Tolley!! All is forgiven! She did the will of Key as obligingly as Parata, but Parata is even more effectively putting across his anti-education wishes!
No thank you, Off Your Trolley(Tolley) was the one that wiped out a long tradition in NZ by cutting the night classes. A start off point for many a successful business.
Just because there is one incompetent it does not fair well to replace it with an equal incompetent.
The answer is, get rid of Smile and Wave Shonkey and all his pack of incompetent prats
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8194265/Key-faints-ahead-of-Antarctic-trip
Key faints ahead of Antarctic trip
Prime Minister John Key fainted and collapsed while out for dinner last night.
He was at dinner at the Italian restaurant Tutto Bene in Merivale, Christchurch.
He was taken to Christchurch hospital in a police car and assessed by three specialists. He was there for two and half hours before being released.
Key is in Christchurch to fly to Antarctica and has been cleared to leave this morning.
Doctors do not know what caused him to faint.
I hope it’s not serious. I mean, I don’t like him but I don’t wish him ill. I’ve fainted on several occasions and it is quite a scary experience.
I will probably get spanked if i revealed my true feelings on hearing news that Slippery took a little ‘turn’ last night,
Get well soon Slippery, we haven’t finished with your education yet…
Did someone just avail the Slippery one of the latest results from National’s internal polling???, (snigger), now there’s a read to put anyone off their dinner…
Fainting is a freaky experience for anyone, and fortunately it sounds like Key is in good health.
According to Hilary Barry on Twitter,
Bomber tweeted:
Unfortunately i cannot help but remember yesterdays news from Social Development Minister Paula Benefit,
Paula has managed to give 12,000 the kick off of various benefits while in the news this morning the Council of Trade Unions has quoted the unemployment benefit figures as remaining the same,
While i KNOW that a number of those ‘moved off benefits’ are now reliant on the charity of various Inner City Ministries for their daily bread having no income whatsoever, i cannot in all honesty raise 1 iota of sympathy for the Slippery little Shyster we have as Prime Minister choking on His Pasta which in all likelihood was paid for by the tax-payer…
Did he have to wait in line with all the other punters with less than life-threatening problems who have been triaged?
the ones who might have to wait 2.5 hours before they get let through the doors and put on a bed?
Triage is for plebs.
I’d happily accept 2 years of inpatient observation. The health of the great man should be our foremost concern.
Apparently someone remarked that the Pole was way south of 20….
Apparently jetlag
BUT hawaii is only 1 hr different
Flights themselves are draining experiences. I felt fucked after coming back from Samoa and that is only an 1 hour difference
He should get a bigger private jet. Apparently the G550 has nice beds.
Or the yanks are replacing Airforce One – might get a deal on the old one.
If you travel as much as our leader, you should do so in comfort.
Melatonin pills are sold over the counter as a treatment for jet lag in North America, one possible side effect is dizzy-spells and in some cases fainting, Key just returned from Hawaii, so I would probably guess it is related to that with nothing more sinister going on.
+1 Pete. Well said.
I concur. Nevertheless the National Party backers and electoral organisation will be running through lists of alternative names while he is away in their minds, perhaps on paper, not online.
Key has reprised his starring role as the salesman who brought in the deals at Merrill for this government. Love him or hate him, he has been the public face of this administration with memorable lines such as “Beckham is as thick as batshit”.
Without him we are left with English, Brownlee, Joyce, Collins, Ryall, Parata, Bennett, Carter, McCully ..
Is anyone still awake ?
Maurice Willianson as the head of the English faction???…
Maybe he forgot to breathe.
The transition from ‘Planet Key’ to little old Noo Zealand could be said to have encountered an atmospheric anomaly…
Not very good. Hopefully just a one off. Might be the record heat we are having, and him all trussed up in a suit in a stuffy restaurant — by ‘stuffy’ I mean really hot/humid with bugger all ventilation.The Antarctic chill will be a welcome change for him.
The restaurant manager says it wasn’t stuffy, and that she had commented earlier in the evening that Key looked tired, unwell and was sweating noticeably.
The Antarctic NZ spokesperson put it down to jet lag, and also said Key looked exhausted.
Key obviously passed the “Work Capacity Test” by three doctors (truly “independent” ones I trust), so surely sick and disabled WINZ beneficiaries better “toughen up” and pass the future UK designed – and Dr Bratt (MSD) approved – “work ability tests” as well with pride, and sign up as “jobseekers” ready for work the day after.
The PM is “leading” by example, yet again, I presume.
Key is unwell, that much is obvious, its written all over his face.
Akshully my parner commented the other night that key was looking puffy faced and unwell when he saw him on tv.
Restaurant probably didn’t stock his wine.
Probably just got told by those who manage His investment portfolio that He is down another 5 million…
he fell over last year as well, after playing golf with tim groser, so maybe not a 1 off?
