Yeah, you got the right questions. One could perhaps deem it a commons thing: the state created a ludicrous situation in the colonial era, and in our neocolonial era the view we all hold in common is that democracy is incapable of fixing it.
The proof of that lies in the track record of govts: a century of leftists & rightists working together in collusion to evade the problem is extremely compelling.
It’s totally understandable that everyone still believes in democracy despite the evidence: you just ignore the evidence and everything's fine. Who could ignore such universally-successful magical thinking?
"It’s totally understandable that everyone still believes in democracy despite the evidence: you just ignore the evidence and everything's fine. Who could ignore such universally-successful magical thinking?"
By all means describe a better alternative…..and then convince enough people your proposition will improve things.
Persuasion usually doesn't work, so I leave it to those motivated to give it a go. In respect of Maori figuring there's got to be a better way (than a century of failed democracy), the wisdom of that crowd ought to prevail.
Complaining about the Crown's behaviour hasn't solved the problem, so they ought to apply diy…
Most of them are that busy trying to keep their heads to gather while the hamster wheel spins faster they haven't got time to think.
But on an ancadata front I recently got half a story about a farmer offering easement to a large piece of landlocked moari land but the vogons made it so hard everyone gave up,
That's sensible. Best way to wean simpletons off binary thinking is to make them focus on 3 not 2.
First was a focus on the electorate. "I want you to be focused on the needs of your people, build those relationships across the local government, build those relationships across iwi, build them across the different community groups and the different businesses that are in your electorate, have presence and be very present in your electorate, take time to explain the problems and the reality that we're facing. Most importantly, take the time to explain how we're going to resolve that, how we're going to solve those problems.
Building local community relations grounds your identity in their view of the world, and explaining how to solve problems differentiates the Nat brand from Labour.
Second, he called for a focus on the work of Parliament. "We've got lots of new MPs, and we've talked a lot about it and recent caucus meetings, but make sure you become good Parliamentarians. You know, learn the House, learn Parliament, make diligent contributions."
Finally, he urged the MPs to work together. "We've made immense progress over the last two years on because we've built a high performance team. And as I've said, from day one, politics is not an individual sport, politics is a team sport. We all play positions on our team.
Playing as a team with due diligence also recycles traditional wisdoms. The vital thing is not doing anything clever or new – that would destroy conservative authenticity – but they all already know that anyway. Back to the future again…
Corporate speak from someone who thinks he knows all the answers but who, in reality, doesn’t know much apart from how to make a bob or two.
What he's telling them is what MPs have been doing since God made little apples. Sure, some are better at it than others but anyone who has to be told those things shouldn't be there.
Finally, he urged the MPs to work together. "We've made immense progress over the last two years on because we've built a high performance team. And as I've said, from day one, politics is not an individual sport, politics is a team sport. We all play positions on our team.
He'll probably have them performing ritualisitic type bonding sessions before each caucus.
They've built a high performance team? With a few exceptions, I think they will prove to be a bunch of mediocres whose sole purpose is to look good on the debating chamber benches and wouldn't be capable of a complete original thought between them.
"take time to explain the problems and the reality that we're facing. Most importantly, take the time to explain how we're going to resolve that, how we're going to solve those problems.
" It reads to me that it's like an old sales pitch from a vacuum cleaner salesman – identify (invent) a problem that your product can solve so you can sell the story that you solved it and attach it to the product..so madam has a deep pile carpet that no matter how much you vacuum with a conventional cleaner won't be clean EVER and you NEED to have this thing the size and price of a truck to fix that problem – which didn't exist until he arrived at the front door and told you. Business is not like politics.
"So far it looks like cancelling things and changing names… but is it really what Kiwis were expecting when they voted to get the country, “Back on Track”?"
Well, Nick, yes, I think that is what many of those who voted NACTFirst hoped for; cancelling things and changing names.
I suspect Act will be more than willing to fill that vacuum and no doubt Winston will hop on the bandwagon if it helps get a pet project or 3 across the line.
Don't try too hard, don't rock the boat, because the wide-world is a benign, stable place, demanding nothing of us, except holding the line, sticking to our knitting.
When have this bunch ever repaired anything, the great undoing is this lots legacy, aucklanders are doomed to another 15 years atleast of idling their life away in their cars, now the light rail is dead, and I bet bo 2nd crossing come either.
Mental health is relative to normalcy. Who wants to be a norm?
New Zealand’s first ever Minister of Mental Health, Matt Doocey, will be busy putting together a work programme for his return to Parliament at the end of summer. Labour failed to deliver on their promise of transforming mental health in their six years of power. What will be different about National’s approach and what advice will he be getting?
Firstly, he will need no reminding that mental health will not be moving off the agenda. We are now a knowledge-based economy, and conditions that impact the way we think, feel and interact with others – the essence of our mental health – will continue to touch the lives of all New Zealanders.
Current services, which remain largely unchanged since our asylums were decanted in the 90s, are no longer fit for purpose. These one-size-fits-all institutions were transplanted into the community but have retained their paternalistic and isolated ways. Mental illness now impacts one in five of us every year and half of us over our lifetime, and we need a suite of services and options to meet our needs that are fully integrated into the mainstream of health provision.
Gosh, it's almost as if the prospect of reform looms. How ghastly a thing for a conservative to be forced to contemplate. A sad fate. Yet they do say `cometh the hour, cometh the man'. Judging by the state of that English, they've been saying so for quite a while. Maybe it means his time has come.
Politically, economically, socially, by any measure, we live in a sick society.
Aotearoa grows enough food to feed it's citizens amply. Yet, foodbanks are in greater demand. Working folk need welfare to 'get by'. Ecosystems are collapsing and flora and fauna are disappearing at a great rate.
Mental ill health and the profoundly mentally ill are on the increase.
I'm not pretending to have all the answers, but, again the answer is local. Share your food, your time, your love.
This next sentences are probably a tad irresponsible, as I am gonna pop out for most of the day but here we go anyhow.
The sick society aspect raised it's head for me back in 2007/8. Personal circumstance and growth, the state of the world etc, I was made aware of the Free man on the land concept. Quite possibly closely linked to the current manifestation of the Sovereign Citizens.
When society is so broken; rising inequality and growing poverty, a big disconnect between the work done and the renumeration received (Covid and our essential workers care givers, nurses, home help etc), vs CEOs of companies or bankers and bank profits. Seemingly the only tool is to vote every three years to get a regime of a slightly different hue. Made a mockery when one considers the influence and hold of the trucking lobby, for instance.
There can be a desire to question, if we live in a free society, are we free to leave it? What happens when a flesh and blood human being does not have a birth certificate? . The person is the legal subject or substance of which rights and duties are attributes. But not every human being is a person as was the case in Old England when there were slaves.
I have no desire to convince anyone nor defend the worst of those that claim sovereign citizen status. (Lots that I have seen are putting the cart before the horse and shooting their mouths off. After all Jesus said, go quietly amongst your people.)
At the heart of it, was to be let love be the rule. Where there is love, there is no law. Where there is law, there is no love.
Edit; if you wanna have a looksie yrself try googling Robert-Arthur:Menard Freesoul-on-the-Land
I hope that when you return, you'll be ready to defend your quarter 🙂
I attended a meeting of would-be, wanna-be Sovereign Citizens. I listened to their spiels. I asked some straightforward questions. I nearly got lynched!
There were crackpots aplenty at that meeting. Each of them went on to protest Covid measures, some at Parliament, a couple were arrested.
I didn't espouse anything at all, I just asked a couple of questions. Perhaps I could ask you? One woman described what to do and say when stopped by police; refuse to comply, make the Sovereign Citizen statement, show the certificate of exemption etc. She was adamant the police would wave her through. I asked if she thought the police might have discussed this possibility, given there had already been some instances and might have decided to simply arrest the Sovereign, despite their protestations. This flummoxed her mightily. and she left to her feet etc.
Where do you stand/sit on the issue of exemption from the laws of NZ?
The halfwits up the road from me have a bunch of signs on the gates saying that you are not allowed on the property unless you have a specific invitation. I bet the Police will just walk past it. They are there quite often as the "affordable accommodation" has a bunch of people with "ankle bracelets" so they will be doing bail checks.
I understand what gsays is talking about. Most of their comment was about the social and political conditions that have given rise to the movement.
I have friends who are into that stuff. I don't talk to people locally about it because I value the friendships, and because some of it is irrational. Of course the police are doing to arrest a free man if they have cause. That's just basic power analysis.
The one that gets me is the faith in the position despite the evidence (I think gsays calls this cart before the horse, but it's also a lot of deception on some level).
However, those people aren't wrong about the state of society. Call them nutters, but are they any more fucked up than successive governments that have resisted meaningful climate action? The main differences I see there are around who has power and who knows how to play the mainstream game in wielding that power. There are some who are batshit crazy too, but it's now how I would characterise the movement generally. They're just counter culture instead of NACT MPs.
I believe I know what gsays means also, in the same way I believe I know what the anti-vaxxers mean, what the terfs mean 🙂 but it's the inability of those people holding those views to bat ideas about that don't fit the rigid confines that come with those positions that gets me; get a word wrong and all hell breaks loose 🙂
I'm highly confident that you don't actually know what Gender Critical Feminists mean, based on seeing what you have said on TS.
If you use terms like terf and cooney, I will moderate. Please stop with this, it says clearly in the site Policy that tone or language that has the effect of excluding others is not acceptable. I don't want a semantic argument about this, I've cut you a fair amount of slack on this already, but now the demeaning and dehumanising language has to stop. It's akin to flaming, and as far as I can see its usage is exactly to exclude people.
As I said, I'm not interested in semantic argument.
I've watched you for a number of weeks using language that is either inflammatory or insulting to people that comment here. I'm asking you to stop because I don't want to moderate.
If you don't understand where the boundaries are here, please ask in a straightforward manner using whole sentences.
All I'm seeing is you ignoring moderation Robert. For the third time, I'm not interested in a debate about semantics. If you don't understand the boundaries, please ask as I suggested above.
and to pre-emptively clarify, the word cooney is a US pejorative. Most people won't know that it is also Liz Gunn's previous name. My reading right now is that you were making a play on words, and understood the pejorative well enough. I'm thinking that because in this whole conversation for the past weeks you've just shifted from one pejorative to another. I've explained the problem a number of times, you keep ignoring it.
And this is exactly the problem. Maybe you think it's a lighthearted thing, but a mod is starting to get pissed off at having to waste our time. Again.
Second rule of moderation, don't waste the mods' time. This is why you got banned last time. You took a position of not having to work within moderation of the site.
It's personally horrible for me, because I consider you an online friend.
I've offered you a relatively easy way through this. Ball is in your court.
Robert, I'd suggest that you listen to weka. It isn't what you're arguing that is the issue – it is repeatably using silly slogans without context or argument.
Using words for effect occasionally is one behaviour, using them repeatably is a whole different one and one that the moderators (including me) watch for.
Even a damned tree-fornicator should be able to understand that. 🙂
The story of Master of Paxwax, Mann's second book, centers around the life of Pawl Paxwax. Pawl – and his name is significant – is the second son of the Fifth Family in a galaxy-wide empire ruled by Eleven Great Families. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Paxwax
At $305 billion, the Al Nahyan family—oil tycoons, politicians, and royalty—is the richest family in the world.
The Waltons are the second richest family in the world with a fortune estimated at $259.7 billion thanks to their massive stake in Walmart (and only recently, in 2023, were usurped by the Al Nahyan family for the top spot.)
Gsays: … At the heart of it, was to be let love be the rule. Where there is love, there is no law. Where there is law, there is no love
Robert: ”Where do you stand/sit on the issue of exemption from the laws of NZ?”
Gsays: Yr not gonna like this.. when you operate from love there is no need for law.
Weka: how does that work with rapists?
Gsays: Clearly with rape there is no love. There is law for that.
How I took that originally was you saying that society wouldn’t need laws if everyone related from a place of love.
Not everyone does relate from a place of love. So we need laws. Which means the aphorism “At the heart of it, was to be let love be the rule. Where there is love, there is no law. Where there is law, there is no love” is philosophically sound but has no meaning in real life terms in society.
A rapist is not operating from love. There are laws and consequences to deal with them.
Police have two main roles. Primarily, keeping the peace. Then policy enforcement, hence the name.
Rape contravenes the peace and policy.
A rapist can not legitimately claim freeman on the land status.
Edit.”Where there is love, there is no law. Where there is law, there is no love” is philosophically sound but has no meaning in real life terms in society.”
Correct, and that is why some seek to remove their strawman, their personhood from said society.
I've been consciously aware of living in a sick society since I was a teenager in the 1960s, so this option seems like part of my cultural tradition (alt-Aotearoa):
Praxis of relativism applies though, and living within/without mainstreamers (simultaneously) has long been my pragmatic response option. The oscillating blend of the lifestyle & trajectory forms a triadic function, organic.
Whilst it was 1% of the whole back then it now seems in the region of 20%, which is apparently the critical mass threshold – so I expect an increasingly alternative future.
yes, local, and love. I don't see any other way out of current predicament. I don't think it's possible to have love without law, or that law inherently means no love. We have to have ways of collectively managing society, that's law. And love.
I know a fully hardcore Greenie, organic and permaculture up the wahoo. Great source of knowledge and inspiration. Deals in the essence of flowers and homoeopathy.
I wouldn't follow her to a toilet however. As grounded in her land and horses as she is, let her into the city, she is as prone to a supermarket rottisserie chicken as anyone.
My laboured point is, none of us have it sussed and are true to our convictions. Ignore the extremes of folk, get the common ground and we are unstoppable.
Robert and crew's initiative of the electric bus doing the produce loop in Riverton and environs is precisely the sort of thing that needs to happen.
I don't wanna chip him for his lack of a response to a recent question about contributing to paying ACC levies or Road User Charges because it's a jolly good idea. Money/trade kept local, empowering primary producers and fresh fresh fresh. (This is my cyber equivalent of yr not wanting to talk to friends about it because you value their friendship). Just cause there is a wee wedge, no need to hit it.
My laboured point is, none of us have it sussed and are true to our convictions. Ignore the extremes of folk, get the common ground and we are unstoppable.
Completely agree. One of the reasons why I keep my relationships with people I disagree with going as much as I am able.
Good ol' Aleister put it like this: "Love is the law: love under will". (I'll just have to wear any ticking-off.) Elucidations/interpretations abound all over the web.
"Current services, which remain largely unchanged since our asylums were decanted in the 90s, are no longer fit for purpose. These one-size-fits-all institutions were transplanted into the community but have retained their paternalistic and isolated ways"
What does retain it's paternalism is the total lack of oversight of some of the support and conditions of whaiora who live in support homes and emergency accomodations while landlords who provide these disgusting conditions rake in the cash. Some of these landlords are upstanding citizens and in my mind also responsible for the actual financial and other emotional abuse that can take place there. The community trusts that are supposed to be helping very unwell people are also coining it from both ends. It's not new and it was there under previous national governments as well. National are equally responsible for these top heavy services and the capitalist corporatisation of mental wellness in our communities which happens at the detriment of vulnerable people. They DO NOT have the right to throw stones about this they encourage it. And it needs to be stopped. Btw I work in mental health with whaiora who are the people exploited by these slumlords and fake carers. These people need to be put in the frickin stocks but they'll probably run for council instead.
What do you all make of this? He's rejecting Biden on Palestine.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday vowed to oppose a Palestinian state in any post-war scenario. Netanyahu’s comments underscored the growing rift between the Israeli and U.S. governments. The Biden administration has supported Israel’s offensive in Gaza, which has killed more than 24,000 people, according to Palestinian authorities, but has called on Israel to scale back its attacks and said the establishment of a Palestinian state should be part of the “day after” the war. Netanyahu, who has long opposed the formation of a Palestinian state, rejected any such notion on Thursday.
A shift in thinking at the European Parliament on the topic of ceasefire.
The European Parliament has made a groundbreaking decision to tie a call for a ceasefire in Gaza to the condition of dismantling the terrorist organization Hamas and the immediate, unconditional release of all abductees. The resolution, passed with a resounding majority of 312 supporters against 131 opponents, sets a precedent in the European stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Sounds like the Europeans are saying no ceasefire then, but they would accept unconditional surrender by Hamas in return for ending the ongoing atrocities and collective punishment of every Palestinian.
This sounds like a warning across the bow to Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and the Houthi as much as to Hamas.
This is a Europe facing Russia in Ukraine without much American help this year (and next year maybe), and letting everyone know they will not be heavied, by attacks on their shipping, into supporting a cease-fire and allowing Hamas to continue as they have been.
If the Hamas political wing does not find shelter in the PLO, it looks they are going into exile when the PA (and if they refuse …. ) takes over Gaza.
A Gulf, EU/USA rebuild of Gaza based around Hamas in the PLO, the military wing dismantled and the PA back in Gaza and in control of the gun. Also parliamentary and presidential elections.
From there two options, either a Gaza Palestine nation state (own borders, sea port, airport and economic zone) member of the UN while Israel continues to occupy the WB, or restoration of the peace process with Israel.
What I make of that is what has been clear from the beginning of this slaughter: the U.S. supports it, but is squeamish about it. Sort of the same position it was in when it was Saddam Hussein's armourer and dipolomatic protector.
To bring it back to Aotearoa/NZ politics, here is the latest of what ACT is doing.
The ACT Party has lodged a bill to put an end to trading restrictions on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. If passed, the private member's bill by ACT MP Cameron Luxton would allow retailers to keep their doors open as normal through Easter.
Jonathan Cook is a British freelance journalist formerly based in Nazareth, Israel. Like another outstanding independent, Glenn Greenwald, he used to work for the Grauniad, but he could not put up with that paper's complicity with the British state's campaigns of disinformation and its character assassination of dissenting journalists. This is his latest piece….
Why is the real story of October 7 off-limits to western, but not Israeli, media?
Israeli army 'ethics' chief says crimes committed by soldiers against Israel's own civilians are 'horrifying'. How is this not newsworthy for British journalists?
Jonathan Cook
18 Jan 2024
The Israeli Haaretz newspaper interviewed this week the army's “ethics” chief, Asa Kasher, of Tel Aviv university, about two major incidents on October 7:
1. An Israeli commander ordered a tank to fire into a home in Kibbutz Be'eri knowing that there were 14 Israeli civilians inside, incinerating them.
2. Israeli helicopters fired missiles at dozens of cars with Israeli hostages inside, killing the inhabitants, again often by incinerating them.
In both cases, the official Israeli narrative is that Hamas was responsible for these “barbaric” acts, supposedly justifying the genocide Israel is carrying out – “in response” – against the civilian Palestinian population of Gaza.
Haaretz and Kasher ascribe these “friendly fire” incidents to Israel's classified “Hannibal directive”, which requires soldiers to stop Israelis being taken hostage at all costs. Kasher thinks – probably wrongly – that the directive was misunderstood and misapplied by commanders on the day.
Urging an immediate investigation, Kasher says of the first incident: "How is it possible that a high ranking army official would give a command that so immediately and definitely endangers the life of so many civilians? It's just horrifying."
And of the second incident, he says: "This sounds totally unacceptable from every aspect. Against orders. Against procedure. Against values. Against ethics. And possibly against the law."
Efforts to re-examine the Israeli government's October 7 narrative are all over the Israeli media. Many of the families of the Israelis killed on October 7 are demanding an investigation.
So how is it possible that the BBC and the rest of the western media keep revisiting the horrors of October 7 but never to raise these issues , even though they have been so prominent in the Israeli public space for many weeks?
The only possible answer is that western media outlets are consciously censoring this story because it directly conflicts with the West's ideological and strategic agenda. It raises disturbing questions about western complicity in genocide. ….
It maybe what Blinken et al are afraid of is Israel turning into a real multi player shit fight and having to find space for batcrazy fundamentalist Israeli refugees in the US who would present real problems for the Democrats in particular. It probably can’t afford to have The IDF fail.
" This is why a coalition government under National party hegemony is perhaps the best expression of what New Zealand’s collective identity looks like; it may not be one the centre-left likes but it is the normative expression of our collective myths in power and action."
Oh, yeah? TheLuxon/Peters/Seymour "monster mash" is what we see when we look in the mirror?
Dunno who he is but that citation only seems credible when Labour is in eclipse (like now). If Labour were to return to source to regain credibility his proposition would be tested! Nothing like a bit of pie in the sky thinking to ruffle normalcy, eh?
Seen the results of wonderful work both in the Kaikōura rebuild and the efforts with wlike seals and dolphins everywhere to be seen up the coast and plenty of vantage points on the road – well done to all involved.
But why do visitors bring their dogs and cats to doc camp grounds where there are signs everywhere that dogs and pets are not allowed in the camp grounds at any time ?? When you book there is info of this as well as signage everywhere, how to potentially destroy all the hard efforts my many doc staff and volunteers😤
Have you seen how much it costs to put them in kennels for a fortnight Herodotus ? Its cheaper to cyrogenicly freeze them and chuck them in the fridge while you're gone and thaw the buggers out when you get back.
“The public service has been knee deep in this interpretation so it’s not surprising its advice mirrors this. New Zealanders want a respectful debate on the constitutional future of our country and that’s what they’ve voted for.”
How to counter this sort of BS from Seymour? To say "New Zealanders" want and voted for a parliamentary bill on the principles of Te Tiriti implies a majority, when in fact only 8.7% of those who voted in the 2023 election voted for ACT and their divisive, racist policy.
Merely a shadow-boxing play. They're taking it to first reading, to give ACT their opportunity at due parliamentary process. Nats have signalling this with the tacit flag that they aren’t intending to support it further.
I agree Seymour's framing is naive. At most those who voted to replace the govt are okay with a public debate but I bet any precisely directed science-based sampling of public opinion would discover the proportion of voters interested in any such public debate would be around a quarter max. Too many other concerns…
Just looking at its providence (the would-be Kim Hill bête noir Karl du Fresne) will be enough to alert a discriminating reader that this article will be highly dodgy at best. Five words in it, however, confirm just how dodgy it is: those five words occur at the beginning of the second sentence in the eleventh paragraph.
Right now, the object of du Fresne's contempt is Golriz Gharaman. In the early days of the Key regime, it was Kim Hill he could not stand. Her sin? Making an unsavoury politician a little uncomfortable….
Ani O'Brien continues the same crap for natstalkzb, ignoring the facts that GG fronted up, resigned, and is fully cooperating w police. It's just a hate-fest at this point.
There's a guy on Xitter 💩 who was tweeting nasty things about GG and I asked him to show some christian compassion and kindness.
This of course earned me mockery, scorn, and insults.
(I will be deleting X soon as it's just too toxic. Elon and Matt Walsh are slagging off therapy and suggesting that people should just harden up. Tell that to combat veterans with PTSD. The platform is awash in fakeness and abuse.)
I just glaze over D (ACT) and G (NZF) to get the zitgeist of the where the TF is these days, the corner of the paddock is the safest option – those with the wrong crowd but not as mean as those at the core.
Our JC and MM, an odd couple – in the end a points win to JC, when MM left the GOP and became a libertarian.
It said there was a need for the legislation because the principles of the Treaty were not defined in legislation, and "their importance requires there be certainty anc (sic) clarity about their meaning.
Parliament should be intentional n (sic) the principle's (sic) definition, and how they operate in law and society".
Looks like they might have had a few beers first. I can imagine their glee in composing the thing: `this'll rattle the mental cage of those prats!'
What are the chances Lux will bite? Zilch. Any aspiring aristocrat knows you widen the circle at your peril. Every capitalist knows profit-sharing must be stingy to teach hired help their place in the social hierarchy. Exceptions in Silicon Valley? Yeah, them dudes are naturally progressive. However his stance could wobble if conservatives agree their inner chieftainship ought to be acknowledged so it can then be acted out in real life.
If so, the young guys who kept on calling me chief a few decades back may become precognitive in retrospect (no big deal as they called other guys chief too – it was echoing Maxwell Smart of the 1965 tv comedy Get Smart)…
Dilute identity by appealing to diversity within a group. Divide and conquer. Colonialism, cultural erosion and David Seymour come to mind.
Reduce decision making to the lowest and most flawed host of democracy, local government. Extremely poor turnout consolidates power to the already wealthy.
Easton is writing this to a fundy with a gaggle of other fundies with his party who feel threatened by the very changes which Easton thinks are great. No hope.
New Zealand is a diverse society. For over a century we suppressed this truism by relegating women to the kitchen, Māori to the pa, gays to the closet, and ignoring the role of religion in secular life. We practised majoritarianism by a group – who among other things were straight, Pakeha, Anglican, middle-class, male, rugby followers – which pretended theirs was the only acceptable lifestyle and the country should be run in their interests. Those who did not conform to this majority were ignored, treated as quaint eccentrics, or repressed.
Presumably Brian Easton means well, yet he admits supporting the move to market organisation of society (from 1984) while conceding the results were poor (because of …. excuses).
And wants the government to go further in that direction (as too does Douglas), he calls it the government not being authoritarian, not controlling from the centre (despite it being the area reformed via MMP and accountability via both financial and oversight systems) instead devolving to the more local level (without any reference to funding and capacity issues, competence and lack of media oversight/informed consent processes).
To the extent this has been done already, we have foreign companies providing ECE for profit and Australians profiting from managing ownership of assets from older New Zealanders to foreign organised/centralised/corporate capital).
And he wants to encourage more of this to the government, in education and health etc … . He seems to imagine a society as somehow more coherent and less divided, if managed around NGO's secular and or religious, rather than centralised government supply and delivery. It seems of a nostalgia for a time when there was a more active voluntary community – eroded by the necessity two working partners to afford housing, end of the 40 hour week – fragmentation of shift work (reducing participation) and of late, living cost pressures.
He is encouraging the right to move where it intends to go, without thought to the consequences – just as in 1984.
"… yet he admits supporting the move to market organisation of society (from 1984) while conceding the results were poor (because of …. excuses)."
Although I have never seen him state it, I suspect his reasoning is that NZ as a small trading nation had no choice but to follow the international order as was being constructed by the neolibs at the time….the (….excuses) are a recognition that while we may have had little choice we could have done the transition considerably better and with less damage. (something I have seen him state on numerous occasions)
He calls for more de-evolution of decision making as opposed to centralisation….something many here have also called for in their areas of interest…the funding and oversight are not that difficult to implement if the will is there, and are unnecessary for the purposes of the article.
Subsiditarity is not (necessarily) privatisation and may explain why you attribute a right wing bias that is not apparent.
Not apparent … yeah right. This government is not full of plans to fully fund what is, and its plans for replacing it are not either.
In the past they handed over state housing and expecting the provider to maintain the property and maintain low rents – that is either by its own fund-raising or operating run down property before demolishing.
Jewish activists shutting down Grand Central Station to protest against Israel's genocidal onslaught in Gaza was only the start
Rabbi's daughter Ilana Cruger-Zaken: "We're in the building. Anti-Zionist Jews are here to stay, and there's no way that Zionists can hold a meeting now without hearing us."
A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 21, 2024 thru Sat, April 27, 2024. Story of the week Anthropogenic climate change may be the ultimate shaggy dog story— but with a twist, because here ...
Hi,I spent about a year on Webworm reporting on an abusive megachurch called Arise, and it made me want to stab my eyes out with a fork.I don’t regret that reporting in 2022 and 2023 — I am proud of it — but it made me angry.Over three main stories ...
The new Victoria University Vice-Chancellor decided to have a forum at the university about free speech and academic freedom as it is obviously a topical issue, and the Government is looking at legislating some carrots or sticks for universities to uphold their obligations under the Education and Training Act. They ...
Do you remember when Melania Trump got caught out using a speech that sounded awfully like one Michelle Obama had given? Uncannily so.Well it turns out that Abraham Lincoln is to Winston Peters as Michelle was to Melania. With the ANZAC speech Uncle Winston gave at Gallipoli having much in ...
She was born 25 years ago today in North Shore hospital. Her eyes were closed tightly shut, her mouth was silently moving. The whole theatre was all quiet intensity as they marked her a 2 on the APGAR test. A one-minute eternity later, she was an 8. The universe was ...
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 in collaboration with members from our Skeptical Science team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is Antarctica gaining land ice? ...
Images of US students (and others) protesting and setting up tent cities on US university campuses have been broadcast world wide and clearly demonstrate the growing rifts in US society caused by US policy toward Israel and Israel’s prosecution of … Continue reading → ...
Barrie Saunders writes – Dear Paul As the new Minister of Media and Communications, you will be inundated with heaps of free advice and special pleading, all in the national interest of course. For what it’s worth here is my assessment: Traditional broadcasting free to air content through ...
Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government is trying to achieve and its arguments for such a bold reform. ...
Peter Dunne writes – The great nineteenth British Prime Minister, William Gladstone, once observed that “the first essential for a Prime Minister is to be a good butcher.” When a later British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, sacked a third of his Cabinet in July 1962, in what became ...
Ele Ludemann writes – New Zealanders had the OECD’s second highest tax increase last year: New Zealanders faced the second-biggest tax raises in the developed world last year, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says. The intergovernmental agency said the average change in personal income tax ...
We all know something’s not right with our elections. The spread of misinformation, people being targeted with soundbites and emotional triggers that ignore the facts, even the truth, and influence their votes.The use of technology to produce deep fakes. How can you tell if something is real or not? Can ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Simon Clark. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). This year you will be lied to! Simon Clark helps prebunk some misleading statements you'll hear about climate. The video includes ...
It is all very well cutting the backrooms of public agencies but it may compromise the frontlines. One of the frustrations of the Productivity Commission’s 2017 review of universities is that while it observed that their non-academic staff were increasing faster than their academic staff, it did not bother to ...
Buzz from the Beehive Two speeches delivered by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters at Anzac Day ceremonies in Turkey are the only new posts on the government’s official website since the PM announced his Cabinet shake-up. In one of the speeches, Peters stated the obvious: we live in a troubled ...
1. Which of these would you not expect to read in The Waikato Invader?a. Luxon is here to do business, don’t you worry about thatb. Mr KPI expects results, and you better believe itc. This decisive man of action is getting me all hot and excitedd. Melissa Lee is how ...
…it has a restricted jurisdiction which must not be abused: it is not an inquisitionNOTE – this article was published before the High Court ruled that Karen Chhour does not have to appear before the Waitangi Tribunal Gary Judd writes – The High Court ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – One of reasons Oranga Tamariki exists is to prevent child neglect. But could the organisation itself be guilty of the same?Oranga Tamariki’s statistics show a decrease in the number and age of children in care. “There are less children ...
David Farrar writes: Graeme Edgeler wrote in 2017: In the first five years after three strikes came into effect 5248 offenders received a ‘first strike’ (that is, a “stage-1 conviction” under the three strikes sentencing regime), and 68 offenders received a ‘second strike’. In the five years prior to ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in politics. That’s refreshing and will be extremely ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the two days to 6:06am on Thursday, April 25:Politics: PM Christopher Luxon has set up a dual standard for ministerial competence by demoting two National Cabinet ministers while leaving also-struggling ...
Hi,Today I mainly want to share some of your thoughts about the recent piece I wrote about success and failure, and the forces that seemingly guide our lives. But first, a quick bit of housekeeping: I am doing a Webworm popup in Los Angeles on Saturday May 11 at 2pm. ...
It is hard to see what Melissa Lee might have done to “save” the media. National went into the election with no public media policy and appears not to have developed one subsequently. Lee claimed that she had prepared a policy paper before the election but it had been decided ...
Open access notablesIce acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades, Løkkegaard et al., Communications Earth & Environment:In the past two decades, mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated, partly due to the speedup of glaciers. However, uncertainty in speed derived from satellite products ...
Buzz from the Beehive A statement from Children’s Minister Karen Chhour – yet to be posted on the Government’s official website – arrived in Point of Order’s email in-tray last night. It welcomes the High Court ruling on whether the Waitangi Tribunal can demand she appear before it. It does ...
Mr Bombastic:Ironically, the media the academic experts wanted is, in many ways, the media they got. In place of the tyrannical editors of yesteryear, advancing without fear or favour the interests of the ruling class; the New Zealand news media of today boasts a troop of enlightened journalists dedicated to ...
It's hard times try to make a livingYou wake up every morning in the unforgivingOut there somewhere in the cityThere's people living lives without mercy or pityI feel good, yeah I'm feeling fineI feel better then I have for the longest timeI think these pills have been good for meI ...
In 1974, the US Supreme Court issued its decision in United States v. Nixon, finding that the President was not a King, but was subject to the law and was required to turn over the evidence of his wrongdoing to the courts. It was a landmark decision for the rule ...
Every day now just seems to bring in more fresh meat for the grinder.In their relentlessly ideological drive to cut back on the “excessive bloat” (as they see it) of the previous Labour-led government, on the mountains of evidence accumulated in such a short period of time do not ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Megan Valére SosouMarket gardening site of the Itchèléré de Itagui agricultural cooperative in Dassa-Zoumè (Image credit: Megan Valère Sossou) For the residents of Dassa-Zoumè, a city in the West African country of Benin, choosing between drinking water and having enough ...
Buzz from the Beehive Melissa Lee – as may be discerned from the screenshot above – has not been demoted for doing something seriously wrong as Minister of ...
Morning in London Mother hugs beloved daughter outside the converted shoe factory in which she is living.Afternoon in London Travelling writer takes himself and his wrist down to A&E, just to be sure. Read more ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – The recent announcement of the University Advisory Group, chaired by Sir Peter Gluckman, makes very clear where the Government’s focus and priorities lie. The remit of the Advisory Group is that Group members will consider challenges and opportunities for improvement in the university sector including: ...
Eric Crampton writes – The Reserve Bank of New Zealand desperately wants to find reasons to have workstreams in climate change. It makes little sense. They’ve run another stress test on the banks looking to see if they could find a prudential regulation case. They couldn’t. They ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Pundits from the left and the right are arguing that National’s Fast Track Bill that is designed to speed up infrastructure decisions could end up becoming mired in a cesspool of corruption. Political commentator ...
Looking at the headlines this morning it’s hard to feel anything other than pessimistic about the future of humanity.Note that I’m not speaking about the future of mankind, but the survival of our humanity. The values that we believe in seem to be ebbing away, by the day.Perhaps every generation ...
Swabbing mixed breed baby chicks to test for avian influenzaUh oh. Bird flu – often deadly to humans – is not only being transmitted from infected birds to dairy cows, but is now travelling between dairy cows. As of last Friday, Bloomberg News reports, there were 32 American dairy herds ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
What is it with the mining industry? Its not enough for them to pillage the earth - they apparently can't even be bothered getting resource consent to do so: The proponent behind a major mine near the Clutha River had already been undertaking activity in the area without a ...
Photo # 1 I am a huge fan of Singapore’s approach to housing, as described here two years ago by copying and pasting from The ConversationWhat Singapore has that Australia does not is a public housing developer, the Housing Development Board, which puts new dwellings on public and reclaimed land, ...
Buzz from the Beehive Reactions to news of the government’s readiness to make urgent changes to “the resource management system” through a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) suggest a balanced approach is being taken. The Taxpayers’ Union says the proposed changes don’t go far enough. Greenpeace says ...
I’m starting to wonder if Anna Burns-Francis might be the best political interviewer we’ve got. That might sound unlikely to you, it came as a bit of a surprise to me.Jack Tame can be excellent, but has some pretty average days. I like Rebecca Wright on Newshub, she asks good ...
Chris Trotter writes – Willie Jackson is said to be planning a “media summit” to discuss “the state of the media and how to protect Fourth Estate Journalism”. Not only does the Editor of The Daily Blog, Martyn Bradbury, think this is a good idea, but he has also ...
Graeme Edgeler writes – This morning [April 21], the Wellington High Court is hearing a judicial review brought by Hon. Karen Chhour, the Minister for Children, against a decision of the Waitangi Tribunal. This is unusual, judicial reviews are much more likely to brought against ministers, rather than ...
Both of Parliament’s watchdogs have now ripped into the Government’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMy pick of the six newsey things to know from Aotearoa’s political economy and beyond on the morning of Tuesday, April 23 are:The Lead: The Auditor General,John Ryan, has joined the ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Sarah SpengemanPeople wait to board an electric bus in Pune, India. (Image credit: courtesy of ITDP) Public transportation riders in Pune, India, love the city’s new electric buses so much they will actually skip an older diesel bus that ...
The infrastructure industry yesterday issued a “hurry up” message to the Government, telling it to get cracking on developing a pipeline of infrastructure projects.The hiatus around the change of Government has seen some major projects cancelled and others delayed, and there is uncertainty about what will happen with the new ...
Hi,Over the weekend I revisited a podcast I really adore, Dead Eyes. It’s about a guy who got fired from Band of Brothers over two decades ago because Tom Hanks said he had “dead eyes”.If you don’t recall — 2001’s Band of Brothers was part of the emerging trend of ...
Buzz from the Beehive The 180 or so recipients of letters from the Government telling them how to submit infrastructure projects for “fast track” consideration includes some whose project applications previously have been rejected by the courts. News media were quick to feature these in their reports after RMA Reform Minister Chris ...
It would not be a desirable way to start your holiday by breaking your back, your head, or your wrist, but on our first hour in Singapore I gave it a try.We were chatting, last week, before we started a meeting of Hazel’s Enviro Trust, about the things that can ...
Calling all journalists, academics, planners, lawyers, political activists, environmentalists, and other members of the public who believe that the relationships between vested interests and politicians need to be scrutinised. We need to work together to make sure that the new Fast-Track Approvals Bill – currently being pushed through by the ...
Feel worried. Shane Jones and a couple of his Cabinet colleagues are about to be granted the power to override any and all objections to projects like dams, mines, roads etc even if: said projects will harm biodiversity, increase global warming and cause other environmental harms, and even if ...
Bryce Edwards writes- The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. ...
Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
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https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/507023/flaws-in-crown-s-land-legislation-caused-taihape-landlocking-waitangi-tribunal
The long road to righting wrongs continues
The Crown…"prioritised European land owners' interests to the disadvantage of Māori land owners"
Was that a "Crown thing, a pākehā thing, a coloniser thing or a farmer thing, I wonder?
To whom do we sheet that kind of behaviour?
Yeah, you got the right questions. One could perhaps deem it a commons thing: the state created a ludicrous situation in the colonial era, and in our neocolonial era the view we all hold in common is that democracy is incapable of fixing it.
The proof of that lies in the track record of govts: a century of leftists & rightists working together in collusion to evade the problem is extremely compelling.
It’s totally understandable that everyone still believes in democracy despite the evidence: you just ignore the evidence and everything's fine. Who could ignore such universally-successful magical thinking?
I'll bite
"It’s totally understandable that everyone still believes in democracy despite the evidence: you just ignore the evidence and everything's fine. Who could ignore such universally-successful magical thinking?"
By all means describe a better alternative…..and then convince enough people your proposition will improve things.
Persuasion usually doesn't work, so I leave it to those motivated to give it a go. In respect of Maori figuring there's got to be a better way (than a century of failed democracy), the wisdom of that crowd ought to prevail.
Complaining about the Crown's behaviour hasn't solved the problem, so they ought to apply diy…
All four surely, maybe five, add in tory sheep shaggers.
“infamy, infamy–they’ve all got it in for me”
–Carry on Cleo 1964
It is usually one step up and two steps back for Māori interests in this country.
Crown, colonialism, and farmer where one in the same back then I believe.
Indeed. And now..?
Most of them are that busy trying to keep their heads to gather while the hamster wheel spins faster they haven't got time to think.
But on an ancadata front I recently got half a story about a farmer offering easement to a large piece of landlocked moari land but the vogons made it so hard everyone gave up,
Luxon's triad:
That's sensible. Best way to wean simpletons off binary thinking is to make them focus on 3 not 2.
Building local community relations grounds your identity in their view of the world, and explaining how to solve problems differentiates the Nat brand from Labour.
Playing as a team with due diligence also recycles traditional wisdoms. The vital thing is not doing anything clever or new – that would destroy conservative authenticity – but they all already know that anyway. Back to the future again…
Corporate speak from someone who thinks he knows all the answers but who, in reality, doesn’t know much apart from how to make a bob or two.
What he's telling them is what MPs have been doing since God made little apples. Sure, some are better at it than others but anyone who has to be told those things shouldn't be there.
He'll probably have them performing ritualisitic type bonding sessions before each caucus.
They've built a high performance team? With a few exceptions, I think they will prove to be a bunch of mediocres whose sole purpose is to look good on the debating chamber benches and wouldn't be capable of a complete original thought between them.
Being present in the electorate and learning parliament seem to competing priorities. One of the two, or both, will be diluted. Who knew?
This is the interesting bit
"take time to explain the problems and the reality that we're facing. Most importantly, take the time to explain how we're going to resolve that, how we're going to solve those problems.
" It reads to me that it's like an old sales pitch from a vacuum cleaner salesman – identify (invent) a problem that your product can solve so you can sell the story that you solved it and attach it to the product..so madam has a deep pile carpet that no matter how much you vacuum with a conventional cleaner won't be clean EVER and you NEED to have this thing the size and price of a truck to fix that problem – which didn't exist until he arrived at the front door and told you. Business is not like politics.
What will this Government be known for, asks Nick Rockel;
https://nickrockel.substack.com/p/delivering-the-deliverables
"So far it looks like cancelling things and changing names… but is it really what Kiwis were expecting when they voted to get the country, “Back on Track”?"
Well, Nick, yes, I think that is what many of those who voted NACTFirst hoped for; cancelling things and changing names.
I agree with you Robert.
National didn't promise to do anything positive or new. It was simply "we will cancel, repeal or stop stuff".
I am not entirely sure what the hell they will do once the 100 days are up and they have completed their 'stop stuff' campaign.
They'll then look to dismantle anything that works so they'll have a fresh set of problems they can say they're going to fix.
I suspect Act will be more than willing to fill that vacuum and no doubt Winston will hop on the bandwagon if it helps get a pet project or 3 across the line.
James Simpson – I think the media are closely watching that very large and cavernous space.
Maybe a term of just stabilising the country, repairing what needs repairing, and otherwise not trying too hard is what we need.
Don't try too hard, don't rock the boat, because the wide-world is a benign, stable place, demanding nothing of us, except holding the line, sticking to our knitting.
Baaaaa!
Indeed, while the world burns
When have this bunch ever repaired anything, the great undoing is this lots legacy, aucklanders are doomed to another 15 years atleast of idling their life away in their cars, now the light rail is dead, and I bet bo 2nd crossing come either.
Mental health is relative to normalcy. Who wants to be a norm?
Gosh, it's almost as if the prospect of reform looms. How ghastly a thing for a conservative to be forced to contemplate. A sad fate. Yet they do say `cometh the hour, cometh the man'. Judging by the state of that English, they've been saying so for quite a while. Maybe it means his time has come.
https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/01/19/some-mental-health-advice-for-minister-doocey/
Not meant to be a diversion from what you are highlighting, but…
I am reminded of the observation of Jiddu Krishnamurti ; “It is no measure of health to be well–adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”
https://kfoundation.org/it-is-no-measure-of-health-to-be-well-adjusted-to-a-profoundly-sick-society/
Politically, economically, socially, by any measure, we live in a sick society.
Aotearoa grows enough food to feed it's citizens amply. Yet, foodbanks are in greater demand. Working folk need welfare to 'get by'. Ecosystems are collapsing and flora and fauna are disappearing at a great rate.
Mental ill health and the profoundly mentally ill are on the increase.
I'm not pretending to have all the answers, but, again the answer is local. Share your food, your time, your love.
This next sentences are probably a tad irresponsible, as I am gonna pop out for most of the day but here we go anyhow.
The sick society aspect raised it's head for me back in 2007/8. Personal circumstance and growth, the state of the world etc, I was made aware of the Free man on the land concept. Quite possibly closely linked to the current manifestation of the Sovereign Citizens.
When society is so broken; rising inequality and growing poverty, a big disconnect between the work done and the renumeration received (Covid and our essential workers care givers, nurses, home help etc), vs CEOs of companies or bankers and bank profits. Seemingly the only tool is to vote every three years to get a regime of a slightly different hue. Made a mockery when one considers the influence and hold of the trucking lobby, for instance.
There can be a desire to question, if we live in a free society, are we free to leave it? What happens when a flesh and blood human being does not have a birth certificate? . The person is the legal subject or substance of which rights and duties are attributes. But not every human being is a person as was the case in Old England when there were slaves.
I have no desire to convince anyone nor defend the worst of those that claim sovereign citizen status. (Lots that I have seen are putting the cart before the horse and shooting their mouths off. After all Jesus said, go quietly amongst your people.)
At the heart of it, was to be let love be the rule. Where there is love, there is no law. Where there is law, there is no love.
Edit; if you wanna have a looksie yrself try googling Robert-Arthur:Menard Freesoul-on-the-Land
Geewhizz, gsays, that's a big reveal!!
I hope that when you return, you'll be ready to defend your quarter 🙂
I attended a meeting of would-be, wanna-be Sovereign Citizens. I listened to their spiels. I asked some straightforward questions. I nearly got lynched!
There were crackpots aplenty at that meeting. Each of them went on to protest Covid measures, some at Parliament, a couple were arrested.
Can we know a person by the company they keep 🙂
I wasn't invited back.
Heh, I imagine akin to turning up to a Biodynamic growers meeting espousing the benefits of potassium, nitrates and phosphorous.
If yr opinion is that the last Labour government wasn't so bad, this isn't for you.
I didn't espouse anything at all, I just asked a couple of questions. Perhaps I could ask you? One woman described what to do and say when stopped by police; refuse to comply, make the Sovereign Citizen statement, show the certificate of exemption etc. She was adamant the police would wave her through. I asked if she thought the police might have discussed this possibility, given there had already been some instances and might have decided to simply arrest the Sovereign, despite their protestations. This flummoxed her mightily. and she left to her feet etc.
Where do you stand/sit on the issue of exemption from the laws of NZ?
The halfwits up the road from me have a bunch of signs on the gates saying that you are not allowed on the property unless you have a specific invitation. I bet the Police will just walk past it. They are there quite often as the "affordable accommodation" has a bunch of people with "ankle bracelets" so they will be doing bail checks.
I understand what gsays is talking about. Most of their comment was about the social and political conditions that have given rise to the movement.
I have friends who are into that stuff. I don't talk to people locally about it because I value the friendships, and because some of it is irrational. Of course the police are doing to arrest a free man if they have cause. That's just basic power analysis.
The one that gets me is the faith in the position despite the evidence (I think gsays calls this cart before the horse, but it's also a lot of deception on some level).
However, those people aren't wrong about the state of society. Call them nutters, but are they any more fucked up than successive governments that have resisted meaningful climate action? The main differences I see there are around who has power and who knows how to play the mainstream game in wielding that power. There are some who are batshit crazy too, but it's now how I would characterise the movement generally. They're just counter culture instead of NACT MPs.
Sure you mean't not how…
I believe I know what gsays means also, in the same way I believe I know what the anti-vaxxers mean, what the terfs mean 🙂 but it's the inability of those people holding those views to bat ideas about that don't fit the rigid confines that come with those positions that gets me; get a word wrong and all hell breaks loose 🙂
The Soverigns though – Cooneys all 🙂
I'm highly confident that you don't actually know what Gender Critical Feminists mean, based on seeing what you have said on TS.
If you use terms like terf and cooney, I will moderate. Please stop with this, it says clearly in the site Policy that tone or language that has the effect of excluding others is not acceptable. I don't want a semantic argument about this, I've cut you a fair amount of slack on this already, but now the demeaning and dehumanising language has to stop. It's akin to flaming, and as far as I can see its usage is exactly to exclude people.
Sovereigns too?
Actiods?
Nats?
Happy-clappers?
It's a tangled web we weave!
Bro, from where I sit it's less the words it's the attitude behind them.
As I said, I'm not interested in semantic argument.
I've watched you for a number of weeks using language that is either inflammatory or insulting to people that comment here. I'm asking you to stop because I don't want to moderate.
If you don't understand where the boundaries are here, please ask in a straightforward manner using whole sentences.
Footnote:
You seemed to think "Gunnites" might be okay.
Liz Gunn's real last name is Cooney.
All I'm seeing is you ignoring moderation Robert. For the third time, I'm not interested in a debate about semantics. If you don't understand the boundaries, please ask as I suggested above.
and to pre-emptively clarify, the word cooney is a US pejorative. Most people won't know that it is also Liz Gunn's previous name. My reading right now is that you were making a play on words, and understood the pejorative well enough. I'm thinking that because in this whole conversation for the past weeks you've just shifted from one pejorative to another. I've explained the problem a number of times, you keep ignoring it.
And this is exactly the problem. Maybe you think it's a lighthearted thing, but a mod is starting to get pissed off at having to waste our time. Again.
Second rule of moderation, don't waste the mods' time. This is why you got banned last time. You took a position of not having to work within moderation of the site.
It's personally horrible for me, because I consider you an online friend.
I've offered you a relatively easy way through this. Ball is in your court.
Robert, I'd suggest that you listen to weka. It isn't what you're arguing that is the issue – it is repeatably using silly slogans without context or argument.
Using words for effect occasionally is one behaviour, using them repeatably is a whole different one and one that the moderators (including me) watch for.
Even a damned tree-fornicator should be able to understand that. 🙂
" My reading right now is that you were making a play on words, and understood the pejorative well enough."
I wasn't, I didn't. No matter, I understand the situation, thanks.
👍
”Where do you stand/sit on the issue of exemption from the laws of NZ?”
Yr not gonna like this.. when you operate from love there is no need for law.
how does that work with rapists?
Or the rich?
@RBReich
Combined wealth of 5 richest billionaires…
In 2020: $405 billion
Today: $869 billion
They got $14 million richer…every single hour.
Meanwhile, 60% of the global population has become poorer since 2020.
Inequality is eating the world alive.
https://twitter.com/RBReich/status/1747748142336933962
NZ GDP (2022): $248 billion.
https://tradingeconomics.com/new-zealand/gdp
It's a ‘funny’ old world.
Clearly with rape there is no love.
There is law for that.
can you explain that a bit more please? I'm obviously not understanding the adages here
Hypotheticals are wonderful.,,
I am not 100% sure what yr question is.
Parrotdog may or may not have something to do with that.
How I took that originally was you saying that society wouldn’t need laws if everyone related from a place of love.
Not everyone does relate from a place of love. So we need laws. Which means the aphorism “At the heart of it, was to be let love be the rule. Where there is love, there is no law. Where there is law, there is no love” is philosophically sound but has no meaning in real life terms in society.
What am I missing?
Not missing anything as such.
A rapist is not operating from love. There are laws and consequences to deal with them.
Police have two main roles. Primarily, keeping the peace. Then policy enforcement, hence the name.
Rape contravenes the peace and policy.
A rapist can not legitimately claim freeman on the land status.
Edit.”Where there is love, there is no law. Where there is law, there is no love” is philosophically sound but has no meaning in real life terms in society.”
Correct, and that is why some seek to remove their strawman, their personhood from said society.
I've been consciously aware of living in a sick society since I was a teenager in the 1960s, so this option seems like part of my cultural tradition (alt-Aotearoa):
https://www.scribd.com/document/223339093/Robert-Arthur-Menard-The-World-Freeman-Society-Introduction
Praxis of relativism applies though, and living within/without mainstreamers (simultaneously) has long been my pragmatic response option. The oscillating blend of the lifestyle & trajectory forms a triadic function, organic.
Whilst it was 1% of the whole back then it now seems in the region of 20%, which is apparently the critical mass threshold – so I expect an increasingly alternative future.
Cheers Dennis, TBH I've had to let yr comment percolate bit.
I reckon the 20% may be a tad high, but the commitment and enthusiasm is definitely there.
Organisation is what is needed.
yes, local, and love. I don't see any other way out of current predicament. I don't think it's possible to have love without law, or that law inherently means no love. We have to have ways of collectively managing society, that's law. And love.
Chur weka, appreciate yr elucidation above.
I know a fully hardcore Greenie, organic and permaculture up the wahoo. Great source of knowledge and inspiration. Deals in the essence of flowers and homoeopathy.
I wouldn't follow her to a toilet however. As grounded in her land and horses as she is, let her into the city, she is as prone to a supermarket rottisserie chicken as anyone.
My laboured point is, none of us have it sussed and are true to our convictions. Ignore the extremes of folk, get the common ground and we are unstoppable.
Robert and crew's initiative of the electric bus doing the produce loop in Riverton and environs is precisely the sort of thing that needs to happen.
I don't wanna chip him for his lack of a response to a recent question about contributing to paying ACC levies or Road User Charges because it's a jolly good idea. Money/trade kept local, empowering primary producers and fresh fresh fresh. (This is my cyber equivalent of yr not wanting to talk to friends about it because you value their friendship). Just cause there is a wee wedge, no need to hit it.
Completely agree. One of the reasons why I keep my relationships with people I disagree with going as much as I am able.
Good ol' Aleister put it like this: "Love is the law: love under will". (I'll just have to wear any ticking-off.) Elucidations/interpretations abound all over the web.
are the free man/sovereign movements referencing Crowley? Because that would put a new and important spin on things.
I've never heard Crowley come up in these circles. It has been a while since I investigated it though.
"Current services, which remain largely unchanged since our asylums were decanted in the 90s, are no longer fit for purpose. These one-size-fits-all institutions were transplanted into the community but have retained their paternalistic and isolated ways"
What does retain it's paternalism is the total lack of oversight of some of the support and conditions of whaiora who live in support homes and emergency accomodations while landlords who provide these disgusting conditions rake in the cash. Some of these landlords are upstanding citizens and in my mind also responsible for the actual financial and other emotional abuse that can take place there. The community trusts that are supposed to be helping very unwell people are also coining it from both ends. It's not new and it was there under previous national governments as well. National are equally responsible for these top heavy services and the capitalist corporatisation of mental wellness in our communities which happens at the detriment of vulnerable people. They DO NOT have the right to throw stones about this they encourage it. And it needs to be stopped. Btw I work in mental health with whaiora who are the people exploited by these slumlords and fake carers. These people need to be put in the frickin stocks but they'll probably run for council instead.
What do you all make of this? He's rejecting Biden on Palestine.
https://www.salon.com/2024/01/18/from-the-river-to-the-sea-netanyahu-says-he-told-biden-he-opposes-any-palestinian-state-after/
A shift in thinking at the European Parliament on the topic of ceasefire.
https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/europe/1705607509-european-parliament-conditions-ceasefire-on-hamas-dismantling-and-abductees-release
Whatever works, I hope they find a route out of this hell somewhere.
Sounds like the Europeans are saying no ceasefire then, but they would accept unconditional surrender by Hamas in return for ending the ongoing atrocities and collective punishment of every Palestinian.
This sounds like a warning across the bow to Russia, Iran, Hezbollah and the Houthi as much as to Hamas.
This is a Europe facing Russia in Ukraine without much American help this year (and next year maybe), and letting everyone know they will not be heavied, by attacks on their shipping, into supporting a cease-fire and allowing Hamas to continue as they have been.
If the Hamas political wing does not find shelter in the PLO, it looks they are going into exile when the PA (and if they refuse …. ) takes over Gaza.
Blinken has enabled untagged weapons delivery to Israel and hence lost all leverage – and doesn't seem to be worried by the loss.
Fully consistent with stronger US withdrawal out of anything from Afghanistan to Iraq to Syria, other than naval hits and the UAE bases.
This is what dissolving US hegemony feels like in real time.
Biden needs a PA he can work with.
A Gulf, EU/USA rebuild of Gaza based around Hamas in the PLO, the military wing dismantled and the PA back in Gaza and in control of the gun. Also parliamentary and presidential elections.
From there two options, either a Gaza Palestine nation state (own borders, sea port, airport and economic zone) member of the UN while Israel continues to occupy the WB, or restoration of the peace process with Israel.
has called on Israel to scale back its attacks…
What I make of that is what has been clear from the beginning of this slaughter: the U.S. supports it, but is squeamish about it. Sort of the same position it was in when it was Saddam Hussein's armourer and dipolomatic protector.
To bring it back to Aotearoa/NZ politics, here is the latest of what ACT is doing.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/01/act-lodges-bill-to-ditch-antiquated-easter-trading-restrictions.html
They've been whining about Easter Trading on Kiwiblog for decades now.
They'll be rapt!
Nailed it!
That'll be an interesting negotiation wit the happy clappy faction of National….
Wonder what the happy clappies will ask in return. Curriculum changes?
Providing those happy-clappers aren't prosperity gospellers…
… hang on!!
Luxon has proven that his beliefs are flexible.
Like wet spaghetti.
Jonathan Cook is a British freelance journalist formerly based in Nazareth, Israel. Like another outstanding independent, Glenn Greenwald, he used to work for the Grauniad, but he could not put up with that paper's complicity with the British state's campaigns of disinformation and its character assassination of dissenting journalists. This is his latest piece….
https://twitter.com/Jonathan_K_Cook/status/1678729702347776000
It maybe what Blinken et al are afraid of is Israel turning into a real multi player shit fight and having to find space for batcrazy fundamentalist Israeli refugees in the US who would present real problems for the Democrats in particular. It probably can’t afford to have The IDF fail.
" This is why a coalition government under National party hegemony is perhaps the best expression of what New Zealand’s collective identity looks like; it may not be one the centre-left likes but it is the normative expression of our collective myths in power and action."
Oh, yeah? TheLuxon/Peters/Seymour "monster mash" is what we see when we look in the mirror?
https://pointofordernz.wordpress.com/2024/01/19/mike-grimshaw-societies-have-always-been-divided-its-the-degree-of-division-that-counts/
Dunno who he is but that citation only seems credible when Labour is in eclipse (like now). If Labour were to return to source to regain credibility his proposition would be tested! Nothing like a bit of pie in the sky thinking to ruffle normalcy, eh?
Seen the results of wonderful work both in the Kaikōura rebuild and the efforts with wlike seals and dolphins everywhere to be seen up the coast and plenty of vantage points on the road – well done to all involved.
But why do visitors bring their dogs and cats to doc camp grounds where there are signs everywhere that dogs and pets are not allowed in the camp grounds at any time ?? When you book there is info of this as well as signage everywhere, how to potentially destroy all the hard efforts my many doc staff and volunteers😤
Have you seen how much it costs to put them in kennels for a fortnight Herodotus ? Its cheaper to cyrogenicly freeze them and chuck them in the fridge while you're gone and thaw the buggers out when you get back.
Sounds like they should just have the dog walkers come around to walk them, feed and ensure available water.
“The public service has been knee deep in this interpretation so it’s not surprising its advice mirrors this. New Zealanders want a respectful debate on the constitutional future of our country and that’s what they’ve voted for.”
How to counter this sort of BS from Seymour? To say "New Zealanders" want and voted for a parliamentary bill on the principles of Te Tiriti implies a majority, when in fact only 8.7% of those who voted in the 2023 election voted for ACT and their divisive, racist policy.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350151916/highly-contentious-leaked-ministry-doc-raises-issues-treaty-principles-bill
Merely a shadow-boxing play. They're taking it to first reading, to give ACT their opportunity at due parliamentary process. Nats have signalling this with the tacit flag that they aren’t intending to support it further.
I agree Seymour's framing is naive. At most those who voted to replace the govt are okay with a public debate but I bet any precisely directed science-based sampling of public opinion would discover the proportion of voters interested in any such public debate would be around a quarter max. Too many other concerns…
Agreed about the process for the bill. But I don't think Seymour's framing is naive. It's devious and disingenuous.
And you hear it in other spaces – that "this" is what "the majority" voted for.
Just looking at its providence (the would-be Kim Hill bête noir Karl du Fresne) will be enough to alert a discriminating reader that this article will be highly dodgy at best. Five words in it, however, confirm just how dodgy it is: those five words occur at the beginning of the second sentence in the eleventh paragraph.
https://pointofordernz.wordpress.com/2024/01/19/karl-du-fresne-the-striking-outpouring-of-media-empathy-for-golriz-ghahraman/
Right now, the object of du Fresne's contempt is Golriz Gharaman. In the early days of the Key regime, it was Kim Hill he could not stand. Her sin? Making an unsavoury politician a little uncomfortable….
http://karldufresne.blogspot.com/2010/11/howard-deserved-more-balanced-treatment.html
Ani O'Brien continues the same crap for natstalkzb, ignoring the facts that GG fronted up, resigned, and is fully cooperating w police. It's just a hate-fest at this point.
Ani O'Brien: Making excuses isn’t taking responsibility (newstalkzb.co.nz)
There's a guy on Xitter 💩 who was tweeting nasty things about GG and I asked him to show some christian compassion and kindness.
This of course earned me mockery, scorn, and insults.
(I will be deleting X soon as it's just too toxic. Elon and Matt Walsh are slagging off therapy and suggesting that people should just harden up. Tell that to combat veterans with PTSD. The platform is awash in fakeness and abuse.)
Because that is how it makes money. Thank facebook for this brave new world.
One of the worst is SP, but I suppose he lives in fear of the loss of his turf to Cranmer's ZB+.
Instead of deleting your account, you could try curating it. I have to go look for the abusive posts now (mostly). DM me if you want tips.
Thanks 🙂
The one about Golriz actually hurt, the guy broke a long term cordiality in favour of malice.
I'll take a break and think on it.
I just glaze over D (ACT) and G (NZF) to get the zitgeist of the where the TF is these days, the corner of the paddock is the safest option – those with the wrong crowd but not as mean as those at the core.
Our JC and MM, an odd couple – in the end a points win to JC, when MM left the GOP and became a libertarian.
What?
It should be
If D and G want more left wing followers on X they can come here and invite us/you over to their field …
SP, D, G, JC, MM? Why should we have to translate or internet search?
SP – South Pacific?
D – David S
G – Dunno
JC – Judith Collins
MM – Dunno. Thought it might be Mark Mitchell but… GOP?
Sean Plunkett … Platform vs Cranmer's ZB+ … and two couples, one local and one American.
Oh well, I had a stab.
Our couple are as funny as James Carville and Mary Matalin, in their own way.
I'm thrilled that our public service is proposing to make me a chief of the land I own. In the second of its proposed principles as it appears in the video from the Maori Party co-leader, I mean: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/507090/government-confirms-leaked-document-was-a-ministry-treaty-principles-bill-memo
Looks like they might have had a few beers first. I can imagine their glee in composing the thing: `this'll rattle the mental cage of those prats!'
What are the chances Lux will bite? Zilch. Any aspiring aristocrat knows you widen the circle at your peril. Every capitalist knows profit-sharing must be stingy to teach hired help their place in the social hierarchy. Exceptions in Silicon Valley? Yeah, them dudes are naturally progressive. However his stance could wobble if conservatives agree their inner chieftainship ought to be acknowledged so it can then be acted out in real life.
If so, the young guys who kept on calling me chief a few decades back may become precognitive in retrospect (no big deal as they called other guys chief too – it was echoing Maxwell Smart of the 1965 tv comedy Get Smart)…
An open letter from Brian Easton to the PM….which as Mr Easton is wont to do, contains some well considered advice.
https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/the-prime-ministers-biggest-challenge
Easton wants to do two things:
Dilute identity by appealing to diversity within a group. Divide and conquer. Colonialism, cultural erosion and David Seymour come to mind.
Reduce decision making to the lowest and most flawed host of democracy, local government. Extremely poor turnout consolidates power to the already wealthy.
Obviously you didnt read the letter…..or at least one would hope not if your comment is any indication
I read it. My comment is several times more full of content than either of yours.
Why don't you ever provide thoughts of your own?
Only if slogans are considered content.
Easton is writing this to a fundy with a gaggle of other fundies with his party who feel threatened by the very changes which Easton thinks are great. No hope.
New Zealand is a diverse society. For over a century we suppressed this truism by relegating women to the kitchen, Māori to the pa, gays to the closet, and ignoring the role of religion in secular life. We practised majoritarianism by a group – who among other things were straight, Pakeha, Anglican, middle-class, male, rugby followers – which pretended theirs was the only acceptable lifestyle and the country should be run in their interests. Those who did not conform to this majority were ignored, treated as quaint eccentrics, or repressed.
Presumably Brian Easton means well, yet he admits supporting the move to market organisation of society (from 1984) while conceding the results were poor (because of …. excuses).
And wants the government to go further in that direction (as too does Douglas), he calls it the government not being authoritarian, not controlling from the centre (despite it being the area reformed via MMP and accountability via both financial and oversight systems) instead devolving to the more local level (without any reference to funding and capacity issues, competence and lack of media oversight/informed consent processes).
To the extent this has been done already, we have foreign companies providing ECE for profit and Australians profiting from managing ownership of assets from older New Zealanders to foreign organised/centralised/corporate capital).
And he wants to encourage more of this to the government, in education and health etc … . He seems to imagine a society as somehow more coherent and less divided, if managed around NGO's secular and or religious, rather than centralised government supply and delivery. It seems of a nostalgia for a time when there was a more active voluntary community – eroded by the necessity two working partners to afford housing, end of the 40 hour week – fragmentation of shift work (reducing participation) and of late, living cost pressures.
He is encouraging the right to move where it intends to go, without thought to the consequences – just as in 1984.
"… yet he admits supporting the move to market organisation of society (from 1984) while conceding the results were poor (because of …. excuses)."
Although I have never seen him state it, I suspect his reasoning is that NZ as a small trading nation had no choice but to follow the international order as was being constructed by the neolibs at the time….the (….excuses) are a recognition that while we may have had little choice we could have done the transition considerably better and with less damage. (something I have seen him state on numerous occasions)
He calls for more de-evolution of decision making as opposed to centralisation….something many here have also called for in their areas of interest…the funding and oversight are not that difficult to implement if the will is there, and are unnecessary for the purposes of the article.
Subsiditarity is not (necessarily) privatisation and may explain why you attribute a right wing bias that is not apparent.
Not apparent … yeah right. This government is not full of plans to fully fund what is, and its plans for replacing it are not either.
In the past they handed over state housing and expecting the provider to maintain the property and maintain low rents – that is either by its own fund-raising or operating run down property before demolishing.
????….how is Brian Easton responsible for any of that?
Does he know what this is about? 3rd and 4th paras.
https://thestandard.org.nz/labour-and-the-democrats/#comment-1985674
Why would anyone want to go further down that right wing neo-liberal road?
Good grief…tangent upon tangent
Jewish activists shutting down Grand Central Station to protest against Israel's genocidal onslaught in Gaza was only the start
Rabbi's daughter Ilana Cruger-Zaken: "We're in the building. Anti-Zionist Jews are here to stay, and there's no way that Zionists can hold a meeting now without hearing us."