“If you are planning to be a lifelong renter, a reality check.”
That has to be the most hilarious opening line I’ve read for a long time…there is a serious disconnect of understanding in this country between home owners and actual ‘lifelong renters’.
very very few people in this country, with options/money would ever rent their whole life, seriously
Not very flash of Kim Hill to claim the “Are Hamas killing their youth” (so-called) question as her own this morning’s interview with Dr Ramzy Baroud. It’s been a while since I tuned into Saturday mornings. Oh well.
And did I just hear her comment rather off-handedly that his sister will be “busy” given that she’s in Gaza?!
She’s come the odd cropper though, including this memorable occasion fifteen years ago when John Pilger took her to task for her smug and complacent introductory comments…
Lots of little eggs gabby …. 2014: Operation Protective Egg: Killed / Broken 495 were children and 253 women.
Life in Gaza
1.8m people / eggs living in Gaza
4,505 per square kilometre
475,000 living in emergency shelters or with other families
17,200 homes destroyed or severely damaged by Israeli attacks
244 schools damaged
Source: Ocha (26 August 2014)
2008, as part of Operation Cast Egg . Around 1,391 Palestinians were killed, including an estimated 759 civilians, according to B’Tselem. Reports say this included 344 children eggs and 110 women eggs.
“Israel’s favorite metaphor for its periodic strikes on Gaza—”mowing the lawn”—suggests violence that is routine, indiscriminate, and risk-free.”
The regular pattern is for Israel, then, to disregard whatever agreement is in place, while Hamas observes it — as Israel has officially recognized — until a sharp increase in Israeli violence elicits a Hamas response, followed by even fiercer brutality. These escalations, which amount to shooting fish in a pond, are called “mowing the lawn” in Israeli parlance.
“Israeli military strategists talk, chillingly, of “mowing the lawn”. Even leaving aside the morally questionable nature of seeing human flesh as grass”
Eggs / grass aside …. Hamas are a red herring … “The Gaza open air prison camp where 1.94 million Palestinians live behind a blockade and are refused access to the other occupied Palestinian areas and the rest of the world is the problem”. ….
Half of all children have been psychologically traumatised by war, occupation and blockade. Close to 300,000 children need psychosocial help.
Same with The west bank where …. “ • Israeli terrorists, both soldiers and settlers, harass, kidnap, and kill Palestinians with almost complete impunity.
• Also in the West Bank, countless checkpoints are established and manned by Israeli terrorists/soldiers. When these are open and closed is completely arbitrary. They make the simple act of going to school or work an hours-long ordeal. People have died at checkpoints when seeking emergency medical treatment, simply because the Israelis manning them didn’t feel like letting them through
• Over 550,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, in violation of international law.
• Palestine homes are routinely bulldozed, leaving the families that resided in them homeless, to make room for new Jewish-only roads or illegal housing developments.”
“Hamas represents a large constituency. Many Gazans voted for the party because they were disgusted with the corruption of the secular Fatah movement and were impressed with the social service system Hamas had created. Like other resistance movements—the African National Congress, the Irish Republican Army—Hamas was on its way toward becoming a political party. “…
“if you claim to respect democracy, you must recognize the results of free and fair elections. And if you want a party to change its position—and it’s willing to talk—you have to sit down at the table and negotiate with it.,,, But Israel—and by extension the United States—didn’t choose this option.”
Yes, I was stunned when she put it to Dr Ramzy Baroud that is is very hard for Israel to except that Palestinians want the right to return to their land (or some such)
If someone stole stuff from you 70 years ago, and you’ve been asking for it back for 70 years why in the name of all things sane should the thief be shown compassion because they don’t want to give the stolen goods back?
Was she just being the devils advocate?
I do hope so.
Though she even insulted him suggesting he wasn’t alive during the 87 intifada, therefore I suppose without the right to speak for those who were. But he replied with modesty and courtesy that she didn’t deserve.