One of the few reason I read the stuff website in the morning is for any sign that something terrible has befallen the Nat Govt. Maybe the country awakes of its collective coma overnight and says “ENOUGH Key must go!”. Nat calls a snap election and then get booted out. Its my fantasy and I’m sticking with it.
However after reading that article this am I did feel slightly guilty for wishing disaster upon Key in general and a bit sorry for JK having a fainting turn. Like Pete says below, it’s scary experience, and you wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. He has been having some difficulty coping for some time now. I also wonder in all seriousness that as well as the long work hours the strain of your personality not being a good fit for the job : ie, he’s a taker, not a giver, (and certainly not a leader) and that doesn’t fit with the requirements of being of service to a nation, is a source of constant stress to him.
Dv:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10859905
Yes, oh horror, this happening to the adorable PM, just before leaving for Antarctica, that is of course of “national concern”.
With all respect, I do not wish John Key any harm, and I trust it may just be “chronic fatigue syndrome” or the likes, but do hundreds or even more of other people not “faint” somehow every day???
I am sure, it will be at the top of the MSM TV news tonight.
Never mind any debate about unemployment figures, welfare slashing, the state of the economy, Parata’s bungles and what else is happening.
Give him a drug test…last time it was a broken arm, now this. Some people are a burden on our health system
Thank goodness he was able to get attention instantly from so many specialists in such a short time. I hope they were all male specialists. How many ORDINARY people had to wait while his little faint was attended to?
I imagine coming back from holiday to a high profile high stress job that everyone knows you don’t want to do anymore would knock you for six. And stress kills.
For his and his family’s sake, hopefully he was just ‘tired and emotional’ and nothing more serious. For the country’s sake he should sort his shit out and decide whether he’s up for this gig anymore.
Despite generally being a fan of UK TV comedy, there is some TV coming out of the US that is worth watching. One of these is Portlandia, a show about the city of Portland, Oregon. The show consists of sometimes related skits and reoccurring characters which examines our social norms, and critiques our ideologies, morals and ethics.
The first clip on the latest show was called one party at a time which considered the challenges and problems associated with contemporary protest movements.
The ‘protest’ begins with a vague discussion of the problem, and the participants don’t really know what they are protesting against.
The protest repeatedly descends into a self obsessed party where the original concern gets lost and individualism takes over.
Firstly they attempt to redefine the protest as more political, then more simple, then finally based on hippy ideals…but they all fail. Challenges to the protest include sexualisation, short attention span, glitter and glamour, and image over substance.
The end of the clip shows how easy it is for those in power to end the protest, and silence the protesters.
This 2 min clip is funny, but it is also depressing….its a powerful critique of protests today, but also shows how protest has been rendered ineffective against the seduction of hyper-capitalism.
This Portlandia clip reminds me of Zizek’s call to do less activism and more thinking. Less doie, more Hui. Unfocused resistance can often end up making our current situation seem the best option.
Interesting.
It seems to me that a broad left wing discourse* is just getting started again, after years in the wilderness. A few small groups suvived, and there have always been friends talking amongst themselves, but getting alternative world views heard, far and wide, to counter the TINA which has stifled dissent for so long, must be a big priority. One of the biggest barriers seems to be concern for how we are perceived – as if it is necessary to win others over with the first hearings. Most people take a lot longer to change their minds – points of view tend to evolve. But repeated exposure is the key. Something the marketing/focus-group, approach to politics has completely failed to grasp, if indeed their proponents actually care about anything beyond winning and market share.
But I don’t think we can just defer action while we sort out our thinking. Things are not static and there must be some responsibility to act as the jack boot of the elites comes down on more faces more often, and the environment is used and abused.
*When did I start routinely using terms like “discourse” and “meme”? Certainly not before I started spending time here. I really hope the particular language we use doesn’t create barriers, like some kind of exclsuive club..
But I don’t think we can just defer action while we sort out our thinking. Things are not static and there must be some responsibility to act as the jack boot of the elites comes down on more faces more often, and the environment is used and abused.
True…there has to be a balance. The Gap Filler project in Christchurch is an example of a grassroots movement that is focused on action, and appears to encourage not thinking too much.
Its interesting that you refer to things not being ‘static’ as one of the representatives from Gap Filler Ryan Reynolds suggests here that we should embrace the temporary…after all, what is permanent these days?
However, in saying that, Gap Filler’s call for action sits upon their already well defined ideology which requires action now, and is suitable to the socio-political environment of Christchurch.
Hi Fatty. We’re forever on the look out for funny and smart viewing. Sure as hell you can’t get it on NZ TV.
Came across Portlandia awhile ago and downloaded it. We’ve been enjoying it for several reasons. One aspect that struck me was the way the show demonstrated some of the pompousness, hypocrisy, exclusivity and naivety that you can come across within some movements. These attributes can really kill an otherwise useful and energetic movement. It’s one of the main reasons I stay on the outside of activism these days. I can’t be bothered dealing with the ego’s.
On an entertainment note the show is just plain funny. Those two main actors are good at playing a real variety of characters. Kyle McLaughlin (sp?) plays a good role as Mayor of the town too.
