This is the latest update on Te Ahu a Turanga the Manawatu Gorge replacement road. It has a voiceover with the construction manager.
Due for completion in a little over a year, locals, especially a lot of Ashhurst folk, will be relieved when done. Having all those trucks traipse through the village to get to the Saddle Road has been disruptive.
It must be said, there is a railway line still running through the Gorge, which barring a slip or two has been uninterrupted…
So his orangeness isn't asset rich, cash poor, his orangeness is broke.
/
Lawyers for former President Donald Trump admitted in a new court filing that he cannot secure a bond on his $464 million civil fraud judgment.
In a Monday court filing, Trump’s legal team wrote that “posting a full undertaking is a practical impossibility.”
The filing explains that Trump is having difficulty finding any company underwrite a bond of this size, with his lawyers stating, “The amount of the judgment, with interest, exceeds $464 million, and very few bonding companies will consider a bond of anything approaching that magnitude.”
I imagine that Musk, Bezos, or even Zuckerberg would find it difficult to get anyone willing to guarantee the payment of a debt that size. Perhaps Arnault could help him out.
For Trump, who has made a career out of stiffing the people he employed, it will of course be an extremely hard thing to arrange.
Perhaps the bloke who, after two decades abroad working with Kremlin-adjacent mobsters and money men turned up to run tRump's 2016 campaign, for free, will help him out.
Former President Donald Trump’s team is in discussions with Paul Manafort, his 2016 campaign chairman whom he later pardoned, to potentially help with the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, three sources familiar with the ongoing conversations told CNN.
Manafort, who was one of several individuals who ran Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, was pardoned by Trump after being found guilty of several financial crimes in 2018.
I doubt he would be much help. According to the only source I found with Google he is only worth about $10 million.
Trump really does have some great friends, doesn't he? Why am I not surprised?
The ones I picked were because they were seriously rich, Arnault being the highest at $235 billion, according to Forbes. As far as I know none of them has anything to do with Trump though. Perhaps they are too smart to go near him.
I'm sure Mr Manafort will be able to arrange alaundromat lender of last resort to spot his orangeness the lazy half billion he needs. For a price, of course.
Putin might play? Trump seems to an admirer of his. Please God, don't let Trump get back into the Oval Office. I would rather have a forgetful Biden to a mad Trump who seems to think he is running against Obama.
The only way Luxon and co can deliver tax cuts – if they don't raise GST or some other meaningful source of revenue – is going to be by massive cuts and, most likely, a shock and awe campaign of privatisation. The whole thing will come bodyguarded with a zariba of culture war distraction, a trap which a lot of the identity politics crowd will enthusiastically wade into.
Yes and winnie plays his part with his calculated comments.
Tamaki keeps getting oxygen for his anti diversity law breaking behaviour …..dressed in his own gang insigna.
Willis positioning with hand wringing so private equity can continue the march key/english begun with charter schools, running down health, education, housing etc.
Nowhere near enough gets written about the hollowing out and reduction in capacity the previous nact govt indulged in.
Listening to this link, I get the impression that the low and middle income earners he feigns to care deeply about will have their share of the tax-cuts wiped out by new "revenue sources" and it will be leave them worse off than they are now:
Central government, i.e., this Coalition of Charlatans, will keep its ill-fated promises, especially to its core voter base. It’ll run an aggressive PR campaign to portray them as promise-keepers and saviours of our ‘doomed’ economy. At the same time there will be a running maul of steep rates increases by Local Government and deep cuts in ‘luxury’ services accompanied by an avalanche of rising costs moved progressively onto the users/consumers (aka users-pay) by the metastasising private sector. God save New Zealand.
only because we lack the political will to change. Why should hard work be taxed when you can let people keep all of their income from hard work and instead tax wealth and unearned income. And as someone mentioned above, a financial transactions tax on large volume transactions.
All of these things way more than make up for the loss of income tax.
A few years back a study was done and people were seriously talking about implementing a 0.1% financial transactions tax on large volume transactions. The bankers said nope.
That's not 1%, but 1/10th of 1%, or 1/1,000th of the value of each of these transactions to be taxed. The bankers couldn't even bare to be taxed that miniscule amount on transactions that have figures in the billions and even trillions.
It was estimated that such a tax would be enough to end global poverty 'overnight'
All it takes is the will to stop being owned and commanded by the 'elites'
Environmentally-friendly extractive industries on spaceship Earth – why not. But civilisation needs a sound 'just transition' path to solve the obvious problem of what to do when there's nothing left to extract – could space mining save us?
circular economies are one solution. We don't need a new iphone every year, we need smart phones that are repairable with interchangeable parts so the bits of the dead ones can be used in keeping existing ones in good shape.