As Baroud said, we’re sick of hearing about Israels rights.
And another point is, that if Jews have the right to return to a land they claim was theirs 2000 years ago, why do Palestinians not have the same right to return to land that was theirs 70 years ago.
I posted this on open mike on the 17th, but it might of got lost with the budget stuff.
This written by sword fish”……..it’s about how the meme about the honey moon bounce in the polls was started by Ferrari and picked up by msm and spouted as fact
This is a must read. Maybe even post it with sword fishes permission.
I thought that Grant Robertson looked good on The Nation this morning. A bit like a younger version of Steven Joyce in a good way.
Ten years as an MP, three years in Opposition with finance responsibilities, and now as Minister of Finance he comes across as in control of his job and responsibilities.
He looks to be a financial asset for the Government, and has the potential to be a real asset for the country if he stays on track as a prudent and incremental progressive.
Labour may end up benefiting more from his behind the scenes work than from the surface celebrity of Ardern.
One Two, Incrementalism is not fashionable but it is sensible.
Michael Cullen and Labour introduced Kiwi Saver. The impact is only now being truly felt and understood for some nearing home ownership or retirement. That is ten+ years for the policy to really make a difference in people’s lives. It will continue to do good for people and the country.
The so called “Cullen Fund” has countered our debt and added strength to our current retirement planning…. again ten+ years in the making and strengthened by this Government
Both policies were so valuable that the last National Government watered them down, but did not remove them.
That this budget of 2018 is a “Foundation Budget” working towards by increments to the “Well being Budget” of 2019, which will be a world wide first, putting people and the environment front and centre, with money as the change agent used in clever ways to achieve a sustainable way of living.
Any person repeating national memes of “no plan” “we did more” “we are better” “the election was stolen” “not enough” has not been paying attention.
After 9+ years of squeeze… there are so many voices in the wilderness and this new Government cares and that is why they are working so hard and so fast to try to mitigate the many tragic circumstances some people face… it will never be enough for some, but they are doing what they said they would. Put people and environment first incrementally. Sadly powerful forces in the world and here do not like change that shares wealth or power, so working incrementally is key. “Good things take time”
It is good to hear you praise Grant Robertson and I agree with you PG. He is clearly on top of his job. But I take issue with your depiction of Jacinda Ardern as a “surface celebrity”. If you really believe that is all there is to her, then your judgement of her is seriously awry.
While this is the picture her Nat opponents are trying to paint of Jacinda, all the evidence has succeeded in proving the exact opposite. She is highly intelligent and has a maturity well beyond her years. Her grasp of national and international affairs is equal to her predecessor, Helen Clark and the respect and confidence in her that her overseas counterparts have openly expressed… is testament to that. Add to that her strength of character and resilience, and there’s not much more one could ask for.
Her rhetorical skills are right up there too – she absolutely savaged the hapless Bridges with natural triplets and juxtapositions like “too much shouty shouty and not enough planny planny”.
The Gnats, accorded too much sunshine by a limp media, have neglected their skills and become accustomed to lying as a default strategy. It’s weak.
Not at all – Helen never got anything like the ringing endorsement Jacinda got from Angela Merkel. Gnat wishful thinking has fooled you guys bigtime about Jacinda – sure she presents well, but she’s got plenty of depth, and is a much better communicator. There is a sincerity about her which is rare in contemporary politicians – reminiscent of Edward Walker’s description of Ivy.
Of course if you take your views from tragic mistakes like Malcolm Turnbull or the near-sighted and vindictive scribblers of the Herald you won’t pick that up.
Pete George, They are truly complementary. But personally I would like Grant to be more progressive. Jacinda Ardern has cut-through. She has the ability to connect emotionally and shows judgement in having Grant Robertson in that portfolio. Do not think Jacinda is ‘surface’ only. She is a policy wonk with a phenomenal grasp of complexities, and any who work with her soon show admiration for her acumen work ethic and humanity, coupled with sharp wit and eloquence. She is the coalition’s glue.