Yeah, the Mayor off Portlandia is very funny.
A few other comedies that I enjoy and make me think:
Louie (US comedian Louis CK struggling through life)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (Larry David, ex Seinfeld creator getting pissed off at life)
Nathan Barley (Chris Morris / Charlie Brooker also pissed off at dickheads)
Snuff Box (weird shit)
Veep (the US version of ‘the thick of it’…not as good as the US version, but still written by Armando Iannucci)
The Armando Iannucci Shows (prob my favourite TV show ever, from the creator of ‘the thicl of it’)
Time Trumpet (more Armando Innucci)
Black Mirror (Charlie Brooker drama/thriller/comedy – amazing. New Ep. soon!..that link is episode 1 of 3 in first season)
A Touch of Cloth (Charlie Brooker, very dry comedy, piss take of UK police dramas)
Them From That Thing (skit show, Charlie Brooker is one of the writers, only 2 episodes)
Some of these are quite old and can be hard to find, some are on youtube
Hey Fatty thanks heaps for those links. I just had a quick peek at the Armando Iannucci shows and I did actually laugh out loud. Am looking forward to watching all the others.(I like the sound of a touch of cloth). Thanks for doing all the leg work!
Have seen all the Nathan Barleys. Liked that. Was interesting to see thingie Barrett who played Howard Moon in the Mighty Boosh, play a character in Nathan Barley.
One thing we’ve got planned to watch is the box set of This is England ’86. It’s drama, certainly not comedy. The first movie This is England was set in Thatchers Britain in the early 80’s. Trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0jkv2bRFgQ. We got This is England ’88 out on DVD without realising there was a four part series set in ’86. The ’88 movie was very real and gritty and really woke you up. When you see movies like that it reminds how insipid most movies are. Anyway, you might have seen it already and I’m waffling on like this is Weekend Social, not Open Mike.
Big ups for the links.
no worries…and thanks for info about This is England ’86. I’ve been meaning to watch the movie, but didn’t realise there was a TV show too, I’ll check it out
Is the Maori Party headed for the scrap heap of minor Government support Party’s in the Parliament, the news item on OneNews last night,(if anywhere near the truth), would have current co-Leader Sharples proclaiming ‘hell no He won’t go’ as far as relinquishing His leadership position is concerned, (Pita might be hanging in there sweating on ‘the knighthood),
While OneNews didn’t interview Flavell, they quoted ‘a rumor’ that Flavell has indicated He may not stand for the Maori Party again unless He is given a Leadership position after the departure of Tariana Turia,
It’s AGM time for the Maori Party and an elegant solution would be to simply drop the requirement to have both a male and female Leader of the Party in the Parliament, (which would be quite an intelligent option considering there is no guarantee that the Party will have a female MP in the Parliament after the 2014 election),
It’s all a bit of a ‘snigger’ really as it’s looking ever more likely that the Maori Party won’t have any MP’s after the next election, i doubt that after 6 years of National Auckland Maori are going to vote for someone who has sat there as a Government Minister and paid ‘lip service’ to those who put Him into the Parliament while the National Government has taken to their very means of existence with a Patu,
Flavell holding His seat is the Maori Party’s best chance of survival but Annette Sykes this far out from 2014 is 50/50 to take it off of Him this time being aided with Flavell having been tarred for the past 6 years by the same brush wielded by Tariana and Pita…
I’m very interested to know what building project in Auckland requires the hiring of Australian builders.
If the project goes ahead….
So what big projects in Auckland are in a planning phase at the moment?
Sky City?
Yeah, that was my first thought – the convention centre with 900-odd construction jobs for New Zealanders.
But because I don’t live in Auckland I thought there might be something else on the go that I’ve not heard of…. maybe…
Hope so – but wrong builder
What’s more why hire Australian builders who are higher paid no doubt in Oz and why would they want to come here?
Possible answer= i believe the figure for construction workers having left New Zealand for Australia since this National Government took office is in the realm of 27,000,
Perhaps ‘Seek’ has been given the task of trying to lure some of them back again…
Key’s fainting could be attributed to High Blood Pressure or his Heart,that’s right he
hasn’t got one,(only for the top 1-2%), he certainly hasn’t got one for those kicked
off welfare for various reasons,kicked out of stable HNZ houses to allow the top
1-2% to further increase their portfolio’s,he certainly doesn’t care for the children
in NZ that are facing starvation every day, He certainly doesn’t care for the sick
and disabled,insisting they can find work,there is no excuses accepted,go forth
and find a job,or else you will have to beg,steal or borrow, he could not give a
damn.
Perhaps the god’s are sending him a message, ‘you eat well on behalf of all of
those women,men and children, who in one way or another feed you, take that,
you poor excuse for a human being’
Gareth Morgan explains why the Antarctic is important to Key, and why Key is ken to reinforce NZ’s rights there:
I don’t go with Morgan’s lip service to climate change and environment, while slamming “greenies” and his talking up of Key’s approach.
Vital to our national security? That’s an interesting inclusion as to why the Antarctica is vital to NZ.
I smell wee rat? Just a little one.
The ‘wee rat’ could be access to oil and mineral resources as global warming proceeds.
It is entirely predictable that a former Merrill trader and a self-employed economist would be interested in potential developments.
The rest of us will probably be fighting the encroaching seas ..
Yes Maui, thought of something similar. In the meantime Key waxes lyrical about the beautiful unspoilt continent while in his mind he’s thinking oil, minerals, digging, drilling…
Remember in the 90’s when Morgan was the evil lisping right wing economist of the nation? And now he’s like NZ’s version of Joseph Stiglitz. He’s having a go (not sure why) at ‘the greenies’ now, but maybe given another 20 years he’ll catch up a bit further. In the meantime he’s got a soccer team to run into the ground…
I’m surprised that Key did not realise that a life-style involving Honolulu-Auckland-Wellington-Scott Base-[SouthPole ?]-Wellington commuting would not involve potential health consequences such as deep vein thrombosis or jet lag, impairing prime ministerial judgment.
But is it jet lag ? It seems to be a very politically convenient explanation.
There are way too many homophobes on this site, left and right.
“in society”.
Such as? Evidence?
Forgot your own little diatribe about marriage and separate institutions already?
Here, let me help:
http://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-17012013/#comment-574935
There is no evidence of homophobia there but feel free to try pointing some out. Particulars and details lest your waning credibility drain further.
You might try offering a cogent excuse why you don’t want straight and gay people sharing the same institution of marriage for starters.
The reasons for a view along those broad lines have already been outlined.
Now, back to your accusation that I am homophobic. Provide some detailed particulars and evidence or shut the fuck up. Bigot.
vto: Imo gay people who want to tie a knot in it should get their own institution and leave those straight people alone Open Mike 17/01/2013
Gay marriage does nothing to straight people, so there is nothing to “leave alone”. Your “reason” doesn’t stack up.
Oh, and it sure as hell looks like homophobia to me 🙂
I am sure it can easily appear homophobic on a quick shallow reading. But a closer such reading will reveal that the opinion is about a place in the world for a group who want to do their own thing on their own. It is a view that is positive to that group, not negative to any other group. Subtle but real. By way of comparison, people who advocate for some separate institution for, say, just women are not automatically man-haters are they? Or are they? Many say they are, but those people are also shallow readers.
Try substituting “Maori” or “women” for “gay” and then try again.
I thought you said you knew the meaning of relevance.
edit: still waiting for your particular and detailed evidence
“…a group who want to do their own thing on their own…”
Yes, gay people who want to get married, for example, without interfering homophobes ruining their special day.
Or did you mean some other group? If so, please provide a citation so I can be sure they really exist.
Do we really need to regurgitate the entire marriage issue again? That’s not what this min-thread is about.
This is about Pop’s accusation. An accusation without evidence. There is still no evidence.
Yes, there is: your statements are evidence of your homophobia, which is the subject of this mini-thread
Now, who are this “group who want to do things on their own”? You mean yourself and some other bigots, yes?
Bullshite. That is not evidence of “an extreme and irrational aversion to homosexuality and homosexual people” and I have explained that. You are ignoring that explanation and that points to a deficiency in your approach to this mini-thread.
Just because one group wants to play in their own sandpit away from the other kiddies it does not mean they have “an extreme and irrational aversion” to those other kiddies.
What is so hard to understand about that simple proposition?
Your postion is akin to a Kiwiblog type ranter who claims those who want, as per previous example, to set-up some institution for women are man-haters.
“away from the other kiddies” = “aversion“.
No logical reason for their desire = “irrational“.
We’re not talking about just not inviting someone to play poker of an evening. Marriage is a legal construct that, most of the time when it is applied, you personally have no idea about it. Two people in a car? No idea if they’re married. Both wearing wedding rings? Are they married to each other, or just LOTR geeks? But it can make legal procedures in extremis a whole lot easier.
Denying people legal recognition and rights (even if you personally might never know whether someone you encounter has used those rights) for no reason other than an irrational aversion is pretty “extreme“.
“away from the other kiddies” = “aversion“.
No logical reason for their desire = “irrational“.
McFlock, seriously? That does not equate to aversion. Did you wonder perhaps that outside of that short period of time playing in the sandpit they all might enjoy playing together and be friends? There is an abundance of shallow short thinking going on.
Or maybe when a couple of friends of mine go and have a catch up without me that means they have an aversion to me. That is just plain dumb.
And as for irrational, ffs. People right across humanity like keeping similar company. People of like kinds congregate. Be it religious, sporting, racial, financial, cultural, genderal. People enjoy hanging out with their own types. It is not irrational, it is exactly human behaviour.
Fail on both counts.
vto, please don’t “fail” to answer the question: who, specifically, in this context, are the “people who want to do things on their own”?