Probably some interesting programming challenges there. Has the work been done on how to upgrade iphones without replacing them? If we can send people to Mars… etc
We should be reclaiming and mining dump sites too.
What little honeymoon the COC had is over as the sheeple wake up to being shafted so the already well off can do even better.
Luxon cant sell the snake oil like the last bloke did. Good to see some in the media going in hard …..doing their jobs finally as they face the prospect of no job.
Surely you jest? His last leadership bid didn't go so well. Parker is probably due to retire later this year. Can you see the average voter turning back to Labour if Chippy was gone and Parker was leader?
I thought as most people you would go with McNulty. Although Ginny Anderson or Carmel Sepuloni could be possibilities.
As mentioned above, I only think Parker may retire as he is surely nearing the end of his career and he didn't seem too happy with Hipkins reversing many policies. As mentioned he is not really an "exciting" person and thus the accountant comment!
It is a nickname his school chums gave him and it has stuck to him ever since. It has nothing to do with carpentry although I gather it is a hobby of his. Nothing wrong with the nickname and it is used with affection.
I would agree that McAnulty is the best of the current bunch in gaining traction with 'ordinary' voters. Before his spectacular feat of self-destruction, I'd have said Michael Wood was a strong contender.
Parker has all the charm and relatability of an accountant (apologies to any accountants in the room).
I can see him as the money man – much as Roger Douglas, equally charm deficient, was to Lange (i.e. running the show behind the scenes) – but not as a leader.
That's not to say that there isn't a new Labour leader who's not currently in Parliament.
It was fascinating to hear our (putative) Prime Minister bothsiding his (putative) deputy's remarks and calling for a return to civility in politics on RNZ National this morning.
Yet again, the right has proven itself to be incredibly thin skinned by getting all in a pother and manufacturing boatloads of faux outrage about being booed by a bunch of schoolchildren or getting called "dictatorial" when they ride roughshod over proper constitutional process.
Somehow, Luxon tried to make an argument that this cancels out Winston Peters calling co-governance Nazism. Because, of course, the two are morally equivalent.
How very much like National. When in power: insist on deference by the plebs. When in opposition: say whatever the fuck you like because that's just robust politics.
My thoughts too. Tries to lay the blame at the feet of the Opposition parties for Winston’s outburst. His tactics are so transparent. But I guess there's plenty of gullible folk around who fall for it.
Winston Peters has always been racist, but since the 2020 election in a bid to deprive A.C.T. of votes – Winston genuinely dislikes Seymour – he has gone full racist in ways that those who have followed his career for the duration he has been in politics whould be shocked by. The Nazi-era Germany comparison might be the lowest yet, but it is just the latest.
Is the "N" word out of reach? One would hope so. But if he has sunk this low, I wouldn't put the bank on it.
I attempted to watch Question time for the first time in a few years. It elicited the reaction of hysterical laughter alternating with nausea and dry retching. Is this normal?
I suspect you may have been disappointed if you did watch. It was a disappointing display all round from the opposition MPs. Labours new finance spokesperson in particular looked completely at sea.
Genter gets the most bored face award..during her co-leaders speech in praise of kiri te kanawa..
The mad-dog award goes to the act mp sitting behind/to the right of hoggard..he provides much humour..with his over-acting/snarling-antics..
..he has that angry old thin man..about to explode..vibe about him..
..I have him bookmarked as worthy of watching..
..and I noted that (the other) act mps don't smile..they smirk..
..they veer between faux-outrage…and that group smirk..
Lux-on repeated his deep concerns about low-paid nz'ers..
..if you didn't know he was talking absolute shite..you'd think he cared..
..he also repeated how he really didn't want to make the children of difficult tenants at kaianga ora…homeless..but he was going to…but he really really didn't want to..
..and that earned him today's big-whopper award…
..and he clearly doesn't like speaking maari-words..
I lasted (somehow) the length of Q1. Luxon and his masterclass on how not to answer a question and how much he cared about me (a renter). That would explain the retching reaction…
didn't NACTF policy get stopped because it was unlawful? I haven't been following closely. Would you like to do a post? I can cross post if you find something good online too (with permission).
The brief interview in this RNZ article shows the malice of this Government's actions. It is unfathomable that funding for people with disabilities cannot now be used to assist them in accessing various regular activities which require transport with caregivers, or for caregiver transport and accommodation support when disabled people are away from home.
What sort of people would have devised such a cruel strategy to save the Government money, presumably to help fund the unnecessary, inequitable, unaffordable tax cuts? As the finance minister, Nicola Willis should be confronted with explaining this decision.
Parents and whānau of people with disabilities are in shock and extremely disappointed by sudden limitations to funding – stopping people from using it for transport, food or accommodation for support workers.
The department issued the new rules on Monday, surprising the disability community without consultation or warning.
The Ministry says the funding is not being cut, but what it can be spent on has been cut significantly.
Ian Perry's son is in a electric wheelchair and has significant disabilities.
It's quite simple. Traditionally, people reliant on these services don't vote for the Right. So there's no votes to be lost.
Plus, we're up against a bunch of sociopaths. What else can you call people who can deliberately cause so much harm to so many people without batting and eyelid, and still sleep at night?
I'll revise that. I've just watched the press conference (rather than reading the news articles). I think she does care to an extent. But she just doesn't know what she is doing, she's making mistakes, now blaming the Ministry and previous government, and ultimately is obfuscating about it not being a funding cut. Still very bad.
Yes I wouldn't rely on the media re what they say about the coalition. They have been unrelenting in their attacks on the coalition right from after election night.
They come across as people who can't believe a solid majority voted for the coalition and their majority in the polls remain stable
According to Nine to Noon this morning – CEO Paula Tesoriero – the money 'saved' will be going to funding the physical equipment and house modifications [I don't know if that's true, but that's what she said]
It was hard to get a straight answer from her – but it sounded like the discretionary spending part of the budget blew out in December – and they put it down to Christmas and holidays – but the numbers kept climbing in the new year – rather than dropping down to previous levels.
Consequently, they had to pause/cap the expenditure, or risk not being able to pay for the physical accommodations outlined above.
She, notably, didn't give a good answer about why they need to spend millions with 3rd party contractors, in order to administer the funding to disabled people.
Bryce Edwards writes – “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The ...
Alwyn Poole writes – After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
Eric Crampton writes – A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
“Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim.Extreme Left Auckland University of TechnologyEvidenceThe ...
Eric Crampton writes – I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes – Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
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 ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
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. ...
Jobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...
A new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...
Check against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Baker, Associate Professor in Human Geography, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images As local and regional councils struggle with inadequate infrastructure and unsustainable costs, New Zealand will be hearing a lot more about the potential solution offered by ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gary Sacks, Professor of Public Health Policy, Deakin University Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock In recent years, there’s been increasinghype about the potential health risks associated with so-called “ultra-processed” foods. But new evidence published this week found not all “ultra-processed” foods are linked ...
Fears that New Zealand is relying too heavily on low-cost forests to absorb its carbon dioxide emissions have been reignited by a report from the OECD. ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed the total dollar savings target from public sector cuts has been met, but the reductions have not been felt evenly across public agencies. Government departments were told to make savings set at 6.5 percent or 7.5 percent where headcount had grown by more than ...
She doesn’t have a single kind word for me and it’s getting under my skin.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,I have two amazing friends that I absolutely adore. Grace (all names have been changed) and I lived together across 2023 and Olivia moved in with us this ...
Can Western science and Māori science work together to support our well-being? The Te Ohu Mō Papatūānuku (TOMP) Trials Project was a landmark case for healing the land and people with the guidance of Māori science and leadership. This is what happened when Papatūānuku (Earth) was contaminated by toxic discharge, ...
The District Plan is a blueprint for a bigger, better Wellington, through tens of thousands of new apartments and townhouses and a new approach to urban growth. Joel MacManus lays out the vision. The process of putting together Wellington’s new District Plan has been long and excruciating. As a city, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Williams Veazey, ARC DECRA Research Fellow, University of Sydney DavideAngelini/Shutterstock In the 2007 film The Bucket List Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two main characters who respond to their terminal cancer diagnoses by rejecting experimental treatment. Instead, they go ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mohan Singh, Professor of Agri-Food Biotechnology, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences at the University of Melbourne., The University of Melbourne Tanja Esser/Shutterstock Australia’s vital agriculture sector will be hit hard by steadily rising global temperatures. Our climate is already ...
The Acumen Edelman Trust barometer reported that New Zealand’s political trust score now sits below the global average, a topic explored in a recent discussion paper by Maxim Institute. ...
Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman says, "The Fast-Track Bill is the most damaging piece of environmental legislation any Government has introduced in living memory. People are angry, and it’s time to march." ...
The school lunches programme has been retained – and will be extended to some preschoolers. So how is it going to cost $107 million less? To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. The minister with many hats David Seymour wears a number of hats, but this week ...
“Show us the bird,” I found myself muttering at times while reading Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker, a deeply thoughtful, often hilarious, at times rambling – but somehow delightfully so – search for the story of a big bird. But not just any bird: the bird. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition DPVUE .images/Shutterstock Your home was probably designed for a climate that no longer exists. As long as humanity continues to burn fossil fuel, padding the heat-trapping blanket of gases in Earth’s atmosphere, the ...
A senior lawyer has filed a complaint about tikanga becoming a required law school module. Law lecturer Carwyn Jones explains what he’s getting wrong. “…the first law of Aotearoa, a law that served the needs of tangata whenua for a thousand years before the arrival of tauiwi.”– Ani Mikaere ...
In 2019, an Auckland woman woke up from surgery to find that she had undergone a treatment she didn’t consent to. She tells Alex Casey about her experience. From her very first period at the age of 14, Laura experienced “debilitating” levels of pain that forced her to withdraw from ...
Comment: Concerns about the state of the economy are creeping up to the top of firms’ list of challenges. That’s evident in both surveys and the tone of our recent client discussions. Skimming the past few weeks of eco-news, it’s not hard to see why. – Retail card spending fell ...
Opinion: Could former co-leader James Shaw still make a difference to working with National? The post How the Greens could be contenders appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: What if we got rid of our existing drug laws and replaced them with a new law that legalised and carefully regulated all psychoactive substances, from cannabis to MDMA, methamphetamine and LSD to magic mushrooms? And which also included legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. “Wow,” you might ...
In the gloom following director-general Al Morrison’s job cuts in 2013, the Department of Conservation restructured its operations arm. Eleven conservancy districts were whittled into six new “conservation delivery” regions, under which the Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands area, comprising 40 scattered islands more than 800km east of Christchurch, was tethered to the ...
One of th e country’s top litigation lawyers says New Zealand is seeing a lift in court action between companies. Chapman Tripp partner Justin Graham, who oversees a team of around 80 litigation specialists, says the courts are now so log-jammed that it’s taking over two years to get cases ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 9 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is talking up the crucial role of gas as a transition fuel “through to 2050 and beyond”. In a gas strategy to be released on Thursday, the government envisages the fuel’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...
The Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...
PNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books.The book I wish I’d writtenI have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...
The final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington. Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...
RNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...
With funding set to be scrapped for the Hamilton-Auckland commuter train, Te Huia enthusiast Georgie Dansey argues for it to be thrown a lifeline. It’s 5.45am and the chain of my crappy old bike falls off slugging up the one hill in Hamilton. I contemplate yeeting the bike into the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anna Cooke, Honorary Fellow, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland We feel ecological grief when we lose places, species or ecosystems we value and love. These losses are a growing threat to mental health and wellbeing globally. We all see ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shauna Brail, Associate Professor, Institute for Management & Innovation, University of Toronto A shift to hybrid and remote work continues to affect worker presence in Toronto’s downtown.(Shutterstock) Downtown Toronto, the core of Canada’s largest city, continues to reel from the lingering ...
Responding to an Auditor-General's report slamming failures in the administration of the 2023 General Election, Taxpayers’ Union Policy and Public Affairs Manager, James Ross, said: ...
Productivity apps now make up a big chunk of the software market. But do they work? And why do they all have AI integrations?Despite being firmly on the record as a physical planner fan, I sometimes dream of something better than my pretty diary and its scrawled, ugly, interior ...
The Taxpayers’ Union says the Beehive need to lead by example, following reports of more than $50,000 spent upgrading video conferencing equipment and furniture in the Prime Minister’s office. Taxpayers’ Union Campaign Manager, Connor Molloy, ...
An objective list of the 50 most powerful people in New Zealand, as judged by the Spinoff Editorial Board. It’s power list season, baby, and we want in on the action. Sure, there’s the rich list and the powerful “c-suite” list and the young people with power (hmmm) but here, ...
I know roads aren't fashionable at the moment.
This is the latest update on Te Ahu a Turanga the Manawatu Gorge replacement road. It has a voiceover with the construction manager.
Due for completion in a little over a year, locals, especially a lot of Ashhurst folk, will be relieved when done. Having all those trucks traipse through the village to get to the Saddle Road has been disruptive.
It must be said, there is a railway line still running through the Gorge, which barring a slip or two has been uninterrupted…
That team is doing a sterling job. In particular strong mana whenua outcomes on the project.
The fly-through gives you a sense of what a rebuild of SH1 through the Brynderwyns is going to face up to.
So his orangeness isn't asset rich, cash poor, his orangeness is broke.
/
Lawyers for former President Donald Trump admitted in a new court filing that he cannot secure a bond on his $464 million civil fraud judgment.
In a Monday court filing, Trump’s legal team wrote that “posting a full undertaking is a practical impossibility.”
The filing explains that Trump is having difficulty finding any company underwrite a bond of this size, with his lawyers stating, “The amount of the judgment, with interest, exceeds $464 million, and very few bonding companies will consider a bond of anything approaching that magnitude.”
https://www.mediaite.com/trump/breaking-trump-says-paying-465-million-fraud-bond-is-a-practical-impossibility-in-new-court-filing/
I wish I was broke if this is what it means.
I imagine that Musk, Bezos, or even Zuckerberg would find it difficult to get anyone willing to guarantee the payment of a debt that size. Perhaps Arnault could help him out.
For Trump, who has made a career out of stiffing the people he employed, it will of course be an extremely hard thing to arrange.
My heart bleeds for him.
Perhaps the bloke who, after two decades abroad working with Kremlin-adjacent mobsters and money men turned up to run tRump's 2016 campaign, for free, will help him out.
Former President Donald Trump’s team is in discussions with Paul Manafort, his 2016 campaign chairman whom he later pardoned, to potentially help with the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, three sources familiar with the ongoing conversations told CNN.
Manafort, who was one of several individuals who ran Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, was pardoned by Trump after being found guilty of several financial crimes in 2018.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/18/politics/paul-manafort-trump-reelection/index.html
I doubt he would be much help. According to the only source I found with Google he is only worth about $10 million.
Trump really does have some great friends, doesn't he? Why am I not surprised?
The ones I picked were because they were seriously rich, Arnault being the highest at $235 billion, according to Forbes. As far as I know none of them has anything to do with Trump though. Perhaps they are too smart to go near him.
I'm sure Mr Manafort will be able to arrange a
laundromatlender of last resort to spot his orangeness the lazy half billion he needs. For a price, of course.Putin might play? Trump seems to an admirer of his. Please God, don't let Trump get back into the Oval Office. I would rather have a forgetful Biden to a mad Trump who seems to think he is running against Obama.
The only way Luxon and co can deliver tax cuts – if they don't raise GST or some other meaningful source of revenue – is going to be by massive cuts and, most likely, a shock and awe campaign of privatisation. The whole thing will come bodyguarded with a zariba of culture war distraction, a trap which a lot of the identity politics crowd will enthusiastically wade into.
Zariba! Zariba!
Pretty soon one of them will use the "N" word, I'm betting!
Which one? There's at least two which are pretty incendiary.
Yes and winnie plays his part with his calculated comments.
Tamaki keeps getting oxygen for his anti diversity law breaking behaviour …..dressed in his own gang insigna.
Willis positioning with hand wringing so private equity can continue the march key/english begun with charter schools, running down health, education, housing etc.
Nowhere near enough gets written about the hollowing out and reduction in capacity the previous nact govt indulged in.
True tc, especially their sell-off of state houses to finance tax cuts…watch this space.
Listening to this link, I get the impression that the low and middle income earners he feigns to care deeply about will have their share of the tax-cuts wiped out by new "revenue sources" and it will be leave them worse off than they are now:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/christopher-luxon-not-ruling-out-new-taxes-or-reducing-promised-tax-cuts-as-fiscal-warnings-grow-analysis-finds-39-billion-hole/72BNFCMZWFGMVF2YBAFQXXYQWU/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CWe%20are%20deeply%20committed%20to,when%20costed%20by%20Government%20officials.
On archivedotli
https://archive.li/N322k
Press conference (starts 25.30)
btw, don't read the comments
https://www.youtube.com/live/X4J4vvfD99Esi=MBTYF9uQKNPYKJxx&t=1533
Central government, i.e., this Coalition of Charlatans, will keep its ill-fated promises, especially to its core voter base. It’ll run an aggressive PR campaign to portray them as promise-keepers and saviours of our ‘doomed’ economy. At the same time there will be a running maul of steep rates increases by Local Government and deep cuts in ‘luxury’ services accompanied by an avalanche of rising costs moved progressively onto the users/consumers (aka users-pay) by the metastasising private sector. God save New Zealand.
See also https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/03/19/govt-must-find-1-5-billion-more-to-pay-for-tax-cuts/ [behind a subscription wall, for now]
The departments with big managerial strata include MBIE, NZTA, Housing. TVNZ and Health well gutted already.
When that 7% headcount cut hits, they will never ever recover back to that salary level.
How about raising the tax brackets for PAYE earners:
first $20k at 10.5%
$20k-$60k at 17.5%
$60k-$100k at 30%
$100k-$180k at 33%
+$180k at39%
How about lowering and eventually removing tax on work and place taxes on wealth and unearned income instead?
" unearned income instead?"
Financial Transaction Tax is good for that.
I cant imagine no tax being deducted from wages ever. I think we will always pay tax on wages and salaries.
only because we lack the political will to change. Why should hard work be taxed when you can let people keep all of their income from hard work and instead tax wealth and unearned income. And as someone mentioned above, a financial transactions tax on large volume transactions.
All of these things way more than make up for the loss of income tax.
A few years back a study was done and people were seriously talking about implementing a 0.1% financial transactions tax on large volume transactions. The bankers said nope.
That's not 1%, but 1/10th of 1%, or 1/1,000th of the value of each of these transactions to be taxed. The bankers couldn't even bare to be taxed that miniscule amount on transactions that have figures in the billions and even trillions.
It was estimated that such a tax would be enough to end global poverty 'overnight'
All it takes is the will to stop being owned and commanded by the 'elites'
From an interactive stuff survey
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350211572/have-your-say-how-government-handling-cost-living-crisis
How is the Government handling the cost of living crisis?
Very well. 6 %
Well. 8 %
Okay 7 %
Poorly. 19 %
Very poorly. 54 %
Too early to tell 9%
TELLING
Planning to lay people off , to cure the cost of living crisis, economic geniuses they are not
Wrong! Shane Jones's proposed Resource Management Act rules (aka "Anything Goes") will see many new and wonderful projects get the green light.
Unemployment will disappear overnight, along with the environment.
I'm torn by the mining one,
Any one living a modern life relies on extractive industry, is it really right that we sweep that extraction under the carpet to another country?
Environmentally-friendly extractive industries on spaceship Earth – why not. But civilisation needs a sound 'just transition' path to solve the obvious problem of what to do when there's nothing left to extract – could space mining save us?
No
1. we're not even close to being able to do that
2. sustainably
3. if we were and we did it now, it would fuel capitalism and the climate/ecology crises, killing the planet.
as per the links, but desperation & clutching at straws go hand-in-hand.
circular economies are one solution. We don't need a new iphone every year, we need smart phones that are repairable with interchangeable parts so the bits of the dead ones can be used in keeping existing ones in good shape.
Probably some interesting programming challenges there. Has the work been done on how to upgrade iphones without replacing them? If we can send people to Mars… etc
We should be reclaiming and mining dump sites too.
What little honeymoon the COC had is over as the sheeple wake up to being shafted so the already well off can do even better.
Luxon cant sell the snake oil like the last bloke did. Good to see some in the media going in hard …..doing their jobs finally as they face the prospect of no job.
Now VERY POORLY IS 59%
What this tells me is that if Labour dump Hipkins (he is forever tainted by the bad election loss) and put in a new leader, the Left can win in 2026.
Who would you suggest as leader?
Parker…
Serious times need a serious/intelligent leader..
Parker has both..in spades…
..(..and he will get a geeky nickname..and probably won't do dog videos..)
Surely you jest? His last leadership bid didn't go so well. Parker is probably due to retire later this year. Can you see the average voter turning back to Labour if Chippy was gone and Parker was leader?
After the chaos this regime will create….yes..the mood will be for someone like him…
But if as you say he is retiring..my points are pointless..
Jimmy says "probably…"
Stay true, Phil 🙂
David Parker is da bomb.
Noted..
I thought as most people you would go with McNulty. Although Ginny Anderson or Carmel Sepuloni could be possibilities.
As mentioned above, I only think Parker may retire as he is surely nearing the end of his career and he didn't seem too happy with Hipkins reversing many policies. As mentioned he is not really an "exciting" person and thus the accountant comment!
Says it all – "Chippie" is a really dumb nickname for a leader who ought to be serious.