To Lynn Prent: what happened to the Replies drop-down menu on the RH side? I can only see Comments or Opinions but no longer the replies to my comments!?
Edit: As soon as I submit a comment my details disappear too and I have to re-enter them for each and every comment, which is cumbersome 😉
No, I haven’t knowingly changed anything. But to be sure I played around with settings in two different browsers (MS Edge and G Chrome) and ran a few tests here on TS and it made no difference.
I just noticed it as I commented to that my required name and mail get wiped automatically too. I’m using Firefox and it did update to V60.0.1 the other night between my latest reply with the fields empty and my previous one when they auto-filled in. Mozilla has been making a lot of security changes to Firefox with every update.
I have lost my automatic login and have to enter info individually with a different icon thing. I thought it might be connected with my site going down last night – through Vodafone but it seems that others have problems too. I have Firefox too, and have been getting red notices that I have too update my details which I haven’t got round to.
A flurry of oil and gas exploration is set to be unleashed in Taranaki during the next 18 to 36 months as companies make decisions on whether to ‘drill or drop’ existing permits.
The schedule will see as many as 20 wells being drilled both onshore and offshore in the region before early 2019 as the price of oil steadily rises, to US$80 from below US$40 two years ago.
Among the companies involved in the region are Todd Energy, Tamarind Resources, and OMV.
A Petroleum Exploration and Production Association New Zealand (PEPANZ) spokesman said a decision would be made on a total of 31 exploration permits to be completed in Taranaki, as well as off the east coast of both the North and South Islands over the next three years.
There are 31 oil and gas exploration permits currently active, 22 are offshore. These permits cover an area of 100,000 square kilometers, nearly the size of the North Island, and run as far out as 2030 and could go an additional 40 years under a mining permit.
Another day waking up to find there has been another US shooting. They are becoming so common in the US. But then when you have a lobby group like the NRA sponsored by gun manufacturers legally bribing politicians to make sure that no legislation is passed to slow these things down and protect the people, what can you expect.
The NRA in the US has no shame having elected a man as their NRA president who in testimony has admitted to being a Traitor to his own country and selling guns to those deemed terrorist organizations by the US. He only got out of jail time on a technicality because a lot of the evidence used to convict him was found to be inadmissible as it was given by him during a hearing to a congressional hearing while he was under an immunity deal.
These are the sort of problems you have when you give lobbyists access to legally bribe politicians. This was something you saw in very minor ways starting to creep into NZ under previous National Governments with their Cabinet Club dinners where lobbyists got full access to National MPs and the former PM John Key. Here we saw a small number of deaths to with no one really held accountable, but the deaths here where due to lobbying for lax safety enforcement in places like the logging and mining industry.
A comment made about one young USA shooter has stuck with me. He is supposed to have said something like – society is so bad and everyone is contemptible and humans destroying the earth and that it would be better if all of us died. It is dangerous for young people to start thinking like this before they have had layers of denial of the reality of their, and general human behaviour, to insulate him.
Another item from 17/5/2018 on the apartheid-like laws that used to be the norm in earlier times. A book explores that history.
‘Racist as f***’: Book backs up Taika Waititi’s claims about New Zealand racism https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12053300 Looking at archives and old newspapers, he discovered Māori were treated as “enemies of the state”, long after the Waikato War had finished.
“During a series of epidemics, Māori were banned from moving about the country, because their brown skin was equated with disease,” Hamilton said.
“When smallpox broke out in 1913, Māori villages were sealed off, and Māori were banned from the roads and from trains unless they had a special certificate showing they’d been immunised.
“No Pākehā was ever subjected to these rules. They were blatantly racist, made life almost impossible for Māori, and were in force for many months.”
Māori were also excluded from bars, cinemas and barber shops in South Auckland.
“For much of the 20th century it was hard to get a drink in places like Papakura and Pukekohe if you were the wrong colour,” Hamilton said.