Off topic as previously explained. Where is the evidence of an extreme and irrational aversion to homosexuality and homosexual people?
What happened to, *way too many*… Which was the accusation from Pop!
Go on then Pop, get cracking!
Definitely averse to sharing the sandpit. The example isn’t “oo, happy to play without you there”. The situation is “we do not want you in the sandpit with us. If you try and play even in part of the sandpit we aren’t using, we will stop you”.
That’s not even “separate but equal”.
“like” is “irrational”. Not rational. No logical basis. By your definition of “irrational”, no hatred, loathing, aversion or fear will be “irrational”, because humans across the world have them. So beating someone to death because you thought they walked like a gay man is not “irrational”, because people across the world attack and kill those who are different.
Edit: so muzz, what’s an acceptable number of homophobes in a forum, according to you?
“They” (you and the other bigots) want to do “things” (get married) “on their own” (alone together, or something), and this is not affected by anything that anyone else (including gay people) want to do, in any way whatsoever, except that perhaps I might be driving past, and yell “fuck you, you homophobic assholes” just as you were about to kiss the other bigot, which might put a damper on proceedings.
But I can’t see what gay people wanting to get married has to do with this sad spectacle.
Kids who want to play together on their own have an extreme and irrational aversion to all other kids.
Where is the evidence of an extreme and irrational aversion to homosexuality and homosexual people?
The evidence is that you want to interfere in their (homosexuals) right to marry, for no reason other than your membership of a tiny minority group.
McFlock – Pop made the accusation of, *too many*, let’s hear him back it up!
Stop diverting !
You are trying very hard OTH, I’ll give you that. But you are still failing. Doesn’t meet the definition.
And fwiw they can have all the rights in the world. The other group just want their own space. Doesnt equate to …(insert definition again).
And I look forward to applying your approach and reasoning to this issue to other issues in the future.
vto: why should a tiny minority (of bigots) get to dictate to the rest of us, and force us to accept their (your) definition of marriage?
So what if you are offended (or outraged, or undermined, or saddened, or driven to insanity) by gay marriage? Gay marriage is not the pain in your mind: your sad prejudice is.
Keep trying to poke and prod one tane huna but I aint biting at your off-topic accusations and personal attacks.
The accusation of homophobia has demonstrably failed to be established and now I’m off.
Later
vto, you don’t get to decide whether the label of bigot sticks to you:
“Off topic” – the topic is your hateful homophobia, and what a tiny minority you belong to, and the contempt which accrues as a result. I’m neither poking nor prodding, I’m just rubbing your nose in it.
only if you insist that marriage is exactly like a sand pit.
Bye!
Oh, and muzz, for there not to be “far too many”, there needs to be a “too many”. Do you think that number exists in relation to homophobes?
If Pops inference was along those lines, then perhaps he might validate that his original comment was aimed at VTO, otherwise its a throw away remark, which can be as arbitrary, as substituting in, *too many […….] on this site*!
In which case, one McFlock could be seen as too many eh!
“could be”?
But yes. And because “far too many” is a relative and subjective (not absolute or nominal) term, who is any of us to say pop it wrong?
BTW, what’s the purpose and scope of your current research project here? I just like to know when I’m being “experimented” on.
We’re all being *experimented* on McFlock, in various ways, which can be considered both purpose, and scope!
Really? Normally some manner of ethical approval and indeed sanity is required to experiment on people.
OTH, that is pathetic. And rude. You have really let yourself down.
vto: “rude”
We covered this earlier: “So what if you are offended (or outraged, or undermined, or saddened, or driven to insanity) by gay marriage?”
What a hypocrite you are to whine about rudeness while maintaining your ill-mannered prejudice, and insistence that your minority opinion be treated with anything other than contempt.
Yes rude. Why don’t you re-read the thread. The accusation was homophobia. No evidence has been provided to fit the definition (but feel free to point which of the posts above has done this, if you can) and prove the kiwiblog type knee-jerk over reaction of both you and Pop.
The rudeness is the personal. You have called me sad, hateful, ill-mannered, contemptful, bigoted and in addition you continue to call me homophobic without substance, and prejudiced. It is all ther in black and white.
Nothing you have posted has established anything except that typical left wing arrogance and ignorance that anything that does not accord with your world view is somehow extreme and hateful. This drives people away from the left in exactly the same manner as right wing extremism drives people away from them.
You make baseless accusations that you cannot back-up. You are weak.
You are clearly incapable of understanding how your desire to interfere in other people’s relationships constitutes homophobia, but don’t worry: no-one else will have any trouble working it out.
You are now becoming boring and repetitive.
You cannot point to which of the posts above of yours or anyone elses has shown how the view expressed fits the definition of homophobia. You have failed. You should apologise for your mindless knee-jerk accusation.
Ever heard of that saying about a hole and digging?
Imo gay people who want to tie a knot in it should get their own institution and leave those straight people alone ffs instead of gate-crashing someone else’s party.
The institution of marriage doesn’t belong to you. To use your stupid metaphor, it isn’t your party, and gay people are invited. So fuck off, bigot.
wooooooooo – first knee-jerk mindless extremism and now anger. You have now successfully completed the entire route to failuredom.
Sad.
Yeah whatever. Got a certificate that says you own the institution of marriage? Didn’t think so.
And of course the likes of Kiwi_Prometheus. And have we already forgotten the shenanigans surrounding Q— C—-gate?
Nope again. See 10.2.1.1 above.
Can’t speak for others like kiwi-prometheus
Political journalists and commenters are interested in a number of more or less petty things, it seems, but have evidently LITTLE or NO interested in people on welfare facing the most radical and draconian reforms in at least a generation here in NZ.
So I was having to learn once again, when reading Bryce Edward’s “political roundup” today, for the summer period now nearing the end when Parliament slowly returns to business late this month.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10859967
It is astonishing that debate about drones, about a PM fainting, about personality politics, apart from admittedly some important issues, but otherwise lots of side-show matters, dominate the tabloids, the online media, the newsmedia in general here in NZ.
NO mention of the most substantial welfare reforms at all. That tells me, I belong to a group of people that have no right to exist, as whatever I and others face is NOT relevant at all.
Mabe bring in a system now to do away with us – for good, so we do not “stain” the social and political environment with our blemished, useless, “bludger-like” existence?
Xtasy you hit on an interesting train of thought here…
The strategy appears to be long and , to convince an entire nation, that there is no more important issues/messages than what the MSM chose to convey, creating an environment of perceived safety, actual complacency, and total apathy! It looks like the strategy has been well bedded in NZ, and elsewhere.
Also, while convincing the, *entire nation* (those wasting energy following MSM), that there is no threat to them, while at the same time exposing the threat (to those such as yourself), by simply ignoring the issues which the *threats* consists of. Additionally the disenfranchising of huge numbers of people that *switch off* from MSM and politics altogether, but simultaneously keeping just enough people engaged with the dros served up, to maintain some, *order*
There’s an ever growing number of *groups*, which are, effectively deemed irrelevant, and there is an ever growing number of *groups*, who are yet to realise that they were deemed *irrelevant* years back also. Many are busy putting the boot into beneficiaries, and other vulnerable groups, as they can’t see the threat to *their group*, and thus act out accordingly!
Strategically, one has to *admire* the *techniques*, but equally, when as blatant as the tactics employed have been, one has to accept that a turn around in NZ, is unlikely to eventuate!
muzza –
Yes, depressing that is.
But what is being presented to us as the supposed “reality”, perceived “security”, and as the “convention of the presence”, that will inevitably get “boring” to the majority, so there may be hope that they stumble across any such not noticed “groups” and “re-discover” that there is another world around them out there. They may then actually take an interest and start opening their mind.
I admit though, it is a slim chance of that happening. Meeting homeless, beggars, scruffily clothed and neglected poor will possibly in most cases have the opposite effect. People will appreciate their own security, in the best case make a little donation to a welfare agency, but then move on back home to their safe suburban home.
In reality it is not so much media communication of a sense of “security”, it is a communication of well-selected “threats” that are presented to the wider public and media consumer, this being CRIME.
Look at the APN and Fairfax websites, look at the TV news, listen to radio (even increasingly also National Radio). Crime, accidents, disaster news, that is always at the beginning and top of the news in most news presentations now. So the public are conditioned to be extra sensitive to crime and disaster, which again feeds feelings for a need of “security”, which again misleads most to support the status quo system, as any change will be associated with insecurity and risks.
That is also, what keeps this present government pretty safely in place.
It’s the sort of attitude I expect from the right, but theoretically one would hope that the left was a tad more progressive.
Pop, your attitude that anyone who has a view on gay-straight issues that is opposed to your own is homophobic is the attitude to be expected from the right, just switched around like looking in a mirror. See my last reply to oth.
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2009/04/david_shearer_on_mercenaries.html
It is intersting to look back a few years on how David Shearer and Phil Goff were perceived by the right before David became Leader.
The link above to David Farrar’s research in April ’09, six months after Phil took over from Helen is quite chilling.
“Phil Goff has been shifting Labour more towards the centre, with the departure of Helen Clark and Michael Cullen. He is attacking National for not sticking with tax cuts, he let Clayton Cosgrove attack over Maori prison units and he is refusing to back Maori seats on the Auckland Council. Plus Labour are backing most of the RMA changes and voted to repeal the EFA.
But the extent to which Goff wants to pull Labour away from the left astonishes even me. As we all know, David Shearer is his hand picked candidate for Mt Albert – his former school friend and Ministerial advisor.”
……..and these quotes are from David Farrar!
“Now I agree with Shearer, but I can imagine it is going to be very uncomfortable for Labour when he is an MP. Everytime Goff or King gets up to accuse the Government of having a privatisation agenda, the Nats will laugh and remind them that they have an MP who supports privatising the army. And when you consider Labour’s entire strategy is to basically label everything National does is as privatisation, well Naional can’t wait until Shearer is an MP. Hell, they are probably tempted to endorse him themselves.”
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2009/04/privatising_protection.html
As we all know, David Shearer is his hand picked candidate for Mt Albert – his former school friend…
‘School friend’ was a MSM created myth. They went to the same high school but at different times. They didn’t know each other until years later. My understanding at the time is that it was Phil Twyford (who was a close friend forged at a time both were linked to the UN) who persuaded Shearer to return to NZ and stand for Mt. Albert. That is not to say Goff didn’t fully support the nomination, but these things are never quite as simple as has been suggested.
It’ true, Goff was at the Right end of the Labour Party but, to be fair to him, he did shift further to the Left during the 2011 campaign. But it was too late! Everything was “too late” and God knows how many members (including me) tried to tell them. This is where the BIG DISCONNECT first came in to the picture – at least in recent times.
Or was it a Farrar created myth? Doesn’t really matter – they live in each others’ pockets.
Another Roy Morgan. 4% higher than the same period last year…. [hunkers down] 😉
Shit.
http://www.roymorgan.com/news/polls/2013/4856/
National back up a little bit, Labour back down to 31.5%
Can’t wait for the party to spin that one away. What happened to trends and momentum and other such bullshit?
I asked on red alert for predictions of where Shearer’s Labour should be sitting in the polls if they are to mount a successful challenge in 2014
No one answered.
I’m guessing it’s something to do with the top table being held to account if they are way off, like I suspect they will be in 2015
Of course they all deserve a rest but … I mean God I’d had enough “resting” with my in-laws after week 1!
January is the time to seize back and hold the political agenda for the year ahead.
Journalists are begging for stories. Especially stories about the year ahead. Predictions.
So far Labour have put Shearer up to comment just once, so we now have to endure a further week of stories about the Antarctic for God’s sake.
Shearer has made a massive strategic mistake.Nothing against Chippie being night-watchiman per se, but it really needed that apparent impending game-changer speech to be this week or last, not in late January.
Last week someone with some nous and the capability to do good political stunts needed to to blow the housing story out of the water. Like set fire to a derelict state house and call the cameras and then help put it out talking about housing stock, or live a week with a homeless family, or promise to hand over this years’ salary to a housing trust and then go help them build a house in a weekend, or hijack the Hobsonville ferry opening coming up with a pointed speech to camera, or go to a house auction with a couple and pay their house deposit to the bank out of their own MPs pocket or indeed out of an LEC’s and do it with cameras rolling, God it’s not hard to think of something beyond sending another press release out. Paul Holmes was a master of the stunt, as was Bob Harvey in his prime. Sigh.
With Aucklands Unitary Plan hearings, and the Christchurch rebuilt accelerating, this is the year for housing as a gamechanger, and Labour has the policy to do it.
After all the best way to predict the future, is to make it happen. Instead these polls.
So we’ll end up next election about 50-50 as a bunch. I should just relax. Sigh. Relax.
jan 2013: 31.5%
jan 2012: 27.5
jan 2011: 29
jan 2010: 30
jan 2009: 33
When did Shearer start again?
January usually drops for opposition, mostly because (IMO) the government gets junkets to antarctica while opposition mps: not so much.
the standard definition of stupidity being to do the same thing over and over again, expecting something different to happen. whatever Labour have been doing since 2009, this January it was time to do something different. Shearer is not culpable for the era prior to him, of course, but he is responsible for the results now. He had a fallow January field for media and is so far reaping the rewards of doing the same thing over and over again.
The dude gained 4% over the previous year’s january dip, reversing 4 years of steady decline at that point. In his first year as leader.
31.5% sucks, but it’s better than 27.5%.
Now, there’s many a slip ‘twixt dress and drawers, and I’m still looking to see some 35% threshold breakers, but performance-wise it’s not a major tragedy unless key calls a chardonnay-snap election.
So when do you hope to see those 35% threshold breakers?
And using those figures and logic, Shearer is less popular than Goff in his first months as leader. Not really a win, aye.
Maybe I should ask when do you expect Shearer to hit 33% ?
Actually I think I wrote something about one or two RM polls 35% by feb leadership vote waiting before beginning to think it looks like Labour’s back in the doldrums. Shearer personally? probably not until next year. opposition bias and all. Haven’t really looked at party vs leader stats though.
Today, Labour =31.5%.
2 months ago November 2012, Labour = 31.5% (+/- 0.5%)
7 months ago June 2012, Labour = 31.5% (+/- 0.5%)
12 months ago Feb 2012, Labour = 31.5% (+/- 0.5%)
19 months ago July 2011, Labour = 31.5% (+/- 0.5%)
22 months ago April 2011, Labour = 31.5% (+/- 0.5%)
There’s definitely consistency here for Labour, not so sure that it’s an upward trending one though.
interesting sample intervals there: 2, 5, 5,7,3…
Nice methodology for cherry picking, not so much for looking at trends.
Just demonstrating natural variability about a mean, McFlock. A student t-test will show that to you. Nothing unfair there. If you want me to give you more data points sitting right on top of 31.5% I can, but they are sitting there for you to see.
The point being that you don’t know whether there is actual improvement. Especially given 2011 Labour was going down, so to stay in approximately (for a given value of approximate) the same place labour actually needs to have improved in the last 12 months.
It’s called “regaining lost ground”. And shearer didn’t lose the ground.
Hehe an optimist would notice that.
A pessimist, or is that a realist, would look at Labour at 31.5% and say “what the … “
The average of the 24 Roy Morgan polls since Jan 2012 is 46% for National and 31% for Labour.
No F@c&ing change. Shearer has to fire Mallard immediately. The strategy is F@c&ed!
We are not winning this way.
We are loosing this way.
Does Shearer not see that he is surrounded by the same twits who lost in 2011?
Please change something. This is the most painful disaster to watch.
Key’s idiot crew screw up everything and we can’t take a single percentage point off them!’
Change
Change
Change
+1
Meh, not a bad poll if the goal is to hang on by the skin of your teeth. If the goal is to win an election though, nothing to write home about.
You may like to know that on the Concert program pm 24 January there is a program of American protest song ,Trade Union songs and old socialist songs . Should be worth a listen .
Will probably get more listeners than mine did 😉
You should put your song on youtube….
I’ve always thought it more a video medium, but you’re right, I should.
I just bought some half decent studio headphones today and half deaf as I am, I can hear again.
Not looking forward to rectifying all those tracks when all I want to do is write, but if I win lotto tomorrow I’ll not hire the guy that did kim.com’s records to do it for me.
People put audio only stuff up on it all the time, including myself.
I’ll give it a go, ta.
You may like to know that on the Concert program 7. pm 24 January there is a program of American protest song ,Trade Union songs and old socialist songs . Should be worth a listen .
Excellent. We spend some lots of time in a part of the country where these things are still regularly sung and strummed. It’s like stepping back in time. Reaching back to feel the times. Tis quite something. Woody Guthrie and the like. Mining songs. Old ones.
Meanwhile this is a bit of a funny version of one of me fave’s. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPQVvQfblzY
The most famous – and haunting – of them all?
Well old smile and wave is back. Already the photos are appearing in the press. Nothing escapes this man He got into the act regarding the accident involving the Bethlehem School.
However surely the most outrageous photo is the one on page 3 of to-day’s Herald . What a buffoon what has Aotearoa done to deserve this clown. .
RNZ Press Release, just up – process started to search for a new CEO. Richard Griffin takes the opportunity to talk up RNZ’s success. There’s also a link to RNZ’s page on the CEO role. And that page links to the RNZ Charter.
I think RNZ is the only public service broadcaster we now have. I like the Charter, and think RNZ does fulfil a lot of it, but not as much as I would like.
It isn’t always as critical and in-depth as I would like these days. Impartiality is an impossibility to achieve, but a PBS should aim for a diversity of perspectives, but also to follow the evidence. RNZ could do better on that IMO, and also more to cater to the interests of younger listeners.
Karol
The Pink Postman is only trying to draw debate awsy from the setback in the polls.
Watch the pattern.
It repeats itself.
She/he works around the same hours as TRP….
I don’t see the point in such tactics. If it’s an issue of interest, people continuing discussing a topic long after other topics have been added below, on Open Mike.
I don’t believe it’s anything of the sort AV. PP has been around The Standard for a few years now and he (‘he’ note) is an elderly Labour supporter (had his 80th last year from memory) who nearly always posts on subjects he’s interested in regardless of whether they are under discussion or not. He is a Londoner (I think) from way back and has stayed true to the Labour cause all his life. Don’t always agree with him, but he’s an honest, retired working man and I doubt he would know what you’re talking about.
Sorry for being a grump, Karol and Anne.
And sorry Pink Postmam for my comment.
There is no excuse for my behaviour. It will not happen again.
Fair enough AV. 🙂
(h) Under no circumstances should Matthew Hooton be allowed air-time
Geez. Sydney’s hottest day on record (by a fraction of a degree over a 1939 temp). I sympathise. I almost passed out one day at work, in western Sydney once – no air conditioning, had to sit down for a while. Temperatures getting into the 40s are getting beyond what I can take. And feeling like I was about to pass out is no fun either.
“Mr Smuggles” was GCSB FBI Kim dotcom link ?
http://youtu.be/gKAexsaeBZI
New Zealand needs a decent left wing radio station, especially since Radio NZ became radio National, and since state tv was taken over totally by neo liberals. Is the standard and left blogs the only truly free and honest media left in New Zealand?
Apparently Radio NZ is left-leaning, so there you go.
Yeah left leaning. That’ll be why Matthew Hooton is their goto political-economy guy…
Help Blue eye, help, otherwise I can’t help you.