It is a nickname his school chums gave him and it has stuck to him ever since. It has nothing to do with carpentry although I gather it is a hobby of his. Nothing wrong with the nickname and it is used with affection.
McAnulty.
Speaks with a familiar vernacular.
Not a career politician.
Appears to be a little closer or relatable to the average worker.
Feels like he is in 'my corner'.
From the provinces.
I would agree that McAnulty is the best of the current bunch in gaining traction with 'ordinary' voters. Before his spectacular feat of self-destruction, I'd have said Michael Wood was a strong contender.
Parker has all the charm and relatability of an accountant (apologies to any accountants in the room).
I can see him as the money man – much as Roger Douglas, equally charm deficient, was to Lange (i.e. running the show behind the scenes) – but not as a leader.
That's not to say that there isn't a new Labour leader who's not currently in Parliament.
It was fascinating to hear our (putative) Prime Minister bothsiding his (putative) deputy's remarks and calling for a return to civility in politics on RNZ National this morning.
Yet again, the right has proven itself to be incredibly thin skinned by getting all in a pother and manufacturing boatloads of faux outrage about being booed by a bunch of schoolchildren or getting called "dictatorial" when they ride roughshod over proper constitutional process.
Somehow, Luxon tried to make an argument that this cancels out Winston Peters calling co-governance Nazism. Because, of course, the two are morally equivalent.
How very much like National. When in power: insist on deference by the plebs. When in opposition: say whatever the fuck you like because that's just robust politics.
My thoughts too. Tries to lay the blame at the feet of the Opposition parties for Winston’s outburst. His tactics are so transparent. But I guess there's plenty of gullible folk around who fall for it.
Well said indeed Res.
Winston Peters has always been racist, but since the 2020 election in a bid to deprive A.C.T. of votes – Winston genuinely dislikes Seymour – he has gone full racist in ways that those who have followed his career for the duration he has been in politics whould be shocked by. The Nazi-era Germany comparison might be the lowest yet, but it is just the latest.
Is the "N" word out of reach? One would hope so. But if he has sunk this low, I wouldn't put the bank on it.
I attempted to watch Question time for the first time in a few years. It elicited the reaction of hysterical laughter alternating with nausea and dry retching. Is this normal?
I suspect you may have been disappointed if you did watch. It was a disappointing display all round from the opposition MPs. Labours new finance spokesperson in particular looked completely at sea.
I thought hipkins did ok..
Genter gets the most bored face award..during her co-leaders speech in praise of kiri te kanawa..
The mad-dog award goes to the act mp sitting behind/to the right of hoggard..he provides much humour..with his over-acting/snarling-antics..
..he has that angry old thin man..about to explode..vibe about him..
..I have him bookmarked as worthy of watching..
..and I noted that (the other) act mps don't smile..they smirk..
..they veer between faux-outrage…and that group smirk..
Lux-on repeated his deep concerns about low-paid nz'ers..
..if you didn't know he was talking absolute shite..you'd think he cared..
..he also repeated how he really didn't want to make the children of difficult tenants at kaianga ora…homeless..but he was going to…but he really really didn't want to..
..and that earned him today's big-whopper award…
..and he clearly doesn't like speaking maari-words..
..so he sez 'kay-ay'…eh..?
Oh good, I wasn't over-reacting then
Heve a joint before you watch..
.. it'll up your laughter quota..
I forgot the farcical-answer award..that the police minister romped away with..
He stood up and boasted about some raids where a phone number of plants were destroyed..
He went on to claim the destruction of these cannabis plants prevented many squillion dollars worth of harm to society..
W.t.f. has he been smoking..?
Could someone take him aside and tell him that cannabis is a prescribed medicine for many/for many needs..
And that the only reason it is not fully legal..
..is down to the gutlessness of the two major parties..
Very glad you watched it for me, Phillip 🙂
I lasted (somehow) the length of Q1. Luxon and his masterclass on how not to answer a question and how much he cared about me (a renter). That would explain the retching reaction…
The thing with luxon is that all of his expressed concerns…
..are faux-concerns..
..and yes..his concerns for renters does take the cake..can be nausea inducing..
I want a journalist to ask him how much the rents have gone up over the past few years..on his mortgage-free rental portfolio..
I am actually surprised no journalist has already had the wit/intelligence to ask that question..
An aspect of luxon I find quite fascinating…is how you know that pretty much everything he sez..is a big fat stinking lie..
..and it is so obvious…
… is down to the sucking up to the drug companies and Big Pharma.
"The mad-dog award goes to the act mp sitting behind/to the right of hoggard..he provides much humour..with his over-acting/snarling-antics..
..he has that angry old thin man..about to explode..vibe about him.."
Yes.
Hoggard? Oh my Goddard!!!!
No, Rose. The Opposition questions were fair and reasonable. The "answers"??
Watch what Luxon did and listen to what he didn't say.
And weep.
That was extremely painful to watch. How is this sort of behaviour even allowed???
SNA – this needs a post, weka!
Have you heard what they've done???
didn't NACTF policy get stopped because it was unlawful? I haven't been following closely. Would you like to do a post? I can cross post if you find something good online too (with permission).
The brief interview in this RNZ article shows the malice of this Government's actions. It is unfathomable that funding for people with disabilities cannot now be used to assist them in accessing various regular activities which require transport with caregivers, or for caregiver transport and accommodation support when disabled people are away from home.
What sort of people would have devised such a cruel strategy to save the Government money, presumably to help fund the unnecessary, inequitable, unaffordable tax cuts? As the finance minister, Nicola Willis should be confronted with explaining this decision.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/middayreport/audio/2018930729/shock-over-changes-to disability-funding
"Shock over changes to disability funding
Parents and whānau of people with disabilities are in shock and extremely disappointed by sudden limitations to funding – stopping people from using it for transport, food or accommodation for support workers.
The department issued the new rules on Monday, surprising the disability community without consultation or warning.
The Ministry says the funding is not being cut, but what it can be spent on has been cut significantly.
Ian Perry's son is in a electric wheelchair and has significant disabilities.
Perry spoke to Charlotte Cook".
It's quite simple. Traditionally, people reliant on these services don't vote for the Right. So there's no votes to be lost.
Plus, we're up against a bunch of sociopaths. What else can you call people who can deliberately cause so much harm to so many people without batting and eyelid, and still sleep at night?
I can't quite believe what is coming out of the Disability Minister's mouth. It's like they just aren't even pretending to care now.
I'll revise that. I've just watched the press conference (rather than reading the news articles). I think she does care to an extent. But she just doesn't know what she is doing, she's making mistakes, now blaming the Ministry and previous government, and ultimately is obfuscating about it not being a funding cut. Still very bad.
Full press conference in the hall is here.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/19/minister-takes-aim-at-pedicures-for-carers-in-disability-funds-row/
Yes I wouldn't rely on the media re what they say about the coalition. They have been unrelenting in their attacks on the coalition right from after election night.
They come across as people who can't believe a solid majority voted for the coalition and their majority in the polls remain stable
"a solid majority voted for the coalition"
Not possible.
People vote for a party and a candidate, not a "coalition".
This sick-mix is nobody's choice.
This has galvanised the disability community profoundly.
There's been petitions, emails, letters, meetings, questioning the government and the activist groups & political parties are acting now.
This will be one of the factors for a new social movement and we must start now.
The iron is hot and we are the sword and the heat.
Rolling-on-Gravel, this is like a dystopian nightmare. So an uprising of rage is called for.
Is Winston Peters playing Goebbel's role? Propaganda Chief? Giving the reason for the 'removal of rights?" regarding "things Maori"
Even that does not explain the "cuts to school lunch funding or changes to access for disability funding, plus removal of housing as a primary need."
This coalition is removing "wellbeing" from their brief and putting "austerity" in as their answer,
They have a victorian workhouse view, or even the Nazi view "work will set you free" meanwhile they starve the worker.
That is an extreme view of what is happening…. but dystopian means as bad as it can get. What horrors await in Willis' first Budget?
Are they using the money saved to
1.upgrade the homes to fully service the needs of those confined to them?
2.increase incomes to super levels (and free rather than half fare on the CSC public transport)?
According to Nine to Noon this morning – CEO Paula Tesoriero – the money 'saved' will be going to funding the physical equipment and house modifications [I don't know if that's true, but that's what she said]
It was hard to get a straight answer from her – but it sounded like the discretionary spending part of the budget blew out in December – and they put it down to Christmas and holidays – but the numbers kept climbing in the new year – rather than dropping down to previous levels.
Consequently, they had to pause/cap the expenditure, or risk not being able to pay for the physical accommodations outlined above.
She, notably, didn't give a good answer about why they need to spend millions with 3rd party contractors, in order to administer the funding to disabled people.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018930874/ministry-apologises-as-10-000-sign-petition-over-disability-funding-changes