The book details the experience of Rongomanu Bennett, a Māori psychiatrist who was refused a beer in the Papakura Tavern in 1959.
He began a campaign and made headlines around the world.
“The New York Times called Papakura ‘the Little Rock of New Zealand’, after the Arkansas city where African Americans were fighting segregation,” Hamilton said.
The Prime Minister at the time eventually backed up Bennett, and Papakura Tavern agreed to serve Māori.
Apparently in the 70’s there was separate seating for Māori patrons in the Pukekohe theatre. Two years ago, I heard the Tangata Whenua providing a report on the health of a stream in a council meeting being referred to as ‘n*****s’. As residents of Franklin we have the misfortune to receive the eLocal, ensuring at least one Māori bashing article per issue. My list of present day casual racism witnessed is long, but others would be much longer, and no doubt, more damaging.
Bastion Point was in 1976.
Moutoa Gardens 1995.
Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004.
Tuhoe raid – Operation 8 2007.
These have happened in this generation.
Are you sure that you are living in this country, if you think Taika Waititi doesn’t have a point?
Your comment implied that Taiki Waititi had no evidence to back up the present tense. I provided a small number, which you ignored.
If you want to maintain your complacency over the specific racism directed towards Maaori in New Zealand, then continue on as you are. Ignore the living reality of Tangata Whenua and dilute any conversation with generalisations. I’m sure your comfort level will not be disturbed.
There’s an article about a book dealing with historical racism – it was used in relation to Taika Waititi’s comment I pointed out the two did not overlap in terms of history – and lo abuse cometh in my direction. I did not ignore the references you made – I have no argument with them. Your focus is on specific racism towards maori – I find all racism objectionable and I tire of one category of racism being portrayed as more important than others.
If you find abuse in my comment, then I’m not surprised at your perspective.
Generalising about racism, particularly noticeable in NZ is an avoidance technique. No one has suggested that racism is not a global issue. My response to you paraphrases the BLM movement: “Racism towards Maaori matters as well.”. I haven’t seen you acknowledge that the existence of it still causes damage and is harmful.
Let’s acknowledge that racism etc occurs all around the world in Tom Lehrer’s inimitable style.
Then let’s get back to regarding Maori people respectfully and understand their strivings to cope in our capitalist world of take from above (the Highland Clearings syndrome). It should be noted that – Sir Francis Henry Dillon Bell GCMG KC PC was a New Zealand lawyer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of New Zealand from 10 to 30 May 1925. Wikipedia
considered Maori communist because they shared and lived co-operatively, not coldly, individually with rich and abject poor as the settlers were prepared to do. (This is in my memory, and I can’t quote source.) And this country’s citizens are increasingly adopting the same behaviour as a satisfactory culture now.
We have much to learn from Maori in living with those of a different culture and be co-operative to the advantage of both. When we acknowledge that, we will be able to turn aside lingering accusations of racism.
The only reason you know about it is that the BBC et al reported on it. Otherwise, it falls under the category of “none of your goddamn business how people who’ve survived attempted murder choose to convalesce”.
PS: witless assumptions and slavish adherence to Moscow propaganda do not generate “difficult questions”. They just say something about you.
Correct again Ed. The lamestream who can dish the dirt on anyone they so choose, have no idea what’s happened to the two victims in the biggest story in Britain. What the hell!
Try again Ed: Russia is an official suspect of the UK investigation, no matter how much you love or hate them. Suspects don’t get updates; saying so makes no statement as to guilt whatsoever.
Apart from Steven Morris and Patrick Wintour and Jill Lawless and Andrew Griffin and Fiona Hamilton and Leila Nathoo, who’ve all had stories on the Skripal poisoning published in the last 24 hours, that is.
The Skripal poisoning requires a conspiracy, whoever you think did it.
You ‘see a conspiracy’ enacted by the Russians.
I accept there was a conspiracy. There had to be.
But I am not prepared to be judge, jury and executioner based on evidence presented by such dubious sources as MI5, Theresa May and Boris Johnson.
Also, you continually use the word conspiracy as if it were an insult.
Have you looked up what the word means in a dictionary?
To help, you….
noun
a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful.
“a conspiracy to destroy the government”
synonyms: plot, scheme, stratagem, plan, machination, cabal; More
the action of plotting or conspiring.
“they were cleared of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice”
synonyms: plotting, collusion, intrigue, connivance, machination, collaboration; treason
“he was due to stand trial for conspiracy to murder”
Ed is not a conspiracy theorist. From what I’ve seen he’s got a good grasp (of reality) in geopolitical, environmental and local issues, etc. Using good independent journalism Ed can’t really go wrong. Craig Murray, John Pilger, Robert Fisk, Rachel Stewart et al.
So first you link to an organisation as though to suggest the organisation is a person, and I simply point out that the person you linked to doesn’t measure up against the other journalists he shares a platform with, and then you ask a question that makes no sense whatsover.
If you want a sense of Robert Mackey’s journalism, read his NYT and Guardian pieces. He tends towards being descriptive.
edit – if you want to argue with yourself over what Mackey did and didn’t get wrong in that piece, you could begin with the content of the 148 comments it attracted. They cover it off quite well. 😉
All I suggested is that The Intercept (or Mackey if you prefer) did a better job than Fisk on this occasion, which is pertinent to Maui’s assertion that Ed is well informed.
It is becoming clearer that the Government’sKiwi build and the increase in state house construction announced in the budget will not be enough to catch up with the 9 years of neglect by the National government.
Should the government be thinking of a solution that could end the housing crisis overnight and not cost the taxpayer a cent, and legislate against perfectly good houses
and apartments being allowed to be left empty, without reasonable excuse?
Ghost homes – properties lie empty in spite of crisis
Inner-city Auckland apartments and residences in Manly, Takapuna, Newmarket and Gulf Harbour rate highest for empty or “ghost” dwellings, an analysis shows.
John Polkinghorne, associate director of specialist property consultancy RCG, said a breakdown of the city’s empty dwellings showed these areas had the highest number of vacant dwellings on Census night.
Stanley Bay, Turanga, Grafton West and Glen Innes East have the next most vacancies in the top 10, he found in his analysis of the 33,330 vacant dwellings from the last Census.
Chris Darby, an Auckland councillor, is concerned about Stanley Bay, where he has noticed many empty properties, particularly in one prestigious street
The analysis showed 75 empty houses there at Census 2013 but Darby says many more are now vacant. One former resident complained how her family home had been left empty and how upsetting she and the family found that…..
……In Auckland, Watercare cannot supply data on low-use properties.
“Our water use data is held within our billing system, which is set up to enable us to support our customers by identifying unusually high water usage. Unfortunately, our system has not been set up to identify customers that use no water,” said a spokeswoman.
You would think it would also be set up to track low use of water by properties.
Low use of water week after week should raise an alarm and have someone dispatched out to check on water monitoring equipment to make sure it has not been tampered with or is faulty.
Marae thats the way Narnia Mahuta you tell them they national and Maori party they stuffed up the prospects for maori they were the government that has suppressed the poor people whom are mostly brown and Maori you are doing good holding your own against two men .Ka pai e hao Ka kite ano
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The Democracy Virus: China’s authoritarian political system enables a level of social surveillance and control that liberal democratic societies cannot match. The Chinese Government makes full use of the latest digital technology to both punish – and reward – its citizens. The plans it formulates cannot be challenged, or hindered. Where ...
Another day, another IPCA report on criminal conduct by policy. This time they kicked a child in the head when he was handcuffed:Police chased him and yelled out for him to stop. When he turned to face the police, he threatened them with a hammer. That's when the officers tasered ...
The investigation of two of the five parties in Parliament for fraud around their election donