Open mike 18/09/2010

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 18th, 2010 - 33 comments
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33 comments on “Open mike 18/09/2010 ”

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  1. Draco T Bastard 1
    18 September 2010 at 9:14 am

    Carbon waits for science, again; but the planet won’t

    If something is observed in the field, and a scientist can’t validate it, or can’t validate it quickly enough, does it mean it isn’t true? I try things in my garden, and keep doing what my eyes tell me is working, and will give me a firmer foothold on this planet; I don’t always need to know why or how.

    But that’s not how the international Kyoto accounting system works, of course, or science, or the many vested, and cynical, interests. And that makes me fear for us all, knowing how long it took, to establish climate change, and that we don’t have the same time left to find and implement its solutions.

    It’s a short comparison between the work of two scientists, one here and one in Oz, researching the same subject – soil carbon. The one in Oz is finding that the use of natural cycles makes for better pasture and carbon sequestration and the one in NZ is finding that it doesn’t.

    • ZeeBop 1.1
      18 September 2010 at 10:16 am

      Are you discussing engineering not science? Science works on a best model approach, trust, verify, attempt to falisify, and hope to come accross before anyone else a nag in the model. Two soil scientists testing current theories in NZ and OZ are verifying existing science, but no where in their science is there a law that says all soils behave the same in sequestration of carbon. I would however be surprised if N.Z plants, when they die, were to decay and entirely release their carbon back into the atmosphere, but then I’m not a soil scientist. These scientists are attempting to find the best soil engineering to trap carbon it seems.

  2. Janice 2
    18 September 2010 at 9:39 am

    I understand the reasons behind the need to change to digital TV, but an aspect of the change concerns me. Many people with an analog TV (including perhaps myself) will take the opportunity to upgrade to digital TV and so far as I have seen, no plans have been made for what it going to happen to all the old TVs, which will contain toxic metals. I would hope they are just not going to finish up in landfills around the country.

    anti spam: replacing – how does it happen?

    • Draco T Bastard 2.1
      18 September 2010 at 10:22 am

      It would be nice to see some proper means of disposing/recycling old TVs and computers but, as you say, no one seems to be concerned with that aspect of progress.

      • prism 2.1.1
        18 September 2010 at 11:15 am

        Except to run a scam here on getting shot of them. The project for outdated
        NZ electronic gear to be delivered to the organisers of a recycling project and be dealt with in an adult manner sounded so good, and turned out so bad.
        The job and responsibility was contracted out and I suppose there was hope of selling it to get valuable metals etc. But in the end the firm seemed to be looking for some shore with interests in payola so they could dump it.

    • Armchair Critic 2.2
      18 September 2010 at 10:42 am

      toxic metals
      Are these the same “rare earths” that Gerry Brownlee wanted to dig up?

  3. MikeG 3
    18 September 2010 at 10:07 am

    For the 2nd time in 2 weeks I have heard that some farmers cannot milk their cows because the power has been cut. Why can’t they do what other industries who need a reliable power supply do and that is to have back-up generators?

    • ryan 3.1
      18 September 2010 at 9:38 pm

      Have you seen how much power it takes to run an automatic round type milking shed? Generators have limitations in size cost and reliability. Hence the reason we have a national grid to begin with.

  4. Draco T Bastard 4
    18 September 2010 at 10:21 am

    http://seek.co.nz/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=93&PageNumber=1&JobID=18123717&cid=jobmail

    * Leading Australasian Water Solutions Group
    * Newly created role with unlimited potential
    * Attractive salary package

    Think Water is a specialist water solutions group who are focused on meeting the rapidly changing landscape of water management in Australasia.

    Gee, I wonder just what is happening to our water supply in Auckland….

  6. Jum 6
    18 September 2010 at 10:38 am

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/4141524/KiwiRails-new-train-breaks-down

    well, well, well, and our Kiwi people weren’t good enough to build our Auckland trains, oh no…

    Joyce, you fxxxwit, consider yourself on notice.

  7. john 7
    18 September 2010 at 10:49 am

    Paula Bennett is off to the Eisenhower Foundation in the US to learn corporate responsibility; the new neo-liberal buzz (bs) word. Refer this link showing an example of corporate responsibility!
    http://www.examiner.com/human-rights-in-national/censored-gulf-news-gulf-coasters-trail-of-tears-evacuees-flee-for-health-and-safe Refer report about 5 items down as to Gulf having to be evacuated due to corexit poisoning taken up by the hydrological cycle and rained onto Gulf residents

    American corporations are responsible for impoverishing ordinary Americans over 40,000,000 of whom are on food stamps!!! That’s 10 times the NZ population. How did they do this? To make profits from dirt cheap labour costs they off-shored all of the US’s manufacturing except the “War making” Industry. Result Wall Street is having a party while ordinary American schmucks live in tent cities. Who is running that country,obvious isn’t it? It really worries me Mister Nice wants us to follow the same Corporate-government fascism here! Where everything is privatized.

    • john 7.1
      18 September 2010 at 11:03 am

      Here is a testimony of a Gulf resident who is scared about what is happening down there-

      #

      I live 25 miles from Gulf Shores, in a rural area north of the beach. I live on two acres and grow chickens to harvest the eggs. My neighbor has lots of livestock, sheep, chickens, ducks, and the such. Having all these animals have always generated lots of flies and other such insects. Which leads to having lots of frogs and lizards which feed on them……..What I am seeing is that we virtually have no flies or frogs or lizards. Even our bird population has dropped tremendously. I have a bird feeder that has been filled continuously for years. The birds have gone as has the reptiles. Some of our plants have had a terrible year so far. Our banana trees that are normally 12 foot tall are about 8 foot. Our plants are developing dead leaves and spots.
      Is anyone else experiencing this type of observations???
      My wife is a Bio-Chem student at USA in Mobile and is very knowledgable on chemicals and the such. She is concerned and has a lung condition that has amplified since this all came about. We have 4 young children and her concerns are what this could cause in the developement of our kids. She is very concerned and feels that we should evacuate the area ASAP. Personally, I am scared!!!
      #
      Lynne Frye
      2 days ago

      What the video didn’t show was my husband and I couldn’t afford to move either. We sold everything we owned except for his work truck and what clothes and camping gear, and whatever we could fit in the back of our small nissan. We met someone that wanted to help out a gulf coast family. She offered a room in her house until we could get back on our feet. We left pensacola. We found a campground by a beautiful a river and some amazing caverns, we stayed for a week. We have met some amazing people that want to help the ‘Gulf Coasters’ just like me and my family. We have lost our beaches. All the information is out there and as individuals, we have to do the research and not rely on corporate media to tell us eveything because they won’t. Your wife is right. y’all should evacuate. We had to think about our daughters health. My prayers are with you!

      • john 7.1.1
        18 September 2010 at 11:24 am

        Refer link about the poverty caused by the Corporate neo-liberal dictatorship. While Americans get poorer CEOs complain bitterly about any taxes levied on them.
        http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/09/17-5

        • john 7.1.1.1
          18 September 2010 at 11:48 am

          As Americans get poorer many are “losing it” and ending up in America’s growth sector: Prisons!
          Basically cut the b.ggers benefits off after 99 weeks causing them to lose their homes, cars and everything throw them some food stamps so they don’t starve and if they offend then Corporate Prison America makes up to 60,000 US$ per inmate a handsome profit by golly,increases the GDP as well not to mention all those inmate control technologies being developed: Tasers, stun guns, batons ,you name it.Eventually zombies are excreted from this system too bu..ered ever to offend again. Mister Nice thinks that is the way we should go if he can get away with it; the underclass dehumanised no longer NZ citizens.
          http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article26379.htm

          • Draco T Bastard 7.1.1.1.1
            18 September 2010 at 10:57 pm

            You forgot to mention the slave labour that goes along with being in prison in the US today.

          • john 7.1.1.1.2
            19 September 2010 at 11:11 am

            This is exactly the situation the Norwegian criminologist Nils Christie described more than a decade ago. Anglo Saxon countries choose to fund prisons rather than limit the income gap between rich and poor. Scandinavian countries prefer to spend their money on social mechanisms to include most citizens within society, and consequently have much less need for widespread incarceration. Either you step in early to prevent criminalisation or you stand back and pontificate about bad seed and free choice, picking up the casualties along the way and stuffing them into gaol. In this, as in so many other things, capitalism sees more profit in making the inhuman choice.

          • john 7.1.1.1.3
            19 September 2010 at 11:17 am

            For profit prisons, what a great incentive for putting the poor in prison. Those who’s welfare payments don’t cover expenses adequately to avoid engaging in petty crime. Can be put to work for peanuts while the state subsidizes the shareholders immensely. Neo-Liberal economics at work.

          • john 7.1.1.1.4
            19 September 2010 at 11:36 am

            US Prisons are a prison guard’s sadist’s paradise. They really get off big time on the dominance and control side(flash uniforms and status hierarchy too) with their Shotguns,Tasers, batons and stun guns,and the leg irons of course,in the hell hole where the inmates prey on each other in every way conceivable while they provide profit for the system,and a bit of common thuggery thrown in as well,no wonder poor Americans choose to join the Army and blow other people away as a better choice!.All societies have a sadistic side I definitely see it in Nact where the rich get richer and if you’re poor it’s your fault.

  8. Jum 8
    18 September 2010 at 11:27 am

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1009/S00583/scf-attracts-more-than-150-inquiries.htm

    every investor should be publicised so that we can see who is grabbing our country.

  9. The Voice of Reason 9
    18 September 2010 at 12:27 pm

    Posted this on the ‘Tashkoff’ post, but it’s worth repeating here. The latest Roy Morgan shows a continued decline in support for Key’s Government, despite the earthquake PR exercise. At this rate of loss the opposition will be ahead by Xmas or earlier if Hide stays as Act leader. And Winnie’s back in the running big time.

    “The latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows support for John Key’s National-led Government has weakened to 53% (down 1.5%), comprising National Party 48.5% (down 1%), Maori Party 1.5% (down 1.5), ACT NZ 2% (up 1%) and United Future 1% (unchanged).

    Support for Opposition Parties has risen to 47% (up 1.5%); Labour Party 34% (up 1.5%), Greens 8% (down 0.5%), New Zealand First 4.5% (up 1%), Progressive Party 0.5% (up 0.5%) and Others 0% (down 1%).

    If a National Election were held today the National Party would be returned to Government.

    Gary Morgan says:

    “Today’s New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows a drop in support for the National-led Government (53%, down 1.5%) for the third straight interviewing period. The lead over the Opposition Parties (47%, up 1.5%) is now at its narrowest since just after the General Election in November 2008.

    “Support for National (48.5%, down 1%) has also fallen — now at its lowest since May 2010 while the increase in support for the Labour Party (34%, up 1.5%) has cut National’s lead to 14.5%, a significant lead but the closest since November 2008.”

    • Salsy 9.1
      18 September 2010 at 9:59 pm

      Wow and the great GST robbery hasnt even kicked in yet…

      • Armchair Critic 9.1.1
        18 September 2010 at 10:18 pm

        Speaking of which, the government is planning on a bit of a robbery with road user charges, come 1 October. Well, not planning, it’s actually going ahead with it. It works like this:
        Any road user charges that are paid for but not used by 01 October become invalid.
        A credit equal to the value of the unused road user charges is given.
        The credit can be used to re-purchase new road user charges.
        The new road user charges are more expensive (by about 6%), and the higher rate of GST applies.
        http://www.transport.govt.nz/ourwork/Land/RoadUserCharges/
        Now, keep in mind that this applies only to vehicle over 3.5t, and the purpose is to prevent their owners from pre-purchasing to avoid the extra charges and the extra GST. But it catches people like me, whose Goods Services Licence prevents me from doing more than 12,000km per year, and had to purchase a big pile of road user charges in April and have used less than 1,000 of them. I’d be happy to comply if I’d bought them after the announcement was made (in August), but applying it to anything before that is very much retrospective.
        I can’t wait to see a huge convoy of trucks blocking the main streets of all the big centres because the RUC is being raised, like what happened last time. Or was that just an exercise in rent-a-crowd astroturfing?

        • Draco T Bastard 9.1.1.1
          18 September 2010 at 11:01 pm

          That was rent-a-crowd astro-turfing. Those truckies were paid to cost us millions of dollars.

      • jcuknz 9.1.2
        19 September 2010 at 11:05 am

        What ‘GST Robbery’ ? That is left wing nonsensical rubbish by those who don’t seek the truth.
        In my case the cut in tax is double the increase in GST even if I paid GST on all my expenditure, which obviously I don’t. I remember the Labour scaremongering comparing nil GST with 15% GST … Blatant mis-information by a party who has sadly lost its way.
        There will be and have been some increases for a household to bear but they were forecast at whatever level GST was set at.
        The calculations are pretty simple to do so it takes a pretty mind boggling twit to talk differently.

        • Armchair Critic 9.1.2.1
          19 September 2010 at 11:11 am

          Nah, jckunz, they’re taking back confiscating something I bought six months ago and forcing me to buy it again, with a price rise and extra GST chucked in for good measure. Thanks National – bunch of f**king looters.

  10. Jum 10
    18 September 2010 at 2:24 pm

    You’re right there John.

    The same advice Key got from America about building prisons would have included how you get them there and the money you could make from their incarceration – the more you jam in the more you make – Judith Collins knows that.

    The devilry of this government in its social engineering against women, its building of prisons (build it and they will come), its growth industry of unemployed cheap, desperate labour, its disestablishment (innocuous but nasty fxxker, that word) of concrete elected councils (ECAN) and using a natural disaster to rush further reform through must surely show even the stupidest New Zealander just how corrupt and criminal this government which includes Act and Maori and United Future really is.

    If Winston Peters does hold sway at the next election I will expect him to sign a contract that will include the words “I will not form any sort of government or cross party support with National or Act or Maori or United Future because they cannot be trusted”.

    I remember Helen Clark and Michael Cullen campaigning on that. Shame more people didn’t listen to them.

  11. john 11
    18 September 2010 at 2:51 pm

    Are you one of the Sheeple whose Political ignorance enables corrupt and self serving Governments to rule? View these categories:
    http://neithercorp.us/npress/?p=287

  12. Jum 12
    18 September 2010 at 2:57 pm

    http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1009/S00215/jim-anderton-takes-his-campaign-to-the-streets.htm

    But, but, Jim your ratings as a Party have gone up! What’s going to happen to the nation’s teeth if you go?

    I actually think you could do both jobs. Parker the pillock has trouble with just one.

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    Good morning, folks. Another wee note from a chilly Rotorua morning that looks much clearer than yesterday. As I write, the pink glow in the east is slowly growing, and soon, the palest of blue skies should become a bit more royal.A couple of people mentioned yesterday that I should ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Make it make sense: why axe valuable local projects?

    Last week, Matt looked at how the government wants to pour a huge chunk of civic infrastructure funding for a generation  into one mega-road up North, at huge cost and huge opportunity cost. A smaller but no less important feature of the National Land Transport Plan devised by Minister of Transport ...
    Greater AucklandBy Jolisa
    3 days ago
  • Driving blind at higher speeds

    An open letter by experts about plans to raise speed limits warns the “tragic consequence will be more New Zealanders losing their lives or suffering severe injury, along with a substantial burden on the nation's healthcare and rehabilitation services”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • 2024’s unusually persistent warmth

    This is a re-post from The Climate Brink My inaugural post on The Climate Brink 18 months ago looked at the year 2024, and found that it was likely to be the warmest year on record on the back of a (than forecast) El Nino event. I suggested “there is a real chance ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • National plan for 2000 more Kiwis a year in prison

    Open for allYesterday, Luxon congratulated his government on a job well done with emergency housing numbers, but advocates have been saying it‘s likely many are on the streets and sleeping in cars.Q&A featured some of the folks this weekend - homeless and in cars. Yes.The government’s also confirmed they stopped ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • I Found a Note in a Tree

    Hi,On most days I try to go on a walk through nature to clear my head from the horrors of life. Because as much as I like people, I also think it’s incredibly important to get very far away from them. To be reminded that there are also birds, lizards, ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    4 days ago
  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Politicians need to lift their game

    Declining trust in New Zealand politicians should be a warning to them to lift their game. Results from the New Zealand Election Study for the 2023 election show that the level of trust in politicians has once again declined. Perhaps it is not surprising that the results, shared as part ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago
  • Police say they won’t respond to bomb threats anymore as ‘it’s never anything’

    Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says that New Zealand’s police force will no longer respond to bomb threats, in an attempt to cut costs and redirect police resources to less boring activities. Coster said that threat response and bomb disposal was a “fairly obvious” area for downsizing, as bomb threats are ...
    The CivilianBy Ben Uffindell
    4 days ago
  • A dysfunctional watchdog

    The reality of any right depends on how well it is enforced. But as The Post points out this morning, our right to official information isn't being enforced very well at all: More than a quarter of complaints about access to official information languish for more than a year, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Climate Change: The threat of a good example

    Since taking office, the climate-denier National government has gutted agricultural emissions pricing, ended the clean car discount, repealed water quality standards which would have reduced agricultural emissions, gutted the clean car standard, killed the GIDI scheme, and reversed efforts to reduce pollution subsidies in the ETS - basically every significant ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Vegas Baby

    Good morning, lovely people. Don’t worry. This isn’t really a newsletter, just a quick note. I’m sitting in our lounge, looking out over a gloomy sky. Although being Rotorua, the view is periodically interrupted by steam bursting from pipes and dispersing—like an Eastern European industrial hellscape during the Cold War.Drinking ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Why Entrust Needs New Leadership

    I am part of a new team running in the Entrust election in October. Entrust is a community electricity trust representing a significant part of Auckland, set up to serve the community. It is governed by five trustees are elected every three years in an election the trust itself oversees. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    5 days ago
  • London Bridge is falling down

    In the UK, London is the latest of council groups to signal potential bankruptcy.That’s after Birmingham, Britain’s second largest city, went bankrupt in June, resulting in reduced sanitation services, libraries cut, and dimmed streetlights.Some in the city described things as “Dickens” like.Please, Sir, Can I have some more?For families with ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Govt may kick elderly out of hospitals

    The Government is considering how to shunt elderly people out of hospitals, and also how to cut their access to other support. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Getting the nephs off the couch

    The so-called “Prince of the Provinces”, Shane Jones, went home last Friday. Perhaps not quite literally home, more like 20 kilometres down the road from his house on the outskirts of Kerikeri. With its airport, its rapidly growing (mostly retired) population, and a commercial centre with all the big retail ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago
  • De moralibus orcorum: Sargon of Akkad, Rings of Power, Evil, and George R.R. Martin

    I have noted before that The Rings of Power has attracted its unfortunate share of culture war obsessives. Essentially, for a certain type of individual, railing on about the Wokery of Modern Media is a means of making themselves a online livelihood. Clicks and views and advertising revenue, and all ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #37

    A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 8, 2024 thru Sat, September 14, 2024. Story of the week From time to time we like to make our Story of the Week all about us— and ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago
  • Salvation For Us All

    Yesterday, I ruminated about the effects of being a political follower.And, within politics, David Seymour was smart enough on Friday to divert attention from “race blind” policies [what about gender blind I thought - thinking of maternity wards] and cutting school lunches by throwing meat to the media. Teachers were ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A warm embrace

    Far, far away from here lives our King. Some of his subjects can be quite the forelock tuggers, but plenty of us are not like that, and why don't I wheel out my favourite old story once more about Kiwi soldiers in the North African desert?Field Marshal Montgomery takes offence ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • Literal clowns are running the place, we must put a timeout on this stupidity… right Aotearoa?

    These people are inept on every level. They’re inept to the detriment of our internal politics, cohesion and increasingly our international reputation. And they are reveling in the fact they are getting away with it. We cannot even have “respectful debate” with a government that clearly rejects the very ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    6 days ago
  • Fact brief – Does manmade CO2 have any detectable fingerprint?

    Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with John Mason. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Does manmade CO2 have any ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • Judge Not.

    Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Matthew 7:1-2FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY men and women professing the Christian faith would appear to have imperilled their immortal souls. ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago
  • Managed Democracy: Letting The People Decide, But Only When They Can Be Relied Upon To Give the Righ...

    Uh-uh! Not So Fast, Citizens! The power to initiate systemic change remains where it has always been in New Zealand’s representative democracy – in Parliament. To order a binding referendum, the House of Representatives must first to be persuaded that, on the question proposed, sharing its decision-making power with the people ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago
  • Looking For Labour’s Vital Signs.

    Flatlining: With no evidence of a genuine policy disruptor at work in Labour’s ranks, New Zealand’s wealthiest citizens can sleep easy.PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN has walked a picket-line. Presidential candidate Kamala Harris has threatened “price-gauging” grocery retailers with price control. The Democratic Party’s 2024 platform situates it well to the left of Sir ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago
  • Forty Years Of Remembering To Forget.

    The Beginning of the End: Rogernomics became the short-hand descriptor for all the radical changes that swept away New Zealand’s social-democratic economy and society between 1984 and 1990. In the bitterest of ironies, those changes were introduced by the very same party which had entrenched New Zealand social-democracy 50 years earlier. ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago
  • Kōrero Mai – Speak to Me.

    Good morning all you lovely people. 🙂I woke up this morning, and it felt a bit like the last day of school. You might recall from earlier in the week that I’m heading home to Rotorua to see an old friend who doesn’t have much time. A sad journey, but ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago
  • Winning ways

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Street architecture adjustment, KolkataShare Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago
  • 48 seconds on a plan that would reverberate for a million years

    Despite fears that Trump presidency would be disastrous for progress on climate change, the topic barely rated a mention in the Presidential debate. Photo: Getty ImagesLong stories short, here’s the top six news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago
  • Using blunt instruments and magical thinking to ignore evidence of harm

    The abrupt cancellations and suspensions of Government spending also caused private sector hiring, spending, and investment to freeze up for the first six months of the year. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāThis week we learned:The new National/ACT/NZ First Coalition Government ignored advice from Treasury that it didn’t have to ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago
  • Is This A Dagger Which I See Before Me: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power Episode 5 (Seaso...

    Another week of The Rings of Power, season two, and another confirmation that things are definitely coming together for the show. The fifth Episode of season one represented the nadir of the series. Now? Amid the firmer footing of 2024, Episode Five represents further a further step towards excellent Tolkien ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    7 days ago
  • In Open Seas; A Book

    The background to In Open Seas: How the New Zealand Labour Government Went Wrong:2017-2023Not in Narrow Seas: The Economic History of Aotearoa New Zealand, published in 2020, proved more successful than either I or the publisher (VUP, now Te Herenga Waka University Press) expected. I had expected that it would ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to Sept 13

    The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the climate implications of the US Presidential elections; and special guests Janet ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Do or do not. There is no try

    1. Upon receiving evidence that school lunches were doing a marvellous job of improving outcomes for students, David Seymour did what?a. Declared we need much more of this sort of good news and poured extra resources and funding into them b. Emailed Atlas network to ask what to do next c. Cut ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 week ago
  • Dangerous ground

    The Waitangi Tribunal has reported back on National's proposed changes to gut the Marine and Coastal Area Act and steal the foreshore and seabed for its greedy fishing-industry donors, and declared it to be another huge violation of ti Tiriti: The Waitangi Tribunal has found government changes to the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Climate Change: National wants to cheat on Paris

    In 2016, the then-National government signed the Paris Agreement, committing Aotearoa to a 30 (later 50) percent reduction in emissions by 2030. When questioned about how they intended to meet that target with their complete absence of effective climate policy, they made a lot of noise about how it was ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago
  • Treasury warned Govt lower debt limits meant less ‘productivity-enhancing investment’

    Treasury’s advice to Cabinet was that the new Government could actually prudently carry net core Crown debt of up to 50% of GDP. But Luxon and Willis instead chose to portray the Government’s finances as in such a mess they had no choice but to carve 6.5% to 7.5% off ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Is the Media Complicit?

    This is a long read. Open to all.SYNOPSIS: Traditional media is at a cross roads. There is a need for those in the media landscape, as it stands, to earn enough to stay afloat, but also come across as balanced and neutral to keep its audiences.In America, NYT’s liberal leaning ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Black Friday

    It's Black Friday, the end of the weekYou take my hand and hold it gently up against your cheekIt's all in my head, it's all in my mindI see the darkness where you see the lightSong by Tom OdellFriday the 13th, don’t be afraid.No, really, don’t. Everything has felt a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 13-September-2024

    Ooh, Friday the thirteenth. Spooky! Is that why certain zombie ideas have been stalking the landscape this week, like the Mayor’s brainwave for a motorway bridge from Kauri Point to Point Chev? Read on and find out. This roundup, like all our coverage, is brought to you by the Greater ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago

  • Tourism on the table for Pacific Ministers’ meet-up

    Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey will meet with Trade and Tourism Minister of Australia Don Farrell and Fiji Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica in Rotorua this weekend for a trilateral tourism discussion. “Like in New Zealand, tourism plays a significant role in Australia and Fiji’s economy, contributing massively to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Young people report on family and sexual violence

    The Te Puna Aonui Expert Advisory Group for Children and Young People has presented its report today on improving family and sexual violence outcomes for young people, to the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, Karen Chhour.  The presentation at the Auckland event was an opportunity for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • $18 million being invested in the victims of crime

    The Government is putting more than $18 million towards improving the experience of the criminal justice system for victims, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Minister for Children Karen Chhour say. “No one should experience crime, but for those who through no fault of their own become victims, they need to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 hours ago
  • Landmark phonics check in te reo Māori

    For the first time, schools can use a purpose-built tool to check how a child is progressing in reading through te reo Māori. “Around 45 schools are trialling a New Zealand first te reo Māori phonics check, known as Hihira Weteoro. It will help kaiako (teachers) focus on what ākonga ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 hours ago
  • New sea walls safeguard Ōpōtiki’s transformation

    Two new breakwater walls at Pākihikura (Ōpōtiki) Harbour will provide boats with safe harbour access to support the continued growth of aquaculture in Bay of Plenty, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say. The Ministers and leaders from Tē Tāwharau o Te Whakatōhea and other ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Kitmap to improve access to science infrastructure

    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced an online platform to optimise the use of New Zealand’s science and technology research infrastructure and to link the public and private sector. “This country is home to world-class science, technology, and engineering expertise. Kitmap is set to empower Kiwi innovators, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Driving the uptake of low emission heavy vehicles

    The Government has launched the Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund (LEHVF) to promote innovation and offset the cost of hundreds of heavy vehicles powered by clean technologies, Energy Minister Simeon Brown and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts say. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Speech on replacing the Resource Management Act

    Replacing the RMA Hon Chris Bishop: Good morning, it is great to be with you. Can I first acknowledge the Resource Management Law Association for hosting us here today. Can I also acknowledge my Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Simon Court, who is on stage with me. He has assisted me in establishing the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    8 hours ago
  • Replacement for the Resource Management Act takes shape

    Two new laws will be developed to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA), with the enjoyment of property rights as their guiding principle, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Parliamentary Under-Secretary Simon Court say. “The RMA was passed with good intentions in 1991 but has proved a failure in practice. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    10 hours ago
  • Tough laws pass to make gang life uncomfortable

    Legislation passed through Parliament today will provide police and the courts with additional tools to crack down on gangs that peddle misery and intimidation throughout New Zealand, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “From November 21, gang insignia will be banned in all public places, courts will be able to issue non-consorting orders, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • New levy rates set to ensure continued funding of FENZ

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government has agreed to the rates for the redesigned levy that will fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) from July 2026.  “Earlier this year FENZ consulted publicly on a 5.2 percent increase to the levy. I was not convinced that ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Police allocate Officers to Beat and Gang Units

    The Coalition Government welcomes Police’s announcement today to deploy more police on the beat and staff to Gang Disruption Units.  An additional 70 officers will be allocated to Community Beat Teams across towns and regional centres.  This builds on the deployment of beat officers in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch CBDs ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Consultation begins on significant updates to the biosecurity system

    Proposals to strengthen the country’s vital biosecurity system, including higher fines for passengers bringing in undeclared high-risk goods, greater flexibility around importing requirements, and fairer cost sharing for biosecurity responses have been released today for public consultation. Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says “The future is about resilience and the 30-year-old ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Wānaka community to benefit from new overnight health service

    Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says an Overnight Acute Care Service opening in October will provide people in Wānaka and the surrounding area with the assurance of quality overnight care closer to home.  “When I was in Wānaka earlier this year, I announced funding for an overnight health service – ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Preventing potholes with data-driven technology

    The Government is rolling out data collection vans across the country to better understand the condition of our road network to prevent potholes from forming in the first place, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is a key priority for the Government and increasing ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • GDP data shows effect of high interest rates

    Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data for the quarter to June 2024 reinforces how an extended period of high interest rates has meant tough times for families, businesses, and communities, but recent indications show the economy is starting to bounce back, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ data released today ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • NZ to host first Fiji, Australia trilateral trade Ministers’ meeting in Rotorua

    Trade Minister Todd McClay will host Fijian Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica and Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell for trilateral trade talks in Rotorua this weekend. “Fiji is one of the largest economies in the Pacific and is a respected partner for Australia and New Zealand,” Mr McClay says. Australia and New Zealand ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • NZ hosts Annual CER Trade Ministers’ meeting in Rotorua

    Trade Minister Todd McClay will meet with Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting in Rotorua this weekend.  “CER is our most comprehensive agreement covering trade, labour mobility, harmonisation of standards and political cooperation. It underpins an important trading relationship worth $32 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Government proposing changes to jury trials

    The Government is seeking the public’s feedback on two major changes to jury trials in order to improve court timeliness, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “The first proposal would increase the offence threshold at which a defendant can decide to have their case heard by a jury. “The second is ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Business key to regional economic dialogue

    Local businesses and industries need to be front and centre in conversations about how regions plan to grow their economies, Regional Development Shane Jones says. The nationwide series of summits aims to facilitate conversations about regional economic growth and opportunities to drive productivity, prosperity and resilience through the Coalition Government’s Regional ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • More funding for Growing Up in New Zealand study

    The Government is investing $16.8 million over the next four years to extend the Growing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) Longitudinal Study. GUiNZ is New Zealand’s largest longitudinal study of child health and wellbeing and has followed the lives of more than 6000 children born in 2009 and 2010, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Tough targets for charter schools will raise achievement

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says that Charter Schools will face a combination of minimum performance thresholds and stretch targets for achievement, attendance and financial sustainability. “Charter schools will be given greater freedom to respond to diverse student needs in innovative ways, but they will be held to a much ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • NZ votes for Middle East resolution at UN

    New Zealand has voted for a United Nations resolution on Israel’s presence in occupied Palestinian Territory with some caveats, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand’s yes vote is fundamentally a signal of our strong support for international law and the need for a two-state solution,” Mr Peters says.    “The Israel-Palestine ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Honouring the legacy of New Zealand’s suffragists

    Suffrage Day is an opportunity to reaffirm New Zealand’s commitment to ensuring we continue to be a world leader in gender equality, Minister for Women Nicola Grigg says. “On 19 September, 131 years ago, New Zealand became the first nation in the world where women gained the right to vote. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Foreign Minister to travel to New York, French Polynesia

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters is travelling to New York next week to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, followed by a visit to French Polynesia. “In the context of the myriad regional and global crises, our engagements in New York will demonstrate New Zealand’s strong support for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Thanking social workers on their national day

    “Today, on Aotearoa New Zealand Social Workers’ Day, I would like to recognise the tremendous effort social workers make not just today, but every day,” Children’s Minister and Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence Karen Chhour says. “I thank all those working on the front line for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Minister of State for Trade heads to Laos for ASEAN meetings

    Minister of State for Trade Nicola Grigg will travel to Laos this week to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Ministers’ Meetings in Vientiane.   “The Government is committed to strengthening our relationship with ASEAN,” Ms Grigg says. “With next year marking 50 years since New Zealand became ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Members appointed to retail crime MAG

    The Government has appointed four members to the Ministerial Advisory Group for victims of retail crime, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “I am delighted to appoint Michael Hill’s national retail manager Michael Bell to the group, as well as Waikato community advocate and business ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Speech to the New Zealand Nurses Organisation AGM and Conference 2024

    It’s my pleasure to be here to join the opening of the NZNO AGM and Conference for 2024.  First, I’d like to thank NZNO Kaiwhakahaere Kerri Nuku, NZNO President, Anne Daniels, and Chief Execuitve Paul Gaulter for inviting me to speak today.  Thank you also to all the NZNO members ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Improvements for New Zealand authors

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says changes to the Public Lending Right [PLR] scheme will help benefit both the National Library and authors who have books available in New Zealand libraries. “I am amending the regulations so that eligible authors will no longer have to reapply every year ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Minister commends Police for gang operation

    Police Minister Mark Mitchell congratulates Police for the outstanding result of their most recent operation, targeting the Comancheros. “That Police have been able to round up the majority of the Comancheros leadership, and many of their patched members and prospects, shows not only the capability of Police, but also shows ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • New appointments to the EPA board

    Environment Minister Penny Simmonds has announced a major refresh of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) board with four new appointments and one reappointment.   The new board members are Barry O’Neil, Jennifer Scoular, Alison Stewart and Nancy Tuaine, who have been appointed for a three-year term ending in August 2027.  “I would ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Enabling rural recovery works in Hawke’s Bay

    Cabinet has approved an Order in Council to enable severe weather recovery works to continue in the Hawke’s Bay, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and Minister for Emergency Management and Recovery Mark Mitchell say. “Cyclone Gabrielle and the other severe weather events in early 2023 caused significant loss and damage to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • FamilyBoost childcare payment registrations open

    From today, low-to-middle-income families with young children can register for the new FamilyBoost payment, to help them meet early childhood education (ECE) costs. The scheme was introduced as part of the Government’s tax relief plan to help Kiwis who are doing it tough. “FamilyBoost is one of the ways we ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Prioritising victims with tougher sentences

    The Government has today agreed to introduce sentencing reforms to Parliament this week that will ensure criminals face real consequences for crime and victims are prioritised, Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says. "In recent years, there has been a concerning trend where the courts have imposed fewer and shorter prison sentences ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Targets data confirms rise in violent crime

    The first quarterly report on progress against the nine public service targets show promising results in some areas and the scale of the challenge in others, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says. “Our Government reinstated targets to focus our public sector on driving better results for New Zealanders in health, education, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Asia Foundation Board appointments announced

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced the appointments of Hone McGregor, Professor David Capie, and John Boswell to the Board of the Asia New Zealand Foundation.  Bede Corry, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has also been appointed as an ex-officio member. The new trustees join Dame Fran Wilde (Chair), ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Endeavour Fund projects for economic growth

    New Zealand’s largest contestable science fund is investing in 72 new projects to address challenges, develop new technology and support communities, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins says. “This Endeavour Fund round being funded is focused on economic growth and commercial outputs,” Ms Collins says. “It involves funding of more ...
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    4 days ago
  • Social Services Providers Whakamanawa National Conference 16 September 2024

    Thank you for the introduction and the invitation to speak to you here today. I am honoured to be here in my capacity as Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence, and Minister for Children. Thank you for creating a space where we can all listen and learn, ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Parihaka infrastructure upgrades funded

    The Government will provide a $5.8 million grant to improve water infrastructure at Parihaka in Taranaki, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones and Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka say. “This grant from the Regional Infrastructure Fund will have a multitude of benefits for this hugely significant cultural site, including keeping local ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

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