Open mike 19/01/2021
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6:00 am, January 19th, 2021 - 45 comments
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- Member’s Day
Today is a Member's Day, the last one for the year. First up there is a bunch of new private and local bills - the Thomas Cawthron Trust Amendment Bill, the New Plymouth District Council (Perpetual Investment Fund) Bill, and the Hawke’s Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society Empowering Bill. None ...1 hour ago - Political Roundup: 7 December 2022
Items of interest and importance today THREE WATERS Thomas Manch (Stuff): Make no mistake, Labour knew it was passing controversial Three Waters entrenchment clause Thomas Cranmer: A government humiliated Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Three Waters entrenchment: Jacinda Ardern, Nanaia Mahuta at odds, David Parker says he was always opposed David Farrar: ...2 hours ago - After the deluge — cascading effects of extreme weather on human health
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Emily Jack-Scott and Sarah Spengeman News coverage of this summer’s devastating flood in Pakistan has peaked, but the deluge left behind hasn’t subsided: Experts predict the floodwaters could take six months to fully recede. An aerial view of Shahdadkot, Khairpur Nathan Shah, Mado, ...5 hours ago - Gordon Campbell on Ukraine’s prospects
So the government has (a) backed down over the entrenchment of water management, thus enabling a future centre right government to privatise a key essential of life via a simple majority, as readily as any elected government can change the tax rate, or the rules for the licensing of pets ...21 hours ago - Justice for Ukraine?Overnight, Russia launched more missiles against Ukraine, targeting apartment blocks and electricity facilities in an effort to terrise civilians and freeze them to death over winter. And there are more photos of Russian war crimes in occupied areas doing the rounds. So I'm glad to see some progress at the ...1 day ago
- A Matter Of Trust.
Hard To Win, Easy To Lose: Trust cuts both ways. It is equally critical, in political terms, that a government trusts the people to at least the same extent as the people trust the government. Indeed, nothing erodes the voters’ trust faster than evidence their own government considers them untrustworthy.TRUST. ...1 day ago - The case for free speech and courage
Best-selling author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie makes the case for free speech and courage. Below is a brief excerpt. ...1 day ago - Political Roundup: 6 December 2022Items of interest and importance today 1NEWS KANTAR POLL, PARLIAMENT 1News: Poll: National and ACT strengthen, Luxon closes gap on Ardern 1News: Poll: Economic pessimism soars to 10-year high Toby Manhire (Spinoff): This new poll delivers one clear message – and a clutch of other clues Claire Trevett (Herald): The trifecta ...1 day ago
- AGU Fall Meeting 2022 – Cranky Uncle makes an appearanceThis year's Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) takes place in Chicago as well as online from December 12 to 16. Thanks to being held in hybrid mode it was feasible for John Cook and me to submit an abstract to one of the sessions. Just like for the European ...2 days ago
- Is 3 Waters entrenchment really a stupid idea?The 2023 elections will potentially be one of the most ideologically divided elections we will experience. The real solutions for most pressing social and environmental issues confronting us at the moment will involve systemic change and will necessarily challenge the neoliberal mindset that has dominated governance over the last four ...2 days ago
- Submit!The Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee has called for submissions on the Crown Minerals Amendment Bill. Submissions can be sent using the form here and are due by Monday, 23 January 2023. The main thing the bill does is fix this problem, where the purpose of the Crown Minerals ...2 days ago
- Yet another OIA inquiryAll year the Ombudsman has been trying to tell us that everything is fine with the OIA. But earlier in the year he released another report showing problems, particularly around ministerial interference and stonewalling, and now he's been forced to open another inquiry into precisely those problems: Chief Ombudsman ...2 days ago
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- The subtlety of neo-Nazi influence in Ukraine – ignored by our media
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A couple of months ago, I asked various government agencies whether they had produced any advice on the impacts of Long Covid, and was shocked to learn that they hadn't. Newsroom's Marc Daalder has been keeping an eye on this issue, and in an article today, he reports that the ...5 days ago- On Entrenchment: The Politics of Anti-Privatisation
I was not wanting to wade into New Zealand’s little furor about the proposed Three Waters reform. To be honest, Labour has brought this one on themselves – the task of cleaning up this country’s waterways really ought to be funded via the resources (financial or otherwise) of the ...5 days ago- The Masque of the Covid Breath: Testing Positive
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Last week, Parliament passed a rare entrenchment clause, protecting water assets from being sold by future governments without a referendum. As a supporter of anti-privatisation as a constitutional principle, I don't really have a problem with this - the supermajority which passed it represents a broad consensus across Aotearoa, and ...5 days ago- Parliament’s Collective Failure To Defend The Constitution.
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Open access notables: Kunio Kaiho is a leading expert on past extinction events. In Extinction magnitude of animals in the near future just published in Nature Scientific Reports, Kaiho draws on mechanisms of prior mass extinction events to prognosticate on what effect Homo bolidus [our term] might impose on Earth's species. "It depends," ...6 days ago- Media Link: AVFA on protests in China and Iran.
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Items of interest and importance today THREE WATERS Jane Patterson (RNZ): Three Waters anti-privatisation blunder adds to storm of controversy Jo Moir (Newsroom): The chaos behind the Greens’ controversial Three Waters amendment Emile Donovan (RNZ): The problem with entrenching party policy Thomas Cranmer: Mahuta ditches ‘no surprises’ policy Anne Salmond ...1 week ago- Has Labour Become A Co-Governed Party?
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Yesterday Max Rashbrooke and Lisa Marriott released their report on political party funding. The gist of it can be gathered from the title: Money for Something. Big donors are donating big money for big influence over policy, and the current regime seems designed to facilitate rather than prevent this ...1 week ago- Political Roundup: 29 November 2022
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Last week, Labour put the House into urgency to push on with its legislative agenda. Part of this included the committee stage of the three waters bill, and something unusual happened: they passed an entrenchment clause protecting the bill's anti-privatisation clause - meaning that a future government would need the ...1 week ago- Bryce Edwards: The Misuse of power to entrench Three Waters legislation
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Catching up on constitutional developments while I’ve been deep in the marking cave. And this one is a doozy — and perhaps concerning? An SOP entrenching a point of policy (ownership/control of water assets) was agreed, ie 60% majority needed to repeal.https://t.co/GRRXrmr6ZW pic.twitter.com/sm4MCOD85w — ᴅʀ ᴅᴇᴀɴ ...1 week ago- A Strange Hill To Die On.
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Yesterday the government released its draft Fourth Open Government Partnership National Action Plan 2023-24 for consultation. Like previous versions, the plan was meant to be "co-created" with civil society. And like previous versions, that obligation seems to have been observed mainly in the breach, with the government conducting a series ...2 weeks ago- The Crypto Casino
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Items of interest and importance today VOTING AGE Henry Cooke (Guardian): New Zealand’s supreme court has forced voting age on to agenda, exposing absurd arguments for status quo Henry Cooke: The only reasonable argument for retaining the voting age Thomas Coughlan (Herald): Local election voting age looks set to change ...2 weeks ago- Phil Ferguson: a firsthand account of the Irish struggle
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Why Now? As Rebecca Wright pointed out to Justice Minister, Kiritapu Allan, on Newshub Nation, a great deal of political travail could have been avoided by the Labour Government if they’d simply accepted the Royal Commission’s recommendation to extend the already existing legal protections against the incitement of racial hatred ...2 weeks ago- Finally
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The FIFA World Cup has kicked off amid laments about Qatar’s terrible human rights record, and FIFA’s greed in awarding them the Cup hosting rights in the first place. The criticism raining down on Qatar over its murderous treatment of migrant workers errs and its persecution of its LGBT community ...2 weeks ago - 2022 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #48
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The Green Party is proud to support Kohupātiki Marae to uphold the mana of their awa. ...2 days ago - COVID inquiry disappointingly narrowThe Green Party welcomes a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic – but is disappointed with the narrow scope. ...2 days ago
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- Greens will keeping pushing to protect public ownership of waterThe Green Party will continue to push for strong protections of core public assets so they cannot be sold off against the wishes of New Zealanders. ...3 days ago
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Every community in New Zealand should be a safe place to live, work and raise a family. Our Government is focused on tackling the complex issues that cause crime while also making sure that appropriate consequences are in place. ...6 days ago - Backing farmers with a strong record on tradeAs countries around the world continue to face economic challenges, there is real reason for New Zealand to be optimistic about the future – and our primary sector is at the heart of that. ...7 days ago
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- Cadetships programme continues to empower whānau MāoriSince July 2022, more than 610 cadets across 35 programmes have been approved, up from the 499 cadets approved by this time in the last financial year. The programme is growing. “The Cadetship programme’s ongoing success comes down to treating our young people with mana so that they can achieve ...1 day ago
- New rules for offshore detention complete Govt response to Operation Burnham inquiryThe government has announced a new set of rules to ensure proper and humane treatment of people detained by Police, Defence forces, or other New Zealand agencies during offshore deployments. The Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta says the new framework for offshore detention delivers on the fourth and final recommendation accepted ...1 day ago
- 19 new townhouses for whānau in need in Lower HuttAssociate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare today visited Kahungunu Whānau Services and their newly purchased 19 townhouses in Taita, Lower Hutt. “Through the Government’s Te Kahui Māori Housing programme, Tātai Mokopuna Holdings Limited (the asset holding company of Kahungunu Whānau Services) was granted a $7.1 million Māori housing ...1 day ago
- Government backs greater competition in building supplies to reduce costs for KiwisThe Government will take action to increase competition in the residential building supplies sector, says Building and Construction Minister Dr Megan Woods and Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Dr David Clark, following the release of the Commerce Commission’s market study final report. “We asked the Commerce Commission to review our ...1 day ago
- Royal Commission to draw lessons from pandemic responseA Royal Commission to prepare New Zealand for future pandemics through lessons learned from COVID-19 has been announced by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today. “Every country in the world has grappled with COVID-19 and there was no playbook for managing it,” Jacinda Ardern said. “It had been over 100 years ...2 days ago
- Minister Sio to discuss Pacific development prioritiesAssociate Foreign Affairs Minister Aupito William Sio travels to Indonesia this week to represent Aotearoa New Zealand at the Indonesia Pacific Forum for Development and the 15th Bali Democracy Forum. “Attending these international meetings enables Aotearoa New Zealand to connect with our partners kanohi ki te kanohi, or face to ...2 days ago
- Changes to partner work visas deferred to April 2023Changes to partner work visas that were set to come into effect in December 2022 have been deferred to April 2023, Immigration Minister Michael Wood has announced today. “I have made the decision to defer these changes to April 2023,” Michael Wood said. “Our Government wants to provide greater certainty ...2 days ago
- Building Act changes put the environment at the heart of how we buildThe Government is taking action to reduce waste and lower emissions from the building and construction sector in significant Building Act amendments announced today. “This Government is proud to put the environment at the heart of how New Zealand builds. By enabling mandatory energy performance rating requirements for buildings, and ...2 days ago
- Govt’s medicines boost paying off for New ZealandersPharmac’s plan to fund the cystic fibrosis medicine Trikafta is another example of the Government’s boost to the medicines budget helping New Zealanders, says Health Minister Andrew Little. “Pharmac, not politicians, makes the decisions on what treatments to fund, but politicians decide what funding to provide to Pharmac, and health ...3 days ago
- Better transport choices for New ZealandersForty-six councils across Aotearoa New Zealand, from large metro centres to small provincial towns, will receive funding to implement more transport options for communities, as part of the Transport Choices package 2022-24, Transport Minister Michael Wood announced today. “The Government is upgrading New Zealand’s transport infrastructure system to make it ...3 days ago
- Te Rangiwaituhi – Maniapoto apologyMihi Ko taku rourou iti a haere, maringi kai whenua Ko taku rourou iti a haere, maringi kai moana kia mau ki te kawau māro, whanake ake! kō Maniapoto e! Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa Greetings and Thanks As we gather here this morning I want to ...3 days ago
- Maniapoto receives Crown Apology – Ka whakawhiwhia ki a Ngāti Maniapoto te Whakapāhatanga a ...Kua tukuna e te Pirimia, e Jacinda Ardern, i te taha o te Minita mō ngā Take Tiriti o Waitangi, a Andrew Little, te Whakapāhatanga a te Karauna ki a Ngāti Maniapoto mō āna mahi o mua i takahi i te Tiriti o Waitangi. I tū te hui i Te ...3 days ago
- Big online platforms to pay fair price for local news contentThe Government will legislate to require big online digital companies such as Google and Meta to pay a fair price to New Zealand media companies for the local news content they host and share on their platforms, Minister of Broadcasting Willie Jackson announced today. The legislation will be modelled on ...3 days ago
- Government to remove entrenchment from Three Waters legislationThe Government will fix the Water Services Entities Bill this week by removing the entrenchment clause that was voted on during committee stages, Leader of the House Chris Hipkins announced today. “It was a mistake to put the entrenchment clause in and the Government will fix the issue as soon ...3 days ago
- 10 new whare for Ngāi Tāmanuhiri kaumātua and whānau in Te MuriwaiAssociate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare joined Ngāi Tāmanuhiri and the wider Toitū Tairāwhiti collective, at the opening of 10 new homes built for kaumātua and whānau in Muriwai today. “Every whare that is built and whānau that is transferred from inadequate housing to a warm dry ...4 days ago
- Joint statement: Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand Foreign Minister ConsultationsAustralian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong welcomed Aotearoa New Zealand's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon Nanaia Mahuta to Canberra today for biannual Australia – Aotearoa New Zealand Foreign Minister Consultations. The Ministers acknowledged the unique strength of the relationship between Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, reaffirmed the shared ...5 days ago
- Funding boost for kaupapa Māori response to homelessnessAssociate Minister of Housing (Homelessness) Marama Davidson has announced a significant funding boost today for kaupapa Māori approaches that support whānau into housing. $24.7 million will be allocated to support the delivery of He Ara Hiki Mauri – a tangata whenua-led response to homelessness. “Homelessness is not inevitable. By working ...5 days ago
- Appointment of Judge of the High CourtAuckland barrister David Gary Johnstone has been appointed a judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Johnstone graduated from the University of Auckland in 1991 with a BCom/LLB(Hons), and joined Bell Gully as a solicitor, practising in general commercial litigation. During 1993 and 1994 he studied at the ...5 days ago
- MAIHI Whare Wananga celebrates innovative approach to Maori HousingNew Maori Housing dashboard for better data sharing and better outcomes New development training programme to grow sector capability Associate Minister of Housing (Maori Housing) Peeni Henare today attended the annual MAIHI Whare Wananga hosted by Toitu Tairawhiti Housing Limited in Kaiti. “Our MAIHI Whare Wananga is an opportunity ...5 days ago
- New mental health facility a step closer for GisborneHealth Minister Andrew Little was at Gisborne Hospital today to mark the next step of Te Tairāwhiti’s new Te Whare Awhiora mental health facility build. The Health Minister turned a sod to mark the start of groundworks at the site, in preparation for the placement of a mauri stone. “The ...5 days ago
- More rural broadband for regional communitiesNew contracts will improve around 30,000 broadband connections in rural homes and communities Govt on track to see 99.8% of all New Zealanders receive access to improved broadband as a result of various connectivity programmes by the end of 2023, including those targeting rural regions Applications open for one-off ...5 days ago
- Tauranga region to benefit from new funding and financing toolTauranga will be the first region to use a new Government tool to raise funding for much-needed infrastructure. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be used to raise finance from private markets, which is then repaid via the levy on those who benefit from the infrastructure. The finance raised by ...5 days ago
- New committee established to drive better public health outcomesSome of the country’s most difficult health issues will be tackled by a newly established public health advisory committee, whose members have now been appointed. Associate Minister of Health Dr Ayesha Verrall says the new Public Health Advisory Committee will investigate and help address long-term health challenges facing Aotearoa. “We ...5 days ago
- Government and sector back innovative regional and wool projects$2.17 million for new food and fibre ventures in Taranaki $2.24m to develop high-value, sustainable cashmere industry $233,000 to prototype an acoustic, knitted textile product from strong wool for high-end commercial and residential interiors. $530 million co-invested with business through the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund The Government closes ...5 days ago
- Statement on the death of Sir Murray HalbergNew Zealand has lost one our true sporting icons with the passing of Sir Murray Halberg, Grant Robertson, Minister of Sport and Recreation said today. “Sir Murray was an extraordinary athlete. His gold medal in the 5000m at the Rome Olympic Games in 1960 has been immortalised as part of New ...6 days ago
- Ministerial talks in Canberra to progress trans-Tasman relationshipThe importance of cooperation in the Pacific to support the region’s recovery and resilience will be a focus of formal talks in Canberra tomorrow between the Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta and her Australian counterpart Penny Wong. Nanaia Mahuta will meet Senator Wong for the second formal Foreign Ministers’ Consultations following ...6 days ago
- Iwi and Government partnership delivers more rental homes for Pāpāmoa whānauAssociate Minister of Housing (Māori Housing) Peeni Henare attended the official opening of 10 new rental homes built for working whānau of Ngā Pōtiki ā Tamapahore in Pāpāmoa today. “The Bay of Plenty region is one of many regions facing significant housing challenges and this Government is taking action by ...6 days ago
- Government investment to support growth of Māori businesses and jobs in the primary sectorTotal exports by Māori businesses have grown by 38% since 2017 to $872 million, with the majority from the food and fibre sector Launch of Rautaki mo te Taurikura action plan to support the continued growth of Māori food and fibre sector Support for Māori agribusiness innovation and workforce development ...6 days ago
- Government to address child abuse system failingsThe Government is adopting the majority of recommendations from an independent review into the actions of government agencies leading up to the death of 5-year-old Malachi Subecz, Minister for Children Kelvin Davis announced today. Following Malachi’s murder at the hands of his caregiver in 2021, Dame Karen Poutasi was appointed ...6 days ago
- More tools to help Police deal with fleeing driversIncrease the maximum driver licence disqualification period for a second offence of failing to stop or remain stopped, from 12 months to between 12 months and 24 months; Amend the Sentencing Act 2002 so that a vehicle can be forfeited on conviction for failing to stop. Offenders could have their ...6 days ago
- Govt books solid as global situation worsensThe Crown accounts are in a solid position thanks to the Government’s careful financial management through a deteriorating global environment. For the four months to the end of October, the Operating Balance before Gains and Losses (OBEGAL) recorded a deficit of $2.8 billion, $274 million lower than forecast at Budget ...6 days ago
- Expanded Dental Grants Available From Today· Increased Special Needs Grants for dental treatment are available to eligible New Zealanders available from today · New criteria means more Dental Treatment covered · People can now receive more than one grant in a year (any 52-week period), up to the maximum of $1,000 · Recent increases to ...6 days ago
- The best and weirdest Real News of 2022
It’s been a hell of year for a number of reasons, and that’s even before Rita Ora arrived with her tiny cigarettes and her big ideas. In this episode, we look at back at the best bits of real news that have come across our Real Pod news-desk in 2022 ...6 mins ago - Fiji elections: Solution to nation’s problems – ‘vote out FijiFirst’, says Rabuka
By Serafina Silaitoga in Suva The solution to Fiji’s problems is to vote out the FijiFirst government, says People’s Alliance party leader Sitiveni Rabuka. Speaking to about 1000 supporters who welcomed Rabuka with cheers of “480” — his votng candidacy number — at the party rally in Labasa last Saturday, ...11 mins ago - Give Mokopuna Their Childhood Back
Some modest advances in child poverty reduction have been made since the passing of the Child Poverty Reduction Act in 2018, but rangatahi (youth) with lived experience of poverty say it’s time for immediate action. At the launch of ...46 mins ago - ProCare Welcomes Smokefree Environments Bill Passing Its Second ReadingLeading healthcare provider, ProCare, has this morning welcomed the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill passing its second reading in the house last night. The Bill aims to reducing retail availability, amending ...50 mins ago
- Government Finance Statistics (general Government): Year Ended June 2022 Government finance statistics (general government) gives an economic representation of New Zealand's central and local government financial activity. Key facts In the year ended June 2022: general government net operating deficit was $7.0 billion, ...1 hour ago
- Pour one out for all the kai we lost in 2022It’s never easy when your favourite kai disappears from the shelves. Charlotte Muru-Lanning stands to salute all the great food products that went to the big remainder bin in the sky this year. Just as sore backs and increasingly vicious hangovers are an inevitable part of growing older, so too ...2 hours ago
- Luxon says cost of ‘de-merging’ TVNZ-RNZ would be worth itIt’s Wednesday morning and we’re still talking about the disastrous Willie Jackson interview on Sunday’s Q+A. That’s the impact of an interview, good or bad. You can read Duncan Greive writing about the TVNZ-RNZ merger, and Willie Jackson, on The Spinoff today. Meanwhile, National’s leader Christopher Luxon joined RNZ this ...2 hours ago
- Science system reform needed to tackle environmental challenges – Verrall
A reform of the country's science system is needed to tackle the big environmental challenges, says Research, Science and Innovation Minister Ayesha Verrall. ...3 hours ago - MSD Knowingly Spent Misappropriated Money For Three Years“Today in the Social Services Select Committee it was revealed that the Ministry for Social Development has spent $5.907m of misappropriated spending on accommodation assistance in the past five years, what’s worse is that they knew about it for ...3 hours ago
- Confirmed: Zelensky to address New Zealand parliamentUkraine ppresident Volodymyr Zelensky will address New Zealand parliament next Wednesday morning – via video link, of course. He’ll speak to MPs at 8am. He becomes only the second world leader to address our parliament, after Australia’s Julia Gillard back in 2011. Jacinda Ardern, in a statement, reiterated New Zealand’s ...4 hours ago
- The Bulletin: Judge’s decision on guardianship of child expected todayThe Herald’s George Block has a detailed report from yesterday’s court proceedings in the guardianship case involving a baby whose parents have refused the use of vaccinated blood in a life-saving operation the child needs to have. The parent’s lawyer and anti-vaccination campaigner Sue Grey opposed the application for guardianship from ...4 hours ago
- What on earth is going on with the government?A popular TikTok meme and a column featuring a wobbly dessert capture a run of unforced errors and a government “staggering to Christmas”, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday morning, sign up here. Government “staggering to Christmas” ...4 hours ago
- From Gayford to guacamole, here’s everything we Googled in 2022New Zealand, your annual search results have been compiled – and they’re pretty weird. It has, by any imaginable measure, been a strange old year. It started with the threat of lockdowns, and it’s ending with rising Covid case numbers. Along the way, the Queen died, Johnny Depp inexplicably thrived, ...4 hours ago
- How far has nuclear fusion power come? We could be at a turning point for the technologySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Garland, Lecturer in Applied Mathematics and Physics, Griffith University Mega Ampere Spherical Tokamak in Oxfordshire, UK. Courtesy of MAST, CC BY-SA Our society faces the grand challenge of providing sustainable, secure and affordable means of generating energy, while trying to reduce ...4 hours ago
- The government wants to change Australia’s referendum laws. How will this affect the Voice to Parl...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Kildea, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney Lukas Coch/AAP Last week, the Albanese government took another important step towards the referendum on a Voice to Parliament. It introduced a bill to make changes to our referendum ...4 hours ago
- Netflix psychiatrist Phil Stutz says 85% of early therapy gains are down to lifestyle changes. Is he...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrienne O’Neil, Professor & Co-Director Food & Mood Centre, Deakin University Netflix/Stutz Jonah Hill’s Netflix documentary, Stutz, is an insightful journey into the mind of his therapist, renowned psychiatrist Phil Stutz. Hill delves into Stutz’ model of care, creatively using ...4 hours ago
- In 2022, Australia’s governments finally got moving on climate. Here’s howSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Cleary, Sustainable Economies Lead, Climateworks Centre, Monash University Shutterstock We might look back on 2022 as the year when Australian governments finally started taking climate change as seriously as it needs to be. Our new report shows federal, ...4 hours ago
- ‘A life changing experience’: how adult literacy programs can keep First Nations people out of t...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Beetson, Executive Director, The Literacy for Life Foundation; Adjunct Professor, University of New England Photo credit: Adam Sharman, Author provided Despite years of discussion and countless reviews, the incarceration rate of First Nations adults continues to increase in Australia. ...4 hours ago
- The first photograph of the entire globe: 50 years on, Blue Marble still inspiresSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chari Larsson, Senior Lecturer of art history, Griffith University NASA December 7 marks the 50-year anniversary of the Blue Marble photograph. The crew of NASA’s Apollo 17 spacecraft – the last manned mission to the Moon – took a photograph ...4 hours ago
- Silo Theatre to dim lights for most of 2023 to develop new local workSilo Theatre today made the unprecedented move to announce that it would be spending most of 2023 developing three new works, rather than focussing on presenting live, in-person, performances. The theatre company cited the need to survive in a post-pandemic world with smaller audience numbers, rising prices, diminishing government support ...4 hours ago
- The case against saving the St JamesThere are two easy ways to get rich: find one very wealthy sucker or find a million very poor suckers. As a public, it’s our duty to make sure we don’t become the million poor suckers, argues Dan Taipua. A wealth of public buildings, a poverty of millionaire developers In ...5 hours ago
- What is the government’s plan for TVNZ, RNZ and the tech platforms?An interview widely described as a trainwreck was a missed opportunity to explain some vital reforms, writes Duncan Greive. Thomas Coughlan did not hold back. In a surgically deft opinion piece for the NZ Herald, the site’s deputy political editor described media minister Willie Jackson’s appearance on Q+A last Sunday ...5 hours ago
- As Fiji prepares to vote, democracy could already be the loserSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominic O’Sullivan, Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology and Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University Getty Images When Fijians elect a new parliament on December 14, it’s likely their votes will be counted ...5 hours ago
- NZ covid inquiry must look at response to specific communities, Pasifika health leader saysRNZ News A Pasifika health leader hopes the Royal Commission into the Covid-19 pandemic will look into the equity of the response and resource allocation. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday announced a Royal Commission into the government’s covid-19 response which will be chaired by Professor Tony Blakely, an epidemiologist working ...11 hours ago
- ‘Against propaganda, there are facts’ – RSF’s new global campaign videoThe new Reporters Without Borders campaign video about Russian’s invasion propaganda. Video: RSF Pacific Media Watch As Russia’s propaganda and crackdown on journalism continue to wreak havoc, the Paris-based global media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has released its new campaign video. Devised and produced by the Paris-based advertising ...11 hours ago
- Indonesian protesters call for release of West Papua Morning Star detaineesRNZ Pacific Activists have protested at Indonesia’s Ternate Police headquarters in North Maluku demanding that the security forces release eight people arrested while commemorating West Papua Independence Day on December 1. December 1 marked 61 years since the first raising of West Papua’s symbol of independence, the Morning Star flag. ...15 hours ago
- Three Waters blunder 'made as a team, fixed as a team'Senior ministers are refusing to explain how a contentious Three Waters clause on privatisation got through caucus. ...16 hours ago
- Willie Jackson gives partial apology over public media merger interviewThe Broadcasting Minister says his recent interview about the RNZ-TVNZ merger was a mistake, but is downplaying concerns as coming largely from the media. ...17 hours ago
- This latest increase in RBA interest rates might well be the last, for some timeSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock You might not know it from reading Tuesday’s statement announcing Australia’s eighth consecutive increase in interest rates, but our Reserve Bank might finally have done enough. The statement ...18 hours ago
- The ChatGPT chatbot is blowing people away with its writing skills. An expert explains why it’s so...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marcel Scharth, Lecturer in Business Analytics, University of Sydney Shutterstock We’ve all had some kind of interaction with a chatbot. It’s usually a little pop-up in the corner of a website, offering customer support – often clunky to navigate – ...18 hours ago
- Keith Rankin Essay – Predicting the Coming Quarter CenturyAnalysis by Keith Rankin. Keith Rankin, trained as an economic historian, is a retired lecturer in Economics and Statistics. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand. On 29 October 2022, the New Zealand Listener published 10 Billion reasons to be cheerful, an article by Greg Dixon summarising “futurologist” Hamish McRae’s 2022 ...19 hours ago
- Volodymyr Zelensky to address New Zealand Parliament next WednesdayUkraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, will address New Zealand's Parliament next Wednesday at 8am. ...19 hours ago
- Why does New Zealand insist on pitching art against sport?Maybe the arts need more presence in mainstream media, but why does that automatically equate to less coverage of sport? The headline on Stuff had a Groundhog Day-like element to it: “The arts need to get a slice of sport’s blanket media coverage”. It came close to a year after ...19 hours ago
- Taylor Swift’s Ticketmaster debacle is just the tip of the icebergHow has what you read, watch, and listen to been shaped by the economic structures that control creative production? Shanti Mathias reviews Rebecca Giblin and Cory Doctorow’s Chokepoint Capitalism. The chaos of the Taylor Swift Ticketmaster debacle affected millions of very angry fans earlier in November. In brief: Taylor Swift, ...19 hours ago
- Baby at centre of court hearing had previously had a blood transfusionThe High Court in Auckland has learned that a critically sick baby had previously been given a blood transfusion. That’s despite the parents refusing further treatment unless their son is given only blood from unvaccinated people. Health New Zealand wants custody of the child so that they can ensure he ...19 hours ago
- Government falling behind on timeframe for co-governance plans – Willie JacksonThe Māori Development Minister confirms he's "leaning towards" putting the work on co-governance on hold. ...20 hours ago
- The daunting task facing new Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim: uniting a divided countrySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Chin, Professor of Asian Studies, University of Tasmania It’s been some journey for Anwar Ibrahim, the new Malaysian prime minister appointed last month. It took 24 years to go from being the country’s deputy prime minister in 1998 to becoming the ...20 hours ago
- ‘Any means necessary’: the police who adopt the skull symbol of the ultra-violent comic book vig...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martyn Pedler, PhD Candidate, Swinburne University of Technology Shutterstock/ Disney In Travis Linnemann’s book The Horror Of Police, he quotes David Grossman, founder of the “bulletproof warrior” seminar series, notorious for teaching police that killing is “just not that big ...20 hours ago
- We asked ChatGPT to write about ChatGPTDylan Reeve asks the self-described ‘revolutionary new tool for natural language processing’ to explain itself. Dylan: Let’s write an introductory paragraph to an article about using ChatGPT to write about ChatGPT. It should touch on how ChatGPT is now becoming an online meme, explain very briefly what OpenAI is and ...20 hours ago
- Australia and the US are firm friends on defence – now let’s turn that into world-beating climat...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter J. Dean, Director, Foreign Policy and Defence, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney Mick Tsikas/AAP Climate action is firmly on the political agenda in both Australia and the United States, following a recent change in government in both ...20 hours ago
- Empowerment and partnership – both concepts come into the considerations of Ardern’s Treaty-sens...
Buzz from the Beehive “Empowerment” is a bit like “Treaty partnership”. Just a decade or so ago you would rarely have heard of it. Since then, its use has burgeoned and its meaning – like the meaning of the Treaty of Waitangi’s three simple clauses – has evolved ...21 hours ago - Sea urchins have invaded Tasmania and Victoria, but we can’t work out what to do with themSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Neil Andrew, Professor of fisheries and international development, University of Wollongong Urchin barrens David Harasti, Author provided While crown-of-thorns starfish on the Great Barrier Reef have long been ecological villains in the popular imagination, sea urchins have mostly crawled under the national ...22 hours ago
- Domestic violence, isolation hit Pacific women during pandemic, says USP surveyBy Sri Krishnamurthi While some women at the University of the South Pacific’s 14 campuses found working from home enjoyable during the covid-19 pandemic, others felt isolated, had overwhelming mental challenges and some experienced domestic violence, a Pacific survey has found. Titled “University Women Remote Work Challenges”, the survey was ...22 hours ago
- New safeguards to ensure proper treatment of detainees during offshore deployments announcedThe new framework delivers on the fourth and final recommendation accepted after the 2020 Operation Burnham inquiry. ...22 hours ago
- Hamilton West by-election: National, Labour candidates and Guarav Sharma vie for voters' tickHamilton West voters will head to the polls this Saturday for the by-election triggered by former Labour MP Gaurav Sharma's resignation from Parliament in October. ...22 hours ago
- Council Review A Chance To Achieve Better Ratepayer Equity, Feds SaysYet another local government review is underway - but will its recommendations actually be picked up, especially regarding cost fairness? The existing system of property value rates is loaded against agriculture. Farmers pay many more times than other ...23 hours ago
- 1 in 10 Australian women report disrespectful or abusive care in childbirthSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hazel Keedle, Lecturer of Midwifery, Western Sydney University Shutterstock Having a baby can be an empowering experience when women are treated with kindness and respect. However, some women are left feeling traumatised by how they were treated. When women ...23 hours ago
- Willie Jackson sorry for ‘trainwreck’ Q+A interviewIt was called a “trainwreck” by the Herald’s Thomas Coughlan – and now minister Willie Jackson has admitted his defensive, at times near aggressive, interview on TVNZ’s Q+A wasn’t his best work. During a discussion about the government’s planned RNZ-TVNZ merger, Jackson lashed out at host Jack Tame for his ...23 hours ago
- The basics of blood transfusion and vaccinationsThe parents of a sick baby wanting to avoid using ‘vaccinated blood’ are having their case heard today in the High Court. Haematologist Dr Jim Faed and the Immunisation Centre’s Nikki Turner explain the science behind the case. Let’s start at the beginning: what’s a ‘directed blood donation’? Jim Faed: ...23 hours ago
- A commonsense conclusion to the sordid little Southern/Molyneux sagaIn 2018 Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux were sent packing before they could share their wisdom with a paying audience at the Bruce Mason Centre on Auckland’s North Shore. In the name of free speech, was that fair? Yesterday afternoon, New Zealand’s Supreme Court handed down its decision in Moncrief ...23 hours ago
- The long-range thinking that’s driving our EV networkAs the EV transition picks up speed, how will our charging network keep pace with demand? When Elke Chilwell and her family travel outside of Auckland in one of their two electric vehicles – a 2011 Nissan Leaf they bought in 2018 that gets about 80km on a full charge, ...23 hours ago
- The company tackling our pest problem – one rat, possum and hedgehog (!) at a timeHomegrown smart traps are keeping backyards and bush pest free – including those cute spiky things snuffling around on lawns at night. This is an excerpt from our weekly business newsletter Stocktake. A rogue rodent has been terrorising our home. For the past few months, a pesky possum has been leaping ...23 hours ago
- ‘Huge distress’: Post-grad students feel impact of AUT academic staff cutsRNZ Nine To Noon Post-graduate students are petitioning Auckland University of Technology over academic staff cuts — saying it is hugely disruptive and will impact on New Zealand’s research sector. AUT planned to cut 170 academic positions — those affected had until last Thursday to take voluntary redundancy or face a ...23 hours ago
- NZ announces Royal Commission into government’s covid-19 responseRNZ News The New Zealand government has announced a Royal Commission into its covid-19 response. The Commission will be chaired by Australia-based epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely, former Cabinet minister Hekia Parata, and former Treasury Secretary John Whitehead. It will start considering evidence from February 1 next year, concluding in mid-2024. ...23 hours ago
- French judiciary drop forgery, fraud case against Tahiti’s FlosseRNZ Pacific The French judiciary has thrown out an alleged forgery and fraud case against former French Polynesian president Gaston Flosse, relating to a property transaction in Paris. In 2018, Flosse and his son Reginald had been accused of forging management papers for a house which they had jointly owned ...23 hours ago
- Taxpayers’ Union Will Cooperate With Ombudsman And Calls For Applicant Blind RuleNew Zealand’s largest user of the Official Information Act and Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act is backing the Ombudsman’s newly launched investigation into a dozen public agencies and is calling on his Office ...24 hours ago
- Poverty Disproportionally Felt By Māori, Pacific And Disabled Tamariki Is Deeply ConcerningThe 2022 Child Poverty Monitor released today reports concerning findings of Māori, Pacific and disabled tamariki still being disproportionately impacted by poverty in Aotearoa. These findings echo the reality and ongoing inequalities Barnardos sees ...24 hours ago
- It’s not just Twitter. The whole Internet is broken and we’d better fix it soonSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Markus Luczak-Roesch, Associate Professor in Information Systems, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images If the debate about Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter tells us anything, it’s that people – including those in governments – don’t understand ...24 hours ago
- Much Work Still Needed To Lift Kiwi Families Out Of Poverty Bearing Brunt Of Rising Cost Of Living: ...Today's launch of the Child Poverty Monitor 2022 reaffirms that much work is still needed to lift children out of poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand, with Save the Children fearing the current cost of living crisis and rising inflation will add pressure ...1 day ago
- IHC Launches App To Help Young People Manage MoneyStand Tall, a new app to help people with intellectual disabilities learn how to manage money and live independently, is being launched on Thursday 8 December. IHC helped develop the new game app with online gaming company InGame and following ...1 day ago
- Exporters take a double blow as prices fall and currency rises
NZ exports have been hit by falling world prices and a rising NZ dollar. It’s a sharp reversal from earlier in the year when ANZ Bank was reporting its commodity price index had returned to its record breaking run and stood nearly 20% above the level where it had ...1 day ago - What do we know about the Voice to Parliament design, and what do we still need to know?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabrielle Appleby, Professor, UNSW Law School, UNSW Sydney The Australian people will soon be asked to vote in a referendum to constitutionally recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through a First Nations Voice. Unfortunately, the political debate on this question has ...1 day ago
- Newsletter: December 6 2022 – Items of interest and importance todayNew Zealand Politics Daily is a collation of the most prominent issues being discussed in New Zealand. It is edited by Dr Bryce Edwards of The Democracy Project. Items of interest and importance today 1NEWS KANTAR POLL, PARLIAMENT 1News: Poll: National and ACT strengthen, Luxon closes gap on Ardern 1News: Poll: Economic pessimism ...1 day ago
- Local music celebrated in international publicationsIt’s the time of year where media outlets around the world unify in the decision to roll out the end of year best of list. Don’t worry, we’ll have some for you before December 31 too. But today I’ve been catching up on some of the annual lists from major ...1 day ago
- The Bulletin: What’s up with Pharmac’s approach to the Trikafta announcement?The Trikafta announcement on Sunday was undoubtedly brilliant news for those with cystic fibrosis. However, media handling of the announcement by Pharmac is raising questions. Emily Writes, who is the parent of disabled children and has campaigned with the advocacy group Patient Voice Aotearoa, documents what happened. Pharmac has blacklisted MediaWorks ...1 day ago
- University Of Auckland Strike Extended AgainAcademic staff who are members of Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union at Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland will continue their ban on entering and releasing student marks or course marks into any student management system, that ...1 day ago
- A mayoral guide to celebrating and respecting all cultures and religionsWe can learn a lot about respect from Kaipara mayor Craig Jepson, writes Leonie Hayden (Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara). Last week newly-elected mayor of Kaipara, Craig Jepson, interrupted councillor Pera Paniora several times when she tried to open a meeting with karakia and ultimately banned the practice in order to ...1 day ago
- It’s time we talked about paintPaint surrounds us for most of the day, but are you aware of the harmful petro-chemicals that are used to create it? Natural Paint Co are out to change this, offering healthier alternatives to use and live with. Co-founders Grace Glass and James Mount share their journey of taking on ...1 day ago
- Amie Mills on NZ on Air’s confronting Gen Z research and a brave new remitShe’s Tumuaki o ngā Take Pūtea at Irirangi te Motu – the head of funding at NZ on Air – but Amie Mills is also one of the most open and curious minds in our media. She joins The Fold to talk about the challenges manifest in the organisation’s new ...1 day ago
- ‘Crack on’: Senior Labour minister not deterred by TVNZ pollWe’ve all seen the new political poll by now which has revealed a strengthening right bloc at the expense of Labour, with New Zealand First nipping at the heels of a parliamentary return. That being said, it wasn’t exactly the disastrous result some may have predicted after a pretty tough ...1 day ago
- Explaining the Royal Commission of InquiryThe Inquiry into the government’s Covid response is broadly focused and designed to inform future preparedness by examining the past. It leaves the present day “variant soup” environment in something of a no man’s land, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full ...1 day ago
- “It’s Got To Stop”: Greyhound Euthanised After Suffering Broken BackAnimal rights organisation SAFE is renewing calls for the Government to ban greyhound racing after yet another greyhound has lost their life due to horrific injuries sustained on the track. The greyhound, How’s the Luck, suffered a broken back and dislocated ...1 day ago
- Restore Passenger Rail Supporters To Meet With Transport MinisterRestore Passenger Rail supporters will meet with Transport Minister Michael Wood this afternoon, Tuesday 6 December at 4pm, to discuss the climate emergency and Restore Passenger Rail’s request - the restoration of an affordable nationwide passenger ...1 day ago
- Men are slowly losing their Y chromosome, but a new sex gene discovery in spiny rats brings hope for...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Graves, Distinguished Professor of Genetics and Vice Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University X and Y chromosome. Nathan Devery/Shutterstock The sex of human and other mammal babies is decided by a male-determining gene on the Y chromosome. But the human Y chromosome ...1 day ago
- What legacy will Vladimir Putin leave Russia?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Sussex, Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University Mikhail Metzel/AP/AAP “Nobody listened to Russia,” Vladimir Putin intoned in 2018, as he unveiled the poisonous fruit of Russia’s military modernisation project: a nuclear-powered cruise missile; a hypersonic glider; ...1 day ago
Three years after helping to get rid of this upstart African democratic leader, the United States was instrumental in putting away Nelson Mandela for 28 years. The horror of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Chile, Grenada, Panama, Iraq (to name just a selection) were still to come….
Ahaha
Parler is in bed with communists!? The scarlets …
Natural allies..
Communists??
Your cold war kneejerks are kicking in
Alas, my sense of humour is poorly understood by some; woe is me …
But it provokes such telling kneejerks …
I only ever comment here in good faith, it has to be told …
gotta link for that..?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_faith
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19-01-2021/#comment-1775172
There is NO EVIDENCE that the russkis are chumming up with prump's fascist buddies, NONE.
Nope, this is not happening in NZ, it can’t be, surely …
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/uk-and-ireland/123969965/covid19-why-the-keyboard-warriors-can-seem-as-bad-as-soaring-infections
Fuckface von Clownstick is going to have the bigliest bestest most tremendous Presidential Library ever! Nobody's ever seen anything like it. People are telling him, grown big burly men with tears in their eyes are saying it will make America the Greatest it's ever been!
https://www.salon.com/2021/01/18/trump-faces-massive-ridicule-over-reported-plans-for-2-billion-presidential-library_partner/
https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrumpLibrary?src=hashtag_click
A shrine for hard right and hard left alike. Should install a fenced octagon.
Charge pay-per-view and that $2bill will be there in no time.
As a bonus, just check everyone that turns up and in no time they'll have a who's who of the kookosphere.
Good place to store the transcripts of any criminal trials he faces.
No, no, no! Trump meant a Liebrary.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veracity_of_statements_by_Donald_Trump
Let's see, $2billion divided by over 30,000 lies during his term, that works out to about $66 grand each. Bargain!
Stop the Steal is worth US$1 billion on its own, I reckon.
3d tour of the existing presidential twitter library. Chicago installation of the library created by the Daily Show crowd.
There's a bigly, beautiful trump library. The best library, ever. And Mexico paid for it.
https://djtrumplibrary.com/
That is one impressive website!
And here it is!
Great to see up to 2000 seasonal workers flying in this week, with a $22.10 minimum, ready for harvest peak. All with 14 day quarantine.
Looking forward to more shortages pressuring wages.
And 6000 more residents have joined the unemployed since Xmas,
As they will have little to harvest in the SI due to the inclement weather,I would suggest they are to be located in the high unemployment hinterlands of the NI.
Currently Bay of Plenty Kiwifruit will be in high demand (already has been), then there's all the grape nets from Otago to Northland, then there's all kinds of harvests through to Autumn, then there's pruning of all tree crops into winter.
There's no shortage of stuff to do out there.
Yes – a triumph for insincerity. This is the low-wage unskilled economy that the Rogergnomes actually wanted. A brighter future for the parasitic classes, and no future for the workers at all. And with Covid risk thrown in as a mystery bonus! Yippee!
I think we are just about where Roger douglas designed us to be.
workers sleeping in their cars..etc etc…on and on it goes..
nz has well and truly moved from a country famed for its' egalitarian values..(with/from a big L labour party..
and has become a nation of haves and have-nots..
reaching peak-neoliberalism..
with the haves..and their government..the small l labour party..seemingly not giving a flying fuck about this..
hard to see how fings will change..
Roger douglas was effective in his neoliberal revolution..
Because Ken Douglas and others failed to do their duty and resist it like the Australian unions did.
yep..!
What utter tripe & bollocks!
the comfortable labour cognoscenti here..such as yourself…may not be aware of this..
but it is happening out there..
and 3+ decades of the reaganomics he installed has brought us to to this..
what is incorrect about that..?
I see you’re into stupid bumper stickers with your “comfortable labour cognoscenti”. Here’s a quiz for you: two of the words don’t apply to me at all and the third word is debateable. Knock yourself out!
When/where/how did Douglas design workers sleeping in their cars? If he really did design this, intentionally, willingly, and knowingly, you must provide one of those linky-thingies that you’re so good with.
When someone claims the mantle of expertise, as the Rogergnomes did, they license the presumption that the outcome is exactly what they actually intended.
A presumption is just that and it’s a crap one too, in this case. PU has been asked and told to lift his game here, and I don’t know how many times. It seems his time will be up soon. That’s not a presumption, but a prediction with a fairly high probability of being correct.
So someone ran tRumps 1776 Report through a plagiarism-detector. And…..
On the bright side, Australia may be about to lose a Test series at home.
Mark Reason gives his, ah, opinions as to why the Australians deserve to lose.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/123990111/mark-reason-australias-cricket-loses-honour-in-shameful-short-bowling-assault-on-india
Simon Wilde, Sunday Times cricket correspondent, in today's Press opinion piece, 'Aussies must be told to stop', also criticises their long term behaviour.
I enjoyed their defeat by a courageous, battered and superior team- ethically, sportingly, and in morale superior.
Bowled them out and then scored more runs in the fourth innings than any team to win in this 'Gabbatorial' contest.
There are many good articles on this topic but it needs to be repeated on a regular basis, it seems, to act as a constant reminder.
https://theconversation.com/theres-no-such-thing-as-alternative-facts-5-ways-to-spot-misinformation-and-stop-sharing-it-online-152894
I have heard a certain amount of fwitery in recent days from National MP's and their mouth pieces about the governments plan for a covid vaccination rollout. I have read a few letters in the NZ Herald commenting on such. A couple of hours on google would easily educate such people on a few facts.
The likes in England, the US, India, Indonesia, Argentina and Israel are rolling out their vaccination programs amidst lock downs, waves of covid sweeping through their populations and health systems stretched to the limits. NZ meanwhile is over 100 days since our last covid lockdown.
The are presently 8 vaccines approved for use in various countries or authorised for emergency use in various countries, emergency use meaning they are not yet full tested and approved, but show signs promising enough to permit emergency usage.
Pfizer/Biontech and Moderna from the US, AstraZenica the UK, Sputnik from Russia, Bharat Biotech India, Sinovac and Sinopharm and Cansino all from China. The Cansino vaccine is only being used for the Chinese military that I know. Sinopharm has 2 vaccine variants, unsure which one is in use. A 9th candidiate, EpiVacCorona has been approved in Russia but is not used outside the country.
Speculation and doubt exist about the efficacy of several of the vaccines, notably AstraZenica and Sinovac with different test trials yielding different rates of effectiveness. Some questions also exist about a lack of data for the Sputnik, Bharat and Sinopharm vaccines.
Pfizer has recently announced a slow down in delivery of vaccines as it reconfigures it's manufacturing plant(s). Israel, which is leading the world in vaccination rates, is reported to have paid a premium to Pfizer to be at the front of the queue.
Some obvious questions for the likes of National MPs and their community mouth pieces – which vaccines would they like NZ to immediately purchase? What price do they want to pay? What plan do they have to accelerate NZ to the front of the vaccine purshasing queue?
I would be surprised if they had any coherent answer. In fact any answer beyond some general moans, hyperbole and alarmist statements.
Hey Georgecom …
All sound perfectly sensible (sounding) research of the topic … that is; a response to Covid-19 vaccination OK?
But! hang on, in a NZ political! sense you are missing the point.
Which is …
Chippie … along with Ardern and others (not! Robbo incidently) are bald faced liars. The issue is Chippies halo has slipped. He is a liar plain and simple.
"Chris Hipkins is following the pattern of behaviour set by his colleagues. If a sensible suggestion is made by an Opposition party he rejects it out of hand. If an early timetable for vaccinations is mooted Mr Hipkins embarks on an evasive and misleading explanation with all the hallmarks of a dodging of the issue. His halo has slipped at a time when plain speaking is demanded for serious matters of public health.
Footnote: Just saying: As a rare visitor to The Standard, I find the blog very useful for seeing both sides of the issues raised. Kiwiblog gets more of my time but it's hard right nutters sometimes bomb the topics.
Link to the lies.
not sure where you are trying to take the matter Larry, I will simply restate my points as per above.
Which vaccines does the National Party, and it's supporters who mouth the same platitudes, suggest NZ purchase. As things stand we have our names down for Pfizer, Astra Zeneca, Jansen and Novavax. As you will know from doing some basic google searches, Pfizer are in demand all round the world and presently slowing down delivery of promised vaccines, the exact effectiveness of Astra Zeneca is still under review, in fact recently some Aussie scientists have called for a delay in using that vaccine, Jansen and Novavax are still in Phase 3 trials and not yet approved. The only other 'western vaccine' from Moderna has until recently only been used in North America and is just starting to find it's way into Europe.
How much does the National Party think we should pay? Do they want us to pay over the odds to try and get some vaccine now? Do they expect we should do a deal like Israel recently did with Pfizer. They need to come clean on what they would do.
Finally, what is their exact plan to promote NZ to the front of the queue. Making glib statements in the media isn't a plan. They should outline what they would do. In absence of such you have to conclude that they have no idea whatsoever.
and I did think to myself that we have not heard from Shane Reti on the issue? Just Collins that I can remember. Being a health matter he seems the logical person. Reti would probably have a much greater understanding of the present vaccine situation than Collins.
I did muse whether this might be the ongoing case of National MP's letting Collins make dumb comments and dig her own grave, Reti keeping his powder dry for a tilt at the leadership. Just idle speculation.