Key takes the election result as a mandate for another term of it as the sheeple say so assisted by a labour party with past their use by dates MPs and strategists
I saw an MP had posted on facebook a photo of the Labour caucus class of 2015 on the steps of parliament yesterday. Plenty of 50 something’s shades of grey. It was depressing some of the same old faces still clipping the ticket. Others must have been thinking the same as there were few likes.
By the way where is Nicky Hager these days? Haven’t heard anything of him for a while!
Is he under house arrest?
Been gagged?
Prevented from speaking publicly?
Any news about the outcome of police removing his personal effects from his home to be investigated?
We need a journalist of Hager’s intelligence, calibre and integrity to investigate John Key’s involvement re the time frame of having been informed of the Mike Sabin affair!
Another point is it’s interesting that today, msm (Fairfax and NZH) is carrying the story about Andrew Little’s past “non payment” of an invoice, (after it was raised in Parliament yesterday by the loathsome Steven Joyce), focusing on the time frame of the actual payment (yesterday)!
So I ask, where is msm focus on slimy PM Key and his grubby ministers, digging deep about when they first became aware of the Sabin investigation?
Pity more media enthusiasm and attention isn’t focused on this issue, where it should be.
The media give corporate shills like Mary Beard a voice, not real journalists like Hager publicity.
Remember they want more for themselves and less for the rest of us.
So being on a salesperson for the TPP rather than an advocate for democracy, transparency and solidarity.
Labour Party PR is abysmal. How can any efficient system drop their leader into the mess that Andrew finds himself in? The Shearer “fish in Parliament” debacle, lack of penetrating secondary questions and dredging up petty and inconsequential points. Andrew needs a decent “minder” that would never have allowed the likes of Joyce to crucify him over an unpaid bill. It’s all over the media today and Key’s back off the ropes.
Pay some real money and buy a minder that’s got his/her finger on the pulse. Another with the political nous of Heather Simpson – – – there’ll be someone out there.
Not a single reference to it on Stuff’s front page in fact. I guess people who are impressed by ‘gotcha’ politics will clutch their pearls a bit. Meanwhile, Bill English’s toxic ACC rort is getting as least as much attention, and that will still be news tomorrow, as will National Party Sabinism and the Skysore.
Getting plenty of airtime on Morning Report. The complainant (who just happens to be an NBR freelancer) is suggesting there was no intention to pay. But you’re right this will be old news tomorrow. Labour just need to get their shit together and stop being their own worst enemy.
Given that Shearer’s fish debacle is brought up at every available opportunity (and in this column today!!) I reckon that Andrew Little’s unpaid bill (and no need to put it in inverted commas ‘cos it was exactly that, it appears) will continue to haunt him in just the same way. It was a damn silly oversight on Andrew’s part and his minders need to be much more on the ball.
Sure is a pretty dumb own-goal but given the debacle of last week and the ease with which Little has owned Key on SkyCity I guess some sort of retaliation was to be expected. No surprise then that the Nats have reverted to the tried-and-true methods that have served them well in the past. It will be interesting how Little and Labour respond. Probably best just to suck it up, take responsibility and try and push through. And, since we’re dealing the dark art of politics, some added fuel thrown on Winston’s claims of insider trading at SkyCity would be useful.
The timing of SkyCity announcement of wanting a taxpayer handout pushed their share price up which was smart Morrison. However the ‘no penalty’ for the convention centre size reduction looks dodgy as hell.
Key and his cronies tie up with that very sketchy outfit the NZX is fishy in my opinion. By the NZX moving into being a fund manager and recently increasing their holdings bears looking into.
Gosman the National Party shrill will come on here with his twisted opinion shortly.
I believe the fish idea was entirely Shearer’s, and no one else in caucus knew about it until he did it. He bought the fish from an Auckland supermarket and flew to Wellington with him in his carry-on…
“Mr Shearer’s fish, which he had brought down from Auckland in his carry-on luggage, were placed back in a bag and ushered out of the debating chamber by deputy leader Grant Robertson.”
“Show me will they? Hehehe, my and my little ‘friends’ here will sink the National government. Sink? That’s a good pun. Must work that in. Also something about sleeping with the fishes. Ho ho ho – that’s a good one”
And so forth.
Also, what the fuck did the guys screening his bag think?
That was a great example of the emperor has no clothes on. I remember thinking
oh dear god this mug has lost the plot. To think he didn’t fall on his sword and not seek re election sums up the problem with Labour. All the previous leaders bar DC should have not stood again.
I bet a few people would like to have a Super Minister discuss their unpaid bills in parliament, and then get the harpie Gower into it to. Perhaps they could get onto the tax evaders for the country while they are onto it
A caliphate established by radical Muslims that supports genocide and appears intent on precipitating World War 3 with an aim of engineering the Apocalypse – “that it considers itself a harbinger of—and headline player in—the imminent end of the world.”
Doing nothing to try and minimise this would seem to be unwise.
ISIS is a threat to a bunch of people over there who would do stuff about it.
Obviously the Shia blocs who are the current primary target of ISIS. So they are already stepping up in the alliance between Iran/Iraq and Syria. That would continue. They have their own agenda of forming a fairly solid shia ruled area. They’d probably achieve that.
Secondly, the Gulf states like Saudi A, UAE etc are threatened by ISIS to a small degree. Insofar that they are bad PR for the anti Shia movement that they care about, they will step up. They have problems in that if they step up too hard against IS then their own populations get a bit angsty, not because of direct IS support (which is small) but because of IS being an Anti-shia force. It’s a tricky spot for them, so they’d probably clamp down hard on ISIS when it raises it’s head in a Sunni state, (same as they do with AQ and the Bortherhood).
The Sunni states probably enjoy watching Iran bleed against ISIS so they may be tempted to quietly fund them to prolong it, and they will not be happy about the Shia states getting their solid bloc, but I doubt they could stop it, and fundamentally, they’d rather have someone who wasn;t as insane as ISIS to be their proxy.
So, I reckon if we butted out, the Shia would fuck ISIS over the next year or two, the Sunni states would say ‘that’s annoying’ and start funding some other wee group.
Pretty much the same as what will happen if we do interfere, with the difference being that we won’t be getting in the way.
lol
Uncharacteristically considerate of brownlee to have a hummer.
Some people might not immediately recognise him and therefore know he is a twat, but driving a hummer is like a huge neon sign labelling him as such.
A stated before PG… How about the “West” stop training, funding and arming ISIS before “we” worry about putting military personnel there – in ANY form?
No arms, no cash and no capability would tend to weaken them quite a bit don’t ya think?
Nobel Peace Laureates Slam Human Rights Watch’s
Refusal to Cut Ties to U.S. Government AlterNet, July 8, 2014
Human Rights Watch’s affiliation with ex-CIA and NATO officials generates perverse incentives and undermine its reputation for independence.
In a May 12 letter published on AlterNet, two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and over 100 scholars, journalists and human rights activists called on Human Rights Watch to close its revolving door to the U.S. government. On June 3, HRW published a response from executive director Kenneth Roth on its website, arguing that their “concern is misplaced.” In a June 11 debate on Democracy Now!, HRW Counsel and Spokesman Reed Brody similarly rejected their recommendations.
Now, Nobel Laureates Mairead Maguire and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel join fellow signatories Richard Falk (United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories from 2008-14) and Hans von Sponeck (UN Assistant Secretary General from 1998-2000) in demanding that their proposals be taken seriously, and additionally, that HRW remove former NATO Secretary General Javier Solana from its Board of Directors.
Dear Kenneth Roth,
While we welcome your stated commitment to Human Rights Watch’s independence and credibility, we are dismayed by your rejection of our common-sense suggestion for strengthening them: bar those who have crafted or executed U.S. foreign policy from serving as HRW staff, advisors or board members—or, at a bare minimum, mandate lengthy “cooling-off” periods before and after any associate moves between HRW and the foreign-policy divisions of the U.S. government.
Before addressing your letter’s objections to the three instances of HRW’s advocacy that suggest a conflict of interest, we would like to reiterate that they were “limited to only recent history,” and that other cases could have been raised as well. One obvious example of HRW’s failure to appropriately criticize U.S. crimes occurred after the 2004 coup d’état against the democratically elected government of Haiti. The U.S. government essentially kidnapped Haiti’s president; thousands of people were killed under the ensuing coup regime; and deposed officials of the constitutional government were jailed.
In the face of what were likely the worst human rights abuses of any country in the Western hemisphere at the time, HRW barely lifted a finger. HRW never hosted a press conference criticizing the coup or post-coup atrocities. In contrast to HRW’s appeals to the Organization of American States’ Inter-American Democratic Charter for Venezuela and Cuba, HRW never publicly invoked the Charter in the case of Haiti, even as Articles 20 and 21 afforded multilateral measures “in the event of an unconstitutional alteration of the constitutional regime.” HRW never placed an op-ed about the overthrow in a prominent newspaper. (In 2004 The New York Times alone published at least five HRW opinion pieces and four HRW letters on other subjects.) It is reasonable for outside observers to question whether this lack of response from HRW to such large-scale human rights violations had anything to do with U.S. foreign-policy priorities.
The very existence of such questions regarding HRW’s advocacy should be reason enough to impose sharp restrictions on HRW’s close ties to the U.S. government. ….
Yes but they are quality losers who know no other life, you wouldnt want to see them down the local cafe down to their last million wearing last years pradas would you.
“..I feel shameful walking past rough sleepers – how must the politicians responsible feel?..” (+ comment:..and how do our politicians feel when they see their handiwork in the flesh..?..do they shift at all uneasily in their (comfortable/well-padded/heated) seats..?..especially those labour politicians..eh..?..’cos of all of them..they should really know better..eh..?..but they don’t..)
“.. An evening walk down the Strand in London brings to painful life official figures –
– that show a sharp rise in rough sleeping..”
(cont..)
(ed:..i have asked myself that question..
..especially of labour mp’s/politicians..
..and our labour/green mayors of auckland..
..both of whom when first campaigning to be mayors..
..put their hands on their hearts..
..and vowed/promised to help the homeless..
..since then..yeah..nah..eh..?
..but especially those neo-liberal/rightwing labour mp’s..
..those who won the argument within the labour party pre-’14 election..
..that saw labour ’14 election-policy offering absolutely nothing for the poorest..
..cunnliffe said that benefit-levels wd increase ‘by the rate of inflation..
..which is what national does..
..and here’s the funny story..!
..those rightwing/neo-liberal labour people are still wondering why those poorest..(the missing million..)..
..why they didn’t rush to the polling booths..
..sobbing in/with gratitude on their way..
..to tick the box for labour..
..as i say in the headline..eh..?..’they should really know better’..eh..?..)
Analysts had expected prices to firm in response to lower supply brought on by drought conditions on the east coasts of both the North and South Islands.
See, droughts are good news.
The auction will give farmers some confidence that Fonterra will meet its $4.70 a kg milk price forecast for the current season after prices slumped by 50 per cent in 2014.
However, farm investment company MyFarm estimates the current forecast is well below its estimated average cost of production of $5.03 kg.
I’m not an expert, but that looks like a loss-making enterprise to me.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 7
And if you read like that, I have good grounds to conclude you are incapable of writing anything other than erroneous pedantry. Concentrate on adam’s criticism; a brief summary of why we should click on the link would be helpful, because the number of readers who are going to just on your say so is minimal.
Something like: ‘Frankie Boyle skewers the false outrage of the media’ or ‘comedian rips into media hypocrisy’. It’s not hard.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
More reading difficulty, gormless? That fact that I was able to provide a couple of short summaries strongly suggests I did read Boyle’s piece. Try and avoid arguments based on pedantry in the future, you’re not much good at them.
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell …
You’ll like this from Frankie Boyle, Ole – given that you’re such a good Tory…
On Mock the Week after Thatcher’s demise:
How much do you think the funeral is going to cost ?
Frankie Boyle: “3 million. For 3 million, they could give everyone in Scotland a shovel and we would dig a hole so deep that we could hand her over to Satan personally.”
Who suggested Andrew Little commission anything from David Cohen? He is a very right wing journalist and a great friend of Bill English. It was before Andrew Little was leader so hopefully he is getting better advice these days about who to talk to.
The fact that National have to reach further down into the barrel to ping him for a ubiquitous human error – forgetting to pay a bill – is an indication that they aren’t getting many hits in debate.
Not only that but the NBR has the story saying that the go-between (one Chris Matthews) was also slaggng off other Labour MPs to the journalist. Who is he and what position does he hold?
Since the working class was defeated, indeed pretty much smashed, under the fourth Labour government and the following National government, class consciousness in this country is at an all-time low. The left, defeated on the economic front, managed to win some victories on the cultural front. That was good, but we do need to get back to class: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/class-class-consciousness-and-left-political-practice/
Reading about the Euro debt-mongers problems with their unsustainable business model in Greece would be tragic and hilarious if it wasn’t so hilarious and tragic.
The entire western financial system is hilarious and tragic.
It is up to its use-by date and Greece is a canary in the mine.
More debt in the world than there is money to repay it ……………. thinking thinking thinking
This is quite similar to what Bill wrote here the other day. Indeed if the only option for war with ISIS, is war with ISIS – I think we should do the right thing and help the people at war with ISIS – rather than send our own troops over there.
Just another reason, why we should not send troops into the middle east. This is just stupid on the part of the commanders who ordered this to happen – stupid.
And if you think privatising health care is a winner – or if Obama care is any go. Think again. Insurance companies are in the business to make money – sick people don’t make money = hence the USA and it’s SNAFU approach to health care.
At Public Integrity – you should look up health – and see all the nasty, vicious, and down right evil things the health insurance industry does to make a buck.
…..”But for Arabs, there is a clear message in all these alliances. Washington has an American-trained general in charge of the Libyan air force, an American-trained former field marshal and president in charge of Egypt, an American-educated and British-trained king in Jordan and two wealthy emirates with huge US investments – one of them headquarters to the US fleet in the Gulf – in the battle. Only that well-known dictator who has been fighting Isis for longer than any of them – Bashar al-Assad of Syria – is left out. For now.”
( spot the ironies)
The Gormless Fool formerly known as Oleolebiscuitbarrell 12
There is a Wisconsin version of FJK, Scott Walker. There are many similarities in their methods. Given the nature of the US and A, Walker may actually end up in legal trouble if things filter up to the federal level. Meanwhile, FJK’s smile and wave is increasingly being replaced by scowl and lie.
Winston is a lot more useful than Labour these days ( since Helen Clark) ….Labour is a liability…didnt Labour MPs …(the Labour Party boys)…accept SKYCITY hospitality along with the Nacts?…and what about that Auckland Labour Mayor’s role in helping along SkyCity ?…say no more….
….it was the Greens who have always had form on fighting the SkyCity deal …and Winston…and Mana ….this is the real Left Opposition in New Zealand
David Cameron is demanding that obese/overweight people *accept help* (For example the outdated dietary advice that includes eating wheat and a little sugar? That the obese or overweight should learn to hate the appearance of their bodies like the government apparently does? To be taught that human rights law is for “real” disabilities? Hmmm….) or lose benefits.
Cameron really knows how to bene bash huh? At least this reporter has the good sense to make this comment:
“But here is the alternative theory. What if the intention is not to make people slimmer, but to make the obese reconcile themselves with the fact that they are worthless human beings, and hence unworthy of receiving any financial support from anyone? If that is the case, then the initiative may work very well indeed.”
Ask them, if you know who they are. When the English Tories start on obese people as part of their attack on our brothers and sisters in England, I think it’s perfectly OK to suggest they start on Brownlee.
I don’t know what the forms are like currently in NZ, but back in the day when you applied for a benefit for medical reasons part of the form you signed said something like how you could be declined a benefit if you refused medical treatment for the condition. I’m surprised Bennett and co haven’t gone down that track already tbh.
Each foreign government’s request will be examined on a case-by-case basis, and they must agree to “proper use” principles created by Washington that stipulate the drones must obey international law.
Oh, would that be like US drones indiscriminately killing civilians?
I’d say that it’d be better for any country to build their own drones. That way they could guarantee that there wouldn’t be any back doors into the control systems.
Apparently Ports of Auckland have settled with Maritime Union & new Collective contract agreed.
Neither Herald nor Stuff have any details so its going to be interesting to see who ‘won’ after all.
Tont Gibson won as the maritime union has less members and less money then it did before and with the rival port union on the scene they have less influence
Of course they could have accepted the arbitrators decision a couple of years ago and been in a stronger position but thems the breaks
Heres where I’d usually sling some stuff KLittles way over this except that hes doing the exact thing I’d advise him to do, keeping the Greens out of anything that matters is what most voters want since the Greens only got 10% of the vote which is pretty shoddy when you consider how many people didn’t vote
Little is taking Labour to the center which is what he needs to do and it looks like hes distancing Labour away from the Greens to set up a deal with Winston for the next election ala Labour back when they were last in power
Labour doesn’t need to offer the Greens anything because theres nowhere else for the Greens to go and if its a choice between Labour/Winston and the Greens or National/Act/MP then of course the Greens will be Labours doormap
So, unfortuantely (as I want another term for Key) , this is smart politics from Little
Never said anything about going to the right instead I applaud him for:
going to the center
learning from Helen Clark
and yes Little needs to do whatever he needs to so he can get into power then he can make the changes, the problem with Labour supporters in general is that they don’t quite seem to get it that you need to get the power first before you make the changes
Fortunately, for Labour supporters, Little realises that
As you say briefly and then people realised he was all mouth and no trousers, had he gone to the center he probably would have won
Which is why John Key is merely tinkering around the edges of what the right wing want ie
partial privitisation as opposed to full sell offs,
keeping union membership voluntary instead of abolishing unions,
90 day employment bill instead of firing any time any place,
increasing benefit payments instead of cutting back,
tinkering with the RMA instead of abolishing ot and writing a new one
all this because Keys knows (as did Clark) its the center that decides who governs
“Coming up in a few minutes, The Panel with Jim Mora and Noelle McCarthy. I don’t know who their two guests are today, but whoever they are, quality broadcasting will ensue….”
Paddy Gower has taken a $900 unpaid debt to new heights.
By making it his most important event today he has nailed Little. Announcing the honeymoon is over… Almost sounded like he was making a very pointed comment to Little directly.
As in most contests when one side is getting flogged the ref will attempt to even things up a bit by making a “no fuss no foul” trivial call.
Gower is out of his league and should be reporting the Mid-week news in a small community based provincial newspaper.
Cohen is well known to the likes of aunty Audrey & uncle Vernon when they were principled unionists with the journalists union.
From another Open Mike, but it didnt get answered:
I was wondering if an employer that pays minimum wage, after the minimum wage goes up, is required to negotiate in good faith, or can just say ‘im paying minimum wage, deal with it’
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NOTE: This is an excerpt from a digital story – read the full story here.Tess TuxfordKo te Kauri Ko Au, Ko te Au ko Kauri I am the kauri, the kauri is me Te Roroa proverb In Waipoua Forest, at the top of the North Island, New ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Coming attraction: IPCC's upcoming major climate assessmentLook for more emphasis on 'solutions,' efforts by cities, climate equity ... and outlook for emissions cuts in ...
Ringing A Clear Historical Bell: The extraordinary images captured in and around the US Capitol Building on 6 January 2021 mirror some of the worst images of America's past.THERE IS A SCENE in the 1982 movie Missing which has remained with me for nearly 40 years. Directed by the Greek-French ...
To impact or not to impeach? I understand why some of those who are justifiably aghast at Trump’s behaviour over recent days might still counsel against impeaching him for a second time. To impeach him, they argue, would run the risk of making him a martyr in the eyes of ...
The Capitol Building, Washington DC, Wednesday, 6 January 2021. Oh come, my little one, come.The day is almost done.Be at my side, behold the sightOf evening on the land.The life, my love, is hardAnd heavy is my heart.How should I live if you should leaveAnd we should be apart?Come, let me ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Jan 3, 2021 through Sat, Jan 9, 2021Editor's ChoiceAfter the Insurrection: Accountability, Reform, and the Science of Democracy The poisonous lies and enablers of sedition--including Senator Hawley, pictured ...
This article, guest authored by Prof. Angela Gallego-Sala & Dr. Julie Loisel, was originally published on the Carbon Brief website on Dec 21, 2020. It is reposted below in its entirety. Click here to access the original article and comments. Peatlands Peatlands are ecosystems unlike any other. Perpetually saturated, their ...
The assault on the US Capitol and constitutional crisis that it has caused was telegraphed, predictable and yet unexpected and confusing. There are several subplots involved: whether the occupation of the Michigan State House in May was a trial run for the attacks on Congress; whether people involved in the ...
On Christmas Eve, child number 1 spotted a crack in a window. It’s a double-glazed window, and inspection showed that the small, horizontal crack was in the outermost pane. It was perpendicular to the frame, about three-quarters of the way up one side. The origins are a mystery. It MIGHT ...
Anne-Marie Broudehoux, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)Will the COVID-19 pandemic prompt a shift to healthier cities that focus on wellness rather than functional and economic concerns? This is a hypothesis that seems to be supported by several researchers around the world. In many ways, containment and physical distancing ...
Does the US need to strike a grand bargain with like-minded countries to pool their efforts? What does this tell us about today’s global politics? Perhaps the most remarkable editorial of last year was the cover leader of the London Economist on 19 November 2020. Shortly after Joe Biden was ...
Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato and Valmaine Toki, University of WaikatoAotearoa New Zealand likes to think it punches above its weight internationally, but there is one area where we are conspicuously falling behind — the number of sites recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Globally, there are 1,121 ...
An event organised by the Auckland PhilippinesSolidarity group Have a three-course lunch at Nanam Eatery with us! Help support the organic farming of our Lumad communities through the Mindanao Community School Agricultural Foundation. Each ticket is $50. Food will be served on shared plates. To purchase, please email phsolidarity@gmail.com or ...
"Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here." Prisons are places of unceasing emotional and physical violence, unrelieved despair and unforgivable human waste.IT WAS NATIONAL’S Bill English who accurately described New Zealand’s prisons as “fiscal and moral failures”. On the same subject, Labour’s Dr Martyn Findlay memorably suggested that no prison ...
This is a re-post from Inside Climate News by Ilana Cohen. Inside Climate News is a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for the ICN newsletter here. Whether or not people accept the science on Covid-19 and climate change, both global crises will have lasting impacts on health and ...
. . American Burlesque As I write this (Wednesday evening, 6 January), the US Presidential election is all but resolved, confirming Joe Biden as the next President of the (Dis-)United State of America. Trump’s turbulent political career has lasted just four years – one of the few single-term US presidents ...
The session started off so well. Annalax – suitably chastised – spent a pleasant morning with his new girlfriend (he would say paramour, of course, but for our purposes, girlfriend is easier*). He told her about Waking World Drow, and their worship of Her Ladyship. And he started ...
In a recent column I wrote for local newspapers, I ventured to suggest that Donald Trump – in addition to being a liar and a cheat, and sexist and racist – was a fascist in the making and would probably try, if he were to lose the election, to defy ...
When I was preparing for my School C English exam I knew I needed some quotes to splash through my essays. But remembering lines was never my strong point, so I tended to look for the low-hanging fruit. We’d studied Shakespeare’s King Lear that year and perhaps the lowest hanging ...
A growing public housing waiting list and continued increase of house prices must be urgently addressed by Government, Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson said today. ...
The Government has released its Public Housing Plan 2021-2024 which outlines the intention of where 8,000 additional public and transitional housing places announced in Budget 2020, will go. “The Government is committed to continuing its public house build programme at pace and scale. The extra 8,000 homes – 6000 public ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has congratulated President Joe Biden on his inauguration as the 46th President of the United States of America. “I look forward to building a close relationship with President Biden and working with him on issues that matter to both our countries,” Jacinda Ardern said. “New Zealand ...
A major investment to tackle wilding pines in Mt Richmond will create jobs and help protect the area’s unique ecosystems, Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor says. The Mt Richmond Forest Park has unique ecosystems developed on mineral-rich geology, including taonga plant species found nowhere else in the country. “These special plant ...
To further protect New Zealand from COVID-19, the Government is extending pre-departure testing to all passengers to New Zealand except from Australia, Antarctica and most Pacific Islands, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “The change will come into force for all flights arriving in New Zealand after 11:59pm (NZT) on Monday ...
Bay Conservation Cadets launched with first intake Supported with $3.5 million grant Part of $1.245b Jobs for Nature programme to accelerate recover from Covid Cadets will learn skills to protect and enhance environment Environment Minister David Parker today welcomed the first intake of cadets at the launch of the Bay ...
The Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern and the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Mark Brown have announced passengers from the Cook Islands can resume quarantine-free travel into New Zealand from 21 January, enabling access to essential services such as health. “Following confirmation of the Cook Islands’ COVID ...
Jobs for Nature funding is being made available to conservation groups and landowners to employ staff and contractors in a move aimed at boosting local biodiversity-focused projects, Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan has announced. It is estimated some 400-plus jobs will be created with employment opportunities in ecology, restoration, trapping, ...
The Government has approved an exception class for 1000 international tertiary students, degree level and above, who began their study in New Zealand but were caught offshore when border restrictions began. The exception will allow students to return to New Zealand in stages from April 2021. “Our top priority continues ...
Today’s deal between Meridian and Rio Tinto for the Tiwai smelter to remain open another four years provides time for a managed transition for Southland. “The deal provides welcome certainty to the Southland community by protecting jobs and incomes as the region plans for the future. The Government is committed ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has appointed Anna Curzon to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). The leader of each APEC economy appoints three private sector representatives to ABAC. ABAC provides advice to leaders annually on business priorities. “ABAC helps ensure that APEC’s work programme is informed by business community perspectives ...
The Government’s prudent fiscal management and strong policy programme in the face of the COVID-19 global pandemic have been acknowledged by the credit rating agency Fitch. Fitch has today affirmed New Zealand’s local currency rating at AA+ with a stable outlook and foreign currency rating at AA with a positive ...
The Government is putting in place a suite of additional actions to protect New Zealand from COVID-19, including new emerging variants, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said today. “Given the high rates of infection in many countries and evidence of the global spread of more transmissible variants, it’s clear that ...
$36 million of Government funding alongside councils and others for 19 projects Investment will clean up and protect waterways and create local jobs Boots on the ground expected in Q2 of 2021 Funding part of the Jobs for Nature policy package A package of 19 projects will help clean up ...
The commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the Battle of Ruapekapeka represents an opportunity for all New Zealanders to reflect on the role these conflicts have had in creating our modern nation, says Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Kiri Allan. “The Battle at Te Ruapekapeka Pā, which took ...
Babies born with tongue-tie will be assessed and treated consistently under new guidelines released by the Ministry of Health, Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall announced today. Around 5% to 10% of babies are born with a tongue-tie, or ankyloglossia, in New Zealand each year. At least half can ...
The prisoner disorder event at Waikeria Prison is over, with all remaining prisoners now safely and securely detained, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says. The majority of those involved in the event are members of the Mongols and Comancheros. Five of the men are deportees from Australia, with three subject to ...
Travellers from the United Kingdom or the United States bound for New Zealand will be required to get a negative test result for COVID-19 before departing, and work is underway to extend the requirement to other long haul flights to New Zealand, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed today. “The new PCR test requirement, foreshadowed last ...
With criticism from National piling on over the property market, the prime minister has detailed when the government will make housing announcements. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marco Rizzi, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Western Australia Some Australians could be receiving a COVID-19 vaccine within weeks. Amid the continued spread of the virus and emergence of highly contagious variants, the federal government has accelerated the start of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Euan Ritchie, Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University Australia’s Threatened Species Strategy — a five-year plan for protecting our imperilled species and ecosystems — fizzled to an end last year. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Lecturer, General Dentist & PhD Candidate, The University of Queensland Baby teeth, or milk teeth, act like lighthouses to guide the adult ones to their correct destination. A baby tooth will become wobbly and fall out because the adult tooth ...
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he’s joined by Simon Coley, co-founder of All Good and Karma Drinks.Bananas are one of the ...
Tackling topics such as rugby and body image, Stuff’s latest podcast shines a much-needed light on Aotearoa’s complex relationship with masculinity, writes Trevor McKewen, author of the book Real Men Wear Black.I wasn’t sure what to think when two episodes of the new local podcast He’ll Be Right landed in ...
The Rainforest Alliance reveals that 68%* of Kiwis say the COVID-19 pandemic has made them more conscious about environmental and social sustainability issues. Seventy two percent* state that they have been trying to make more sustainable purchasing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tama Leaver, Professor of Internet Studies, Curtin University The inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners-Lee, has raised concerns that Australia’s proposed News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code could fundamentally break the internet as we know it. His concerns ...
ANALYSIS:By Scott Lucas, University of Birmingham Politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire destroying everything in its path Two weeks after the storming of the US Capitol by the followers of his predecessor, in the middle of an out-of-control pandemic that has killed more than 400,000 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Cantrell, Lecturer, Creative Writing & English Literature, University of Southern Queensland Described as “the world’s greatest storyteller”, Roald Dahl is frequently ranked as the best children’s author of all time by teachers, authors and librarians. However, the new film adaptation of ...
Peak housing body, Community Housing Aotearoa (CHA) welcomes the updated Public Housing Plan announced today by Minister Woods, and the commitment by this Government to fix New Zealand’s housing crisis. The 8,000 additional homes are a significant ...
Having recently walked much of the South Island stretch of Te Araroa, Kirsten O’Regan reflects on the magnificent landscapes and interesting characters she encountered along the way.On our 36th day of walking, we climb through the fire-blackened hills above Ohau, stopping to examine heat-disfigured trail markers. Fresh green shoots have ...
Miss Torta in central Auckland is putting the spotlight on a snack that’s commonplace in Mexico, but until now relatively unknown in New Zealand.You’ve heard of a torta, but what is it, exactly? Well, depending on the cuisine it can mean a flatbread, cake, tart, sweet pie, savoury pie or ...
Two of three ministerial statements from the Beehive have been released in the name of the PM over the past two days. The more important, insofar as it involves political action that will affect the wellbeing of significant numbers of Kiwis, was the release of the government’s Public Housing Plan ...
Jacinda Ardern has reminded Labour MPs "ongoing vigilance" will be required in 2021 to avoid another Covid outbreak, admitting she held her breath over the summer break. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zareh Ghazarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Monash University Despite many young Australians having a deep interest in political issues, most teenagers have a limited understanding about their nation’s democratic system. Results from the 2019 National Assessment Program – Civics and ...
Pinged $65 for overstaying 10 minutes in a parking block? Put away your hard-earned cash and read this first.Hopefully, by now, I’ve already established myself at The Spinoff as the resident tightarse, determined to avoid all unfair and unnecessary punishments (see: oversize baggage charges). Today, I’m focusing my attention on ...
Nuclear weapons states and their allies risk reputational ruin if they flout a new UN Treaty, Carolina Panico argues The United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will come into force this month, on January 22, 2021, turning nuclear weapons into illegal objects. It is an achievement that ...
How does one turn into a rabid extremist over the description of a children’s bike? Emily Writes looks at Facebook comments so you don’t have to.You’ve been there, I know it. You’re scrolling along, trying to avoid QAnon conspiracy theories and Trump apocalypse memes when a story catches your eye. ...
Joe Biden is now the President of the United States and many people across America and throughout the world will consequently be breathing more easily. But while the erratic, unpredictable and irresponsible years of the Trump Presidency may be over, ...
Tough border testing for New Zealand honey imports to Japan is re-igniting the conversation about the use of the weed killer glypohsate in New Zealand. ...
The Taxpayers Union should be aware of the law and of the history of ACC. The ACC is a legal system introduced in 1974 to replace the common law right of accident victims to sue for damages for personal injury sustained as a result of negligence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne Terrorism, political extremism, Donald Trump, social media and the phenomenon of “cancel culture” are confronting journalists with a range of agonising free-speech dilemmas to which there are no easy answers. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Associate Professor of the Sydney Pharmacy School, University of Sydney You’ve just come from your monthly GP appointment with a new script for your ongoing medical condition. But your local pharmacy is out of stock of your usual medicine. Your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deanna D’Alessandro, Professor & ARC Future Fellow, University of Sydney On Wednesday this week, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was measured at at 415 parts per million (ppm). The level is the highest in human history, and is growing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Renwick, Professor, Physical Geography (climate science), Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington It might be summer in New Zealand but we’re in for some wild weather this week with forecasts of heavy wind and rain, and a plunge in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Zareh Ghazarian, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, Monash University Despite many young Australians having a deep interest in political issues, most teenagers have a limited understanding about their nation’s democratic system. Results from the 2019 National Assessment Program – Civics and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle O’Shea, Senior Lecturer, School of Business, Western Sydney University Last week, the McIver’s Ladies Baths in Sydney came under fire for their (since removed) policy stating “only transgender women who’ve undergone a gender reassignment surgery are allowed entry”. The policy was ...
There are good grounds for optimism after the guardrails of American democracy held firm through to Joe Biden's inauguration today as President, writes Stephen Hoadley Pessimism abounds about the perilous condition of American democracy. Commentators and headline writers proffer memes such as ‘broken and divided nation’, ‘the threat from within’. ...
A new plan shows how and where the Government will build 8,000 new state housing places it funded in Budget 2020, Marc Daalder reports Jacinda Ardern has kicked off the political year with a major announcement, promising hundreds of new state housing places in regional centres across the country. With ...
*This article was originally appeared on RNZ and is republished with permission. Donald Trump will forever be remembered as the president who was impeached twice - and for his rhetoric that struck a chord so deep in America that it will take years to dissipate. Donald Trump leaves Washington with the lowest approval ...
This is the full transcript of President Joe Biden's speech after being sworn in at his inauguration this morning in Washington DC Chief Justice Roberts, Vice President Harris, Speaker Pelosi, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Vice President Pence, and my distinguished guests, my fellow Americans, this is America's day. This ...
Analysis: President Donald Trump has left the White House, and his deputy chief of staff confirms he is withdrawing his candidacy to lead the OECD. New Zealander Christopher Liddell withdrew his nomination to be Secretary-General of the powerful 37-member OECD and was one of the last members of the Trump Administration to depart ...
Kate Wills is facing stage four cancer with the same fierce approach she takes into her ocean swimming - never say can't. Even on the mornings Kate Wills feels wretched from her fortnightly chemotherapy treatment, she drags herself up at 5am and goes swimming. “I have to. It’s my job – to ...
Some costs associated with meetings speak for themselves, others are less conspicuous. Victoria University of Wellington's Val Hooper lays those costs out, making suggestions on where we can rein them in. Meetings – when last did we count the costs? And so it’s back to work and one of the ...
Andrew Paul Wood assesses the best-selling picture book by Grahame Sydney It's no great secret the commercially very successful Grahame Sydney has a long-standing beef that his work doesn’t receive more critical and institutional approval. I sympathise about the lack of critical attention, but I can understand why. The Discourse™ ...
This story was produced in collaboration with the Center for Public Integrity and Columbia Journalism Investigations. It was originally published by Public Integrity, Mother Jones, The Arizona Republic and Orlando Sentinel. It is republished here as part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the ...
Analysis: It has been easy to ignore anyone daring to criticise or even question any aspect of the government’s Covid-19 response. Their voices have rarely been heard, and when they have been raised they have been quickly and decisively howled down by the favoured coterie of academics. ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s US presidential inauguration live blog: inauguration news, analysis and reaction, updated through Wednesday and Thursday. The inauguration ceremony begins at 5.15am Thursday, NZ time, and Joe Biden takes the oath of office around 6am. 7.25am: And what about Trump?In the early hours of this morning, NZ ...
In 10 x 100, we survey a group of 100 people via Stickybeak and ask them 10 questions. Last month we quizzed Wellingtonians. Today, we ask NZ drivers how they’ve found a holiday period without international tourists, and what they get up to while they’re on the road.Across Aotearoa roads ...
Emmanuel Macron's anti-separatist policies have garnered backlash from the international Muslim community. Now, a global coalition has complained to the UN. ...
Summer reissue: Join Michèle A’Court, Alex Casey and Leonie Hayden as they go on an odyssey of women’s rage, and find out how we can channel our anger into good. First published September 15, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by ...
By Lorraine Ecarma in Cebu City The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) will continue to stand against any threats to human rights, chancellor Clement Camposano has declared in response to the termination of a long-standing accord preventing military incursion on campus. In a Facebook post, Camposano said the academic ...
ANALYSIS:By Jennifer S. Hunt, Australian National University Every four years on January 20, the US exercises a key tenant of democratic government: the peaceful transfer of power. This year, the scene looks a bit different. If the last US presidential inauguration in 2017 debuted the phrase “alternative facts”, the ...
By Lulu Mark in Port Moresby In spite of Papua New Guinea’s mandatory mask-wearing requirement under the National Pandemic Act 2020, many public servants attending a dedication service in Port Moresby have failed to wear one. They were issued masks before entering the Sir John Guise Indoor Complex but took ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christian Moro, Associate Professor of Science & Medicine, Bond University How do scabs form? — Talila, aged 8 Great question, Talila! Our skin has many different jobs. One is to act as a barrier, protecting us from harmful things in the ...
US President Donald Trump is pardoning former White House adviser Steve Bannon, who is accused of fraud in a case involving funds for the border wall. ...
Joel Little with Lorde, Dera Meelan with Church & AP, Josh Fountain with Maala and Randa and Benee – producers make good songs great. Now a new fund from NZ on Air is putting the focus on them.Six months ago it looked like the music industry was on the brink ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denise Buiten, Senior Lecturer in Social Justice and Sociology, University of Notre Dame Australia On average, one child is killed by a parent almost every fortnight in Australia. Last week, three children — Claire, 7, Anna, 5, and Matthew, 3 — were ...
This commendable and realistic decision again underlines that it is the police, not government, who are largely responsible for the reduction in cannabis prosecutions over the past 15 years, writes Russell Brown.The news that New Zealand police have discontinued the annual Helicopter Recovery Operation, which has, each summer for more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ilan Noy, Professor and Chair in the Economics of Disasters and Climate Change, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington We will not be able to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us until the world’s population is mostly immune through vaccination ...
Welcome to The Spinoff’s US inauguration live blog: inauguration news, analysis and reaction, updated throughout Wednesday and Thursday, NZ time. Reach me at catherine@thespinoff.co.nz.4.00pm: What will Trump be doing tomorrow?It’s pretty well known by now that outgoing president Donald Trump intends to throw out the rulebook when it comes to ...
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is calling out Mayor Phil Goff for his undignified comment that the claim made by Councillor Greg Sayers asking why Auckland Council is funding yoga classes is “bullshit.” Yesterday, Councillor Greg Sayers penned ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne At 4am Thursday AEDT, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be inaugurated as president and vice president of the United States, replacing Donald Trump and Mike Pence. What follows is ...
*This article was originally published on RNZ and is republished with permission. New Zealanders flocked to beaches and lakes this summer, but it wasn't enough to fill the gap left by international tourists in other regions. The tourism industry is struggling to fill a $6 billion hole left by international tourists ...
Summer reissue: Chef Monique Fiso joins us for a chat about Hiakai – her acclaimed Wellington restaurant, and the title of her stunning new book.First published November 3, 2020.Independent journalism depends on you. Help us stay curious in 2021. The Spinoff’s journalism is funded by its members – click here to learn ...
A new trough was brought to our attention this morning, although ethnicity will limit the numbers of eligible applicants. If you are non-Maori, it looks like you shouldn’t bother getting into the queue – but who knows?We learned of the trough from the Scoop website, where the Kapiti ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Britta Denise Hardesty, Principal Research Scientist, Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, CSIRO Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing costs economies up to US$50 billion globally each year, and makes up to one-fifth of the global catch. It’s a huge problem not only for the ...
Police stopping major cannabis eradication operations has given the green light to drug dealers and gangs to expand operations, make more profit, and continue to wreak havoc on the most vulnerable in our society, says Sensible Sentencing Trust. ...
Varieties of merino wool footwear are emerging faster than Netflix series about British aristocracy. Michael Andrew takes a look at the rise of the shoe that almost everyone – including his 95-year-old grandma – is wearing.Some might say it all started with Allbirds. After all, to the average consumer, it ...
A new report from New Zealand’s Independent Monitoring Mechanism (IMM) highlights the realities and challenges disabled people faced during the COVID-19 emergency. The report, Making Disability Rights Real in a Pandemic, Te Whakatinana i ngā Tika ...
The Maritime Union is questioning the reasons provided for ongoing delays at the Ports of Auckland. Maritime Union of New Zealand National Secretary Craig Harrison says there is a need for an honest conversation about what has gone wrong at the ...
As New Zealand faces a dire shortage of veterinarians, a petition has been launched urging the Government to reclassify veterinarians as critical workers so we can Get Vets into NZ. “New Zealand desperately needs veterinarians from overseas to counter ...
New Zealand is fast developing a reputation as a South Pacific vandal, says Greenpeace, as the government continues to fight against increased ocean protection. At the upcoming meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO), ...
The Department of Internal Affairs and Netsafe are urging parents and caregivers to be mindful of the online content their tamariki may be consuming in the lead up to the inauguration of president-elect of the United States of America Joe Biden ...
Care is at the centre of Auckland Zoo’s mandate, and it’s clear to see when you witness the staff doing their day-to-day jobs up close. Leonie Hayden went behind the scenes to talk to two people who would do anything for the animals they look after. “We were having this ...
The Game Animal Council (GAC) is applying its expertise in the use of firearms for hunting to work alongside Police, other agencies and stakeholder groups to improve the compliance provisions for hunters and other firearms users. The GAC has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Verica Rupar, Professor, Auckland University of Technology “The lie outlasts the liar,” writes historian Timothy Snyder, referring to outgoing president Donald Trump and his contribution to the “post-truth” era in the US. Indeed, the mass rejection of reason that erupted in a ...
The internet ain’t what it used to be, thanks to privacy issues, data leaks, censorship and hate speech. But a group of New Zealanders are working on a way to give power back to the people. A flood of headlines over the last week made it clear: the internet has become ...
Better late than never, isn’t it?
http://www.msn.com/en-nz/news/other/labour-leader-outed-over-unpaid-bill/ar-BBhEQBy?ocid=mailsignoutmd
Despite Hager’s book, Dirty Politics alive and kicking under Key’s sleazy government.
TPP?
Sky City?
Sabin?
Key takes the election result as a mandate for another term of it as the sheeple say so assisted by a labour party with past their use by dates MPs and strategists
I saw an MP had posted on facebook a photo of the Labour caucus class of 2015 on the steps of parliament yesterday. Plenty of 50 something’s shades of grey. It was depressing some of the same old faces still clipping the ticket. Others must have been thinking the same as there were few likes.
is there a down-tick option..?
Yes democracy rapidly becoming a sham in the land of the great white sheeple.
@ Paul. Agree.
By the way where is Nicky Hager these days? Haven’t heard anything of him for a while!
Is he under house arrest?
Been gagged?
Prevented from speaking publicly?
Any news about the outcome of police removing his personal effects from his home to be investigated?
We need a journalist of Hager’s intelligence, calibre and integrity to investigate John Key’s involvement re the time frame of having been informed of the Mike Sabin affair!
Another point is it’s interesting that today, msm (Fairfax and NZH) is carrying the story about Andrew Little’s past “non payment” of an invoice, (after it was raised in Parliament yesterday by the loathsome Steven Joyce), focusing on the time frame of the actual payment (yesterday)!
So I ask, where is msm focus on slimy PM Key and his grubby ministers, digging deep about when they first became aware of the Sabin investigation?
Pity more media enthusiasm and attention isn’t focused on this issue, where it should be.
A good rejoinder to Joyce would be to ask how many Teachers have not been paid correctly this year.
@ dv – BINGO!
The media give corporate shills like Mary Beard a voice, not real journalists like Hager publicity.
Remember they want more for themselves and less for the rest of us.
So being on a salesperson for the TPP rather than an advocate for democracy, transparency and solidarity.
Labour Party PR is abysmal. How can any efficient system drop their leader into the mess that Andrew finds himself in? The Shearer “fish in Parliament” debacle, lack of penetrating secondary questions and dredging up petty and inconsequential points. Andrew needs a decent “minder” that would never have allowed the likes of Joyce to crucify him over an unpaid bill. It’s all over the media today and Key’s back off the ropes.
Pay some real money and buy a minder that’s got his/her finger on the pulse. Another with the political nous of Heather Simpson – – – there’ll be someone out there.
“It’s all over the media”.
Not a single reference to it on Stuff’s front page in fact. I guess people who are impressed by ‘gotcha’ politics will clutch their pearls a bit. Meanwhile, Bill English’s toxic ACC rort is getting as least as much attention, and that will still be news tomorrow, as will National Party Sabinism and the Skysore.
Wot’s this then ?
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/66310310/andrew-little-coughs-up-months-overdue-bill
On the front page? English comprehension 101. Reading is a skill.
Why do you have to be so offensive ? You brought up the ‘front page’ issue, not I.
I repeat “it is all over the media”.
I think you’re exaggerating the significance of a story that will be gone by tomorrow.
i don’t..it’s an impression that will stick..
Getting plenty of airtime on Morning Report. The complainant (who just happens to be an NBR freelancer) is suggesting there was no intention to pay. But you’re right this will be old news tomorrow. Labour just need to get their shit together and stop being their own worst enemy.
Is John Armstrong frothing at the mouth screaming “resign!” again? After all, a late payment is at least as serious as an eleven-year-old form letter.
I’m sure Armstrong is whipping up an online column as we speak…
Along the lines of “When will National pay its $100 billion bill, Bill?”
Stop trying to resurrect that dead horse.
That isn’t a very nice thing to say about Mr. Armstrong.
Little will be taking the blame for some staff cock-up either in his office or Labour HQ.
Given that Shearer’s fish debacle is brought up at every available opportunity (and in this column today!!) I reckon that Andrew Little’s unpaid bill (and no need to put it in inverted commas ‘cos it was exactly that, it appears) will continue to haunt him in just the same way. It was a damn silly oversight on Andrew’s part and his minders need to be much more on the ball.
Your concern is touching. Truly.
No, wait, this just in: fuck off.
Silly but minor. It will be forgotten within a week.
Sure is a pretty dumb own-goal but given the debacle of last week and the ease with which Little has owned Key on SkyCity I guess some sort of retaliation was to be expected. No surprise then that the Nats have reverted to the tried-and-true methods that have served them well in the past. It will be interesting how Little and Labour respond. Probably best just to suck it up, take responsibility and try and push through. And, since we’re dealing the dark art of politics, some added fuel thrown on Winston’s claims of insider trading at SkyCity would be useful.
The timing of SkyCity announcement of wanting a taxpayer handout pushed their share price up which was smart Morrison. However the ‘no penalty’ for the convention centre size reduction looks dodgy as hell.
Key and his cronies tie up with that very sketchy outfit the NZX is fishy in my opinion. By the NZX moving into being a fund manager and recently increasing their holdings bears looking into.
Gosman the National Party shrill will come on here with his twisted opinion shortly.
“..The Shearer “fish in Parliament” debacle..”
wasn’t that stuart nash shearers’ chief-adviser then..?
..was the fish his idea..?
..or did shearer brain-fart that one out all on his own..?..
I believe the fish idea was entirely Shearer’s, and no one else in caucus knew about it until he did it. He bought the fish from an Auckland supermarket and flew to Wellington with him in his carry-on…
“He bought the fish from an Auckland supermarket and flew to Wellington with him in his carry-on…”
Wow, really? That’s a special kind of retarded.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11111726
“Mr Shearer’s fish, which he had brought down from Auckland in his carry-on luggage, were placed back in a bag and ushered out of the debating chamber by deputy leader Grant Robertson.”
Wow…
And just imagine him on the plane with his secret cargo, all pleased with himself, smug little smirk on his fishy little face.
Underestimate my scaly powers, will they?
Wow indeed.
Heh, indeed. I can see the inner dialogue
“Show me will they? Hehehe, my and my little ‘friends’ here will sink the National government. Sink? That’s a good pun. Must work that in. Also something about sleeping with the fishes. Ho ho ho – that’s a good one”
And so forth.
Also, what the fuck did the guys screening his bag think?
Maybe he still keeps a diplomatic bag…
It’s probably a catch bag
Maybe he pulled the old bait and switch
He might have said “It’s my lunch” and airport security would have bought it hook, line and sinker
That was a great example of the emperor has no clothes on. I remember thinking
oh dear god this mug has lost the plot. To think he didn’t fall on his sword and not seek re election sums up the problem with Labour. All the previous leaders bar DC should have not stood again.
“..All the previous leaders bar DC should have not stood again..”
+ 1..
funny story..!
..shearer now feels he is qualified to work in ‘intelligence’..
..(just keep him away from the fish..!..)
New temporary boss of GCSB was the ex lawyer for the ministry of Fisheries Maybe take some loaves and he is in!
there ya go..!..
q.e.d..
there is a definite pattern there..
..i feel a venn-diagram coming on..
..let the overlaps fall where they may..!
I bet a few people would like to have a Super Minister discuss their unpaid bills in parliament, and then get the harpie Gower into it to. Perhaps they could get onto the tax evaders for the country while they are onto it
A caliphate established by radical Muslims that supports genocide and appears intent on precipitating World War 3 with an aim of engineering the Apocalypse – “that it considers itself a harbinger of—and headline player in—the imminent end of the world.”
Doing nothing to try and minimise this would seem to be unwise.
ISIS – apostles of the Apocalypse
Long version (Graeme Wood at The Atlantic): What ISIS Really Wants
Invading Iraq in 2003 really worked, didn’t it?
Guess you advocated for NZ’s involvement then as well.
No, you shouldn’t make baseless assumptions. I opposed the invasion of Iraq.
This is now very different situation. ISIS is not a State. Iraq has asked us to assist them in opposing ISIS.
Have you read The Atlantic article? Or have you leapt straight to diversion?
Nah, this is about you telling lies again. Citation needed for people who suggest we do nothing. Put up or shut up, racist.
That’s more garbled than usual from you OAB.
Of course I’m a much more dangerous enemy than ISIS. ‘Must defeat enemy’. You should wake up properly first though.
Who are the people who say we should do nothing? Put up or shut up, racist.
Me. I say we should do nothing. It would work if we did nothing – why don’t people actually think through these things?
No humanitarian aid then. No help for the Kurds. No restriction on arms dealers?
Nothing military.
For a large number of reasons, all of which have been thrashed around here plenty.
What do you think would happen if we did nothing militarily?
Just making sure that Racist George hasn’t found his citation – “nothing military” ≠ “nothing”.
little said that the iraqi politician who visited asked for humanitarian-aid..
..why the fuck don’t we just do that..?
..instead of being mercenaries/spear-carriers for the fucken americans..
..with our soldiers having to be given diplomatic passports..
..so they can kill at will..?
..’cos the iraqi govt won’t give them the legal rights to kill their people..
..the australian soldiers are already killing using diplomatic passports..’cos they were also refused that right by the iraqi govt..
..how the fuck does all of this mesh with the bullshit being spun by key..?
..that we aren’t just mercenaries/spear-carriers for the americans..
..we are going to war ‘to help’ the iraqis..
..that they ‘want us there’..
..as little was told..what they want is humanitarian aid..
..not just more fucken soldiers throwing lead around..
No prob oab.
But – what would happen over there if we did nothing militarily?
Anyone?
We’d have to stop helping spy on them first – unless that doesn’t count as “something military”.
Ok then, if the spying and any other military activity stops.
What would happen if we did nothing militarily over there?
Anyone?
(why do I get the feeling the question is being avoided…
I think the result would be much the same, because the plan is rubbish and we lack sufficient influence to change it.
I’ll have a crack VTO.
ISIS is a threat to a bunch of people over there who would do stuff about it.
Obviously the Shia blocs who are the current primary target of ISIS. So they are already stepping up in the alliance between Iran/Iraq and Syria. That would continue. They have their own agenda of forming a fairly solid shia ruled area. They’d probably achieve that.
Secondly, the Gulf states like Saudi A, UAE etc are threatened by ISIS to a small degree. Insofar that they are bad PR for the anti Shia movement that they care about, they will step up. They have problems in that if they step up too hard against IS then their own populations get a bit angsty, not because of direct IS support (which is small) but because of IS being an Anti-shia force. It’s a tricky spot for them, so they’d probably clamp down hard on ISIS when it raises it’s head in a Sunni state, (same as they do with AQ and the Bortherhood).
The Sunni states probably enjoy watching Iran bleed against ISIS so they may be tempted to quietly fund them to prolong it, and they will not be happy about the Shia states getting their solid bloc, but I doubt they could stop it, and fundamentally, they’d rather have someone who wasn;t as insane as ISIS to be their proxy.
So, I reckon if we butted out, the Shia would fuck ISIS over the next year or two, the Sunni states would say ‘that’s annoying’ and start funding some other wee group.
Pretty much the same as what will happen if we do interfere, with the difference being that we won’t be getting in the way.
interesting and correct although I meant “we” being “NZ”. In other words the US and its dirty cronies like Australia carry on without us.
Same result – no difference…
Sounds like an endorsement for war with shoot to kill being approved by the PM and the troops becoming honorary diplomat’s.
Expecting something else from captain beige ? content generation is best done with such inferences.
I hear Feild Marshal Brownlee has been kitted out with a dapper taylor made safari outfit.
our very own colonel blimp..
brownlee clearly need a swagger-stick..
..so he can stand there and whack his thighs with it..
..to emphasise his points..
..(and for a touch of self-inflicted bdsm..?..
..gerry’s been a naughty boy..?..)
He has been seen roaring around the streets of Christchurch in a Hummer. Must be some special powers Key has invoked since we are at war.
is it a camo-hummer..?
has it got one of those disabled-access lift things..?
..to get him in and out..?
..are there emergency-procedures set up for when he gets stuck..?
lol
Uncharacteristically considerate of brownlee to have a hummer.
Some people might not immediately recognise him and therefore know he is a twat, but driving a hummer is like a huge neon sign labelling him as such.
How many tents did it take?
just one marquee…
Sounds like you haven’t tried to read it.
I’m a strong supporter of peace and non-violence generally.
But when you already have a war with major intent then doing nothing doesn’t reduce or stop the violence, it allows it to grow.
All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent – Edmund Burke
Citation needed for people who suggest we do nothing, Racist George.
A stated before PG… How about the “West” stop training, funding and arming ISIS before “we” worry about putting military personnel there – in ANY form?
No arms, no cash and no capability would tend to weaken them quite a bit don’t ya think?
Stop sipping the kool-aid.
Handwringing pearl clutching racist has nothing of value to offer. Again.
Well that will just fit in perfectly with those Christians who also want to bring on the Apocalypse.
http://www.christianity.com/theology/end-times/
Pity we cant limit the war to Apocalypse believers only on some unoccupied area of wasteland and leave them to it.
They’re not the only ones.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messianic_Age#Judaism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messianic_Age#Islam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad_al-Mahdi#Reappearance
readership down a bit, that you need to clickbait?
Nobel Peace Laureates Slam Human Rights Watch’s
Refusal to Cut Ties to U.S. Government
AlterNet, July 8, 2014
Human Rights Watch’s affiliation with ex-CIA and NATO officials generates perverse incentives and undermine its reputation for independence.
In a May 12 letter published on AlterNet, two Nobel Peace Prize Laureates and over 100 scholars, journalists and human rights activists called on Human Rights Watch to close its revolving door to the U.S. government. On June 3, HRW published a response from executive director Kenneth Roth on its website, arguing that their “concern is misplaced.” In a June 11 debate on Democracy Now!, HRW Counsel and Spokesman Reed Brody similarly rejected their recommendations.
Now, Nobel Laureates Mairead Maguire and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel join fellow signatories Richard Falk (United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories from 2008-14) and Hans von Sponeck (UN Assistant Secretary General from 1998-2000) in demanding that their proposals be taken seriously, and additionally, that HRW remove former NATO Secretary General Javier Solana from its Board of Directors.
Dear Kenneth Roth,
While we welcome your stated commitment to Human Rights Watch’s independence and credibility, we are dismayed by your rejection of our common-sense suggestion for strengthening them: bar those who have crafted or executed U.S. foreign policy from serving as HRW staff, advisors or board members—or, at a bare minimum, mandate lengthy “cooling-off” periods before and after any associate moves between HRW and the foreign-policy divisions of the U.S. government.
Before addressing your letter’s objections to the three instances of HRW’s advocacy that suggest a conflict of interest, we would like to reiterate that they were “limited to only recent history,” and that other cases could have been raised as well. One obvious example of HRW’s failure to appropriately criticize U.S. crimes occurred after the 2004 coup d’état against the democratically elected government of Haiti. The U.S. government essentially kidnapped Haiti’s president; thousands of people were killed under the ensuing coup regime; and deposed officials of the constitutional government were jailed.
In the face of what were likely the worst human rights abuses of any country in the Western hemisphere at the time, HRW barely lifted a finger. HRW never hosted a press conference criticizing the coup or post-coup atrocities. In contrast to HRW’s appeals to the Organization of American States’ Inter-American Democratic Charter for Venezuela and Cuba, HRW never publicly invoked the Charter in the case of Haiti, even as Articles 20 and 21 afforded multilateral measures “in the event of an unconstitutional alteration of the constitutional regime.” HRW never placed an op-ed about the overthrow in a prominent newspaper. (In 2004 The New York Times alone published at least five HRW opinion pieces and four HRW letters on other subjects.) It is reasonable for outside observers to question whether this lack of response from HRW to such large-scale human rights violations had anything to do with U.S. foreign-policy priorities.
The very existence of such questions regarding HRW’s advocacy should be reason enough to impose sharp restrictions on HRW’s close ties to the U.S. government. ….
Read more….
http://www.alternet.org/world/nobel-peace-laureates-slam-human-rights-watchs-refusal-cut-ties-us-government
I knew something sneaky was hiding behind the SkyCity funding kerfuffle. The Govt has been softening us for (at least) $6M funding of a bunch of wealthy losers: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11403588
Government of the rich, for the rich, by the rich.
Yes but they are quality losers who know no other life, you wouldnt want to see them down the local cafe down to their last million wearing last years pradas would you.
$millions$ given to rich yachties (and they are very rich)
$hundredsthousands$ taken from school children libraries.
………
$millions$ for casinos
$homes$ sold from under the poor
-and a measely $30 thousand couldn’t be found to fund Christchurch’s only Rape Crisis Support Line
“..I feel shameful walking past rough sleepers – how must the politicians responsible feel?..” (+ comment:..and how do our politicians feel when they see their handiwork in the flesh..?..do they shift at all uneasily in their (comfortable/well-padded/heated) seats..?..especially those labour politicians..eh..?..’cos of all of them..they should really know better..eh..?..but they don’t..)
“.. An evening walk down the Strand in London brings to painful life official figures –
– that show a sharp rise in rough sleeping..”
(cont..)
(ed:..i have asked myself that question..
..especially of labour mp’s/politicians..
..and our labour/green mayors of auckland..
..both of whom when first campaigning to be mayors..
..put their hands on their hearts..
..and vowed/promised to help the homeless..
..since then..yeah..nah..eh..?
..but especially those neo-liberal/rightwing labour mp’s..
..those who won the argument within the labour party pre-’14 election..
..that saw labour ’14 election-policy offering absolutely nothing for the poorest..
..cunnliffe said that benefit-levels wd increase ‘by the rate of inflation..
..which is what national does..
..and here’s the funny story..!
..those rightwing/neo-liberal labour people are still wondering why those poorest..(the missing million..)..
..why they didn’t rush to the polling booths..
..sobbing in/with gratitude on their way..
..to tick the box for labour..
..as i say in the headline..eh..?..’they should really know better’..eh..?..)
(cont..)
http://whoar.co.nz/2015/i-feel-shameful-walking-past-rough-sleepers-%E2%80%93-how-must-the-politicians-responsible-feel-comment-and-how-do-our-politicians-feel-when-they-see-their-handiwork-in-the-flesh-do/
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11403351
Not so much down and gloom on dairy prices anymore
When it gets back up to the average price in 2011, be sure to let us know.
See, droughts are good news.
I’m not an expert, but that looks like a loss-making enterprise to me.
This:
http://www.frankieboyle.com/frankie/free-speech.html
I’m not going to follow the link gormless – as your to bloody lazy to write a description.
Are you just click baiting?
It’s “you’re”. It is a contraction of “you are”. Maybe reading is not your thing.
adam was writing, not reading, gormless. Pot, kettle, etc.
If he writes like that, I have good grounds to conclude he is incapable of reading.
And if you read like that, I have good grounds to conclude you are incapable of writing anything other than erroneous pedantry. Concentrate on adam’s criticism; a brief summary of why we should click on the link would be helpful, because the number of readers who are going to just on your say so is minimal.
Something like: ‘Frankie Boyle skewers the false outrage of the media’ or ‘comedian rips into media hypocrisy’. It’s not hard.
You could have read it by now. Or not. Suit yourself. I will try to struggle on regardless.
More reading difficulty, gormless? That fact that I was able to provide a couple of short summaries strongly suggests I did read Boyle’s piece. Try and avoid arguments based on pedantry in the future, you’re not much good at them.
Noted.
You’ll like this from Frankie Boyle, Ole – given that you’re such a good Tory…
On Mock the Week after Thatcher’s demise:
How much do you think the funeral is going to cost ?
Frankie Boyle: “3 million. For 3 million, they could give everyone in Scotland a shovel and we would dig a hole so deep that we could hand her over to Satan personally.”
Who suggested Andrew Little commission anything from David Cohen? He is a very right wing journalist and a great friend of Bill English. It was before Andrew Little was leader so hopefully he is getting better advice these days about who to talk to.
Yeah, for goodness sakes don’t make any effort to find out how the Right will spin the things you say 🙄
he was hired to coalesce/define/translate..
..the thoughts of chairman little..
..i wonder how all of that worked out..?
..if it was value for money..?
Knowing what your adversary will say about you before they say it can be an advantage, if the information is used wisely.
I think Little’s doing ok on the presentation front.
“..Knowing what your adversary will say about you before they say it can be an advantage, if the information is used wisely. .”
to a point..i s’pose..
..and cohen was the only one who cd make those calls..?
..who cd lay out those hypothetical-scenarios..?
..and so now we have a rightwinger..who has looked inside littles’ head..
..any hypothetical bad-scenarios you can see around that..?
..and little was ‘doing ok’..
..not so much lately..
Other than you, who says Cohen was the only one?
The fact that National have to reach further down into the barrel to ping him for a ubiquitous human error – forgetting to pay a bill – is an indication that they aren’t getting many hits in debate.
What happened to ‘angry Andy’? 😆
nobbled by neo-liberalism..?
(and..)
“..Other than you, who says Cohen was the only one?..”
..was there a whole team on it..?
..the ‘little-brain team’..?..
..’here come the l.b.t.’s..!’..
..did they have a uniform..?..
..or at the very least..an insignia..?
..a motto..?
“..– is an indication that they aren’t getting many hits in debate..”
going on the commentary i did on q-time yesterday..
..little was the one not ‘getting many hits’..
..and i mean..there is hardly a lack of ammunition to hand..?
..is there..?
Not only that but the NBR has the story saying that the go-between (one Chris Matthews) was also slaggng off other Labour MPs to the journalist. Who is he and what position does he hold?
Since the working class was defeated, indeed pretty much smashed, under the fourth Labour government and the following National government, class consciousness in this country is at an all-time low. The left, defeated on the economic front, managed to win some victories on the cultural front. That was good, but we do need to get back to class: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/class-class-consciousness-and-left-political-practice/
Yet another excellent article, Philip. Redline is a great read.
Reading about the Euro debt-mongers problems with their unsustainable business model in Greece would be tragic and hilarious if it wasn’t so hilarious and tragic.
The entire western financial system is hilarious and tragic.
It is up to its use-by date and Greece is a canary in the mine.
More debt in the world than there is money to repay it ……………. thinking thinking thinking
Hilarious
Tragic
This is quite similar to what Bill wrote here the other day. Indeed if the only option for war with ISIS, is war with ISIS – I think we should do the right thing and help the people at war with ISIS – rather than send our own troops over there.
http://libcom.org/news/kurdistan-gilles-dauv%C3%A9-17022015
Sorry about the long links in advance.
Just another reason, why we should not send troops into the middle east. This is just stupid on the part of the commanders who ordered this to happen – stupid.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/2015/02/12/16751/us-troops-burned-waste-hazardous-open-pits-while-safer-incinerators-sat-idle?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=watchdog&utm_medium=publici-email&goal=0_ffd1d0160d-3b6faff816-100020097&mc_cid=3b6faff816&mc_eid=c346e018f7
And if you think privatising health care is a winner – or if Obama care is any go. Think again. Insurance companies are in the business to make money – sick people don’t make money = hence the USA and it’s SNAFU approach to health care.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/2015/02/16/16766/elimination-public-option-threw-consumers-insurance-wolves?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=watchdog&utm_medium=publici-email&goal=0_ffd1d0160d-3b6faff816-100020097&mc_cid=3b6faff816&mc_eid=c346e018f7
At Public Integrity – you should look up health – and see all the nasty, vicious, and down right evil things the health insurance industry does to make a buck.
Robert Fisk’s latest on ISIS
‘Isis has provoked an Arab alliance to bomb the West’s enemies’
http://www.independent.co.uk/biography/robert-fisk
…..”But for Arabs, there is a clear message in all these alliances. Washington has an American-trained general in charge of the Libyan air force, an American-trained former field marshal and president in charge of Egypt, an American-educated and British-trained king in Jordan and two wealthy emirates with huge US investments – one of them headquarters to the US fleet in the Gulf – in the battle. Only that well-known dictator who has been fighting Isis for longer than any of them – Bashar al-Assad of Syria – is left out. For now.”
( spot the ironies)
And this:
https://dimpost.wordpress.com/2015/02/17/same-as-it-ever-was/
There is a Wisconsin version of FJK, Scott Walker. There are many similarities in their methods. Given the nature of the US and A, Walker may actually end up in legal trouble if things filter up to the federal level. Meanwhile, FJK’s smile and wave is increasingly being replaced by scowl and lie.
http://www.alternet.org/tea-party-and-right/4-things-you-should-know-about-presidential-candidate-scott-walker-its-too-late
Daily Telegraph political commentator quits in protest at deteriorating journalistic standards
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-02-17/honesty-shocker-telegraphs-political-commentator-quits-over-hsbc-coverage-accuses-pa
Go Winston .. let’s see if the FMA have either teeth or guts ….
Winston Peters: ‘Huge volume’ of SkyCity shares trading must be investigated:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11403839
I’m glad Winnie has raised that. He’s still useful on some issues.
Winston is a lot more useful than Labour these days ( since Helen Clark) ….Labour is a liability…didnt Labour MPs …(the Labour Party boys)…accept SKYCITY hospitality along with the Nacts?…and what about that Auckland Labour Mayor’s role in helping along SkyCity ?…say no more….
….it was the Greens who have always had form on fighting the SkyCity deal …and Winston…and Mana ….this is the real Left Opposition in New Zealand
The book Dirty Politics gains a win for the port workers with the Maritime Union members ratifying a collective agreement this morning.
Well done comrades and excellent job brother Gary Parsloe. My you enjoy many years of retirement!
David Cameron is demanding that obese/overweight people *accept help* (For example the outdated dietary advice that includes eating wheat and a little sugar? That the obese or overweight should learn to hate the appearance of their bodies like the government apparently does? To be taught that human rights law is for “real” disabilities? Hmmm….) or lose benefits.
Cameron really knows how to bene bash huh? At least this reporter has the good sense to make this comment:
“But here is the alternative theory. What if the intention is not to make people slimmer, but to make the obese reconcile themselves with the fact that they are worthless human beings, and hence unworthy of receiving any financial support from anyone? If that is the case, then the initiative may work very well indeed.”
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/feb/16/david-cameron-obese-big-society-benefits
The plan should be trialled on Gerry Brownlee. He certainly doesn’t deserve any financial support from anyone.
hi murray, where are the obesist police?
i would have expected you to be taken to task for that comment.
perhaps double standards much?
i think i detect a touch of afflunentist (?) in yr comment too. 😉
Ask them, if you know who they are. When the English Tories start on obese people as part of their attack on our brothers and sisters in England, I think it’s perfectly OK to suggest they start on Brownlee.
I don’t know what the forms are like currently in NZ, but back in the day when you applied for a benefit for medical reasons part of the form you signed said something like how you could be declined a benefit if you refused medical treatment for the condition. I’m surprised Bennett and co haven’t gone down that track already tbh.
What could possibly go wrong ?
US lets allies buy killer drones … oh yes, this should end well.
07-866 6851www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2015/02/17/u-s-to-let-allies-buy-killer-drones.html?via=newsletter&source=CSPMedition
MORONS.
With the US having them, it’s already ended badly. This is just a continuation.
Hi Murray .. hope your trip to Tai Tokerau tomorrow bears some fruit if you are in the right place at the right time .. travel well …
Quoting article:
Oh, would that be like US drones indiscriminately killing civilians?
I’d say that it’d be better for any country to build their own drones. That way they could guarantee that there wouldn’t be any back doors into the control systems.
Apparently Ports of Auckland have settled with Maritime Union & new Collective contract agreed.
Neither Herald nor Stuff have any details so its going to be interesting to see who ‘won’ after all.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/years-long-ports-auckland-union-dispute-tipped-end-morning-sources-ng-168805?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NBR%2520Heads%2520Up
Tont Gibson won as the maritime union has less members and less money then it did before and with the rival port union on the scene they have less influence
Of course they could have accepted the arbitrators decision a couple of years ago and been in a stronger position but thems the breaks
andrew little under-impressed..again..
..and kennedy ‘death-stare’ graham got performer-of-the-day..
..but all in all..it was a bit of a drag..
(but key did tell us that he ‘has a vision’..)
http://whoar.co.nz/2015/new-zealand-parliament-list-of-questions-for-oral-answer-wednesday-18-february-2015/
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/comment/editorials/66323975/editorial-andrew-little-plays-into-pms-hands-on-spying
Heres where I’d usually sling some stuff KLittles way over this except that hes doing the exact thing I’d advise him to do, keeping the Greens out of anything that matters is what most voters want since the Greens only got 10% of the vote which is pretty shoddy when you consider how many people didn’t vote
Little is taking Labour to the center which is what he needs to do and it looks like hes distancing Labour away from the Greens to set up a deal with Winston for the next election ala Labour back when they were last in power
Labour doesn’t need to offer the Greens anything because theres nowhere else for the Greens to go and if its a choice between Labour/Winston and the Greens or National/Act/MP then of course the Greens will be Labours doormap
So, unfortuantely (as I want another term for Key) , this is smart politics from Little
good advice there pucky..!
..move more to the right you reckon..?
..even when that didn’t work that well last time..eh..?
..that missing-million couldn’t be stirred to vote for the promise of s.f.a. for them..
..silly poor..!..eh..?..they should be grateful for crumbs..!..even for no crumbs..!.
..yep..!..that worked out really well..
..little-labour should try really hard to be more like key-national..eh..?
..well..they have made a good start..eh..?..on the spooking-front..
..taking five minutes to agree to extending the powers of the spooks..
..and freezing turei/the greens out of the spooks-‘club’..eh..?
Never said anything about going to the right instead I applaud him for:
going to the center
learning from Helen Clark
and yes Little needs to do whatever he needs to so he can get into power then he can make the changes, the problem with Labour supporters in general is that they don’t quite seem to get it that you need to get the power first before you make the changes
Fortunately, for Labour supporters, Little realises that
and labour polled their highest when exactly…?
..wasn’t it when cunnliffe had his (however brief) ‘workers’ flag is deepest red’ moment..?
..what wd u take from that..?
As you say briefly and then people realised he was all mouth and no trousers, had he gone to the center he probably would have won
Which is why John Key is merely tinkering around the edges of what the right wing want ie
partial privitisation as opposed to full sell offs,
keeping union membership voluntary instead of abolishing unions,
90 day employment bill instead of firing any time any place,
increasing benefit payments instead of cutting back,
tinkering with the RMA instead of abolishing ot and writing a new one
all this because Keys knows (as did Clark) its the center that decides who governs
Thanks Chris for owning up to what the right really intend to do to our society.
Do you really think they should abolish the unions PR? You’re saying the government should legislate away the right to free association?
Of course he wants workers’ rights dismantled.
They get in the way of his masters’ profits.
” Never said anything about going to the right”
FFS chris73. In which direction do you move to get from the left to the centre?
LOL
Liars of Our Time
No. 47: SIMON MERCEP
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
“Coming up in a few minutes, The Panel with Jim Mora and Noelle McCarthy. I don’t know who their two guests are today, but whoever they are, quality broadcasting will ensue….”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
—SIMON MERCEP, Radio NZ National, 3:35 p.m., Wednesday 18 February 2015
Liar No. 46 Julia Gillard: “I have got a lot of respect for people who whistle-blow, ummm….”
Liar No. 45 Zara Potts: “Sir Bob Geldof has assembled the best of modern musicians for this year’s record, including Ed Sheeran and One Direction.”
More liars HERE….
A liar.
Or a deluded fool?
I think there was a bit of tongue in his cheek as he said it, actually.
Hipkins managed to get this out of the Min of Ed Secretary today:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/66349800/novopay-botchups-cost-45m-to-fix
That’s an extra 45 million on top of the countless sums already spent.
But Scott, Little didnt pay a $900 debt, you must know THAT is more worthy of being shared with TV3’s news audience tonight?
Paddy Gower has taken a $900 unpaid debt to new heights.
By making it his most important event today he has nailed Little. Announcing the honeymoon is over… Almost sounded like he was making a very pointed comment to Little directly.
I think Gower’s piece tonight smacked of overreach actually. For all that though hopefully Andrew Little is practicing the media shut-down right now.
It was Gower’s version of
na-na-na-na-na
I think it reflected more on he than little in the end
Paddy was so thrilled to be able to “nail” Andrew. “It seems that -(pause) the Honeymoon is over!” Poor deficient Paddy.
You get the feeling that Gower (and probably TV3) had hoped to lead with this story (exclusive emails etc) but events have rather overtaken them.
As in most contests when one side is getting flogged the ref will attempt to even things up a bit by making a “no fuss no foul” trivial call.
Gower is out of his league and should be reporting the Mid-week news in a small community based provincial newspaper.
Cohen is well known to the likes of aunty Audrey & uncle Vernon when they were principled unionists with the journalists union.
From another Open Mike, but it didnt get answered:
I was wondering if an employer that pays minimum wage, after the minimum wage goes up, is required to negotiate in good faith, or can just say ‘im paying minimum wage, deal with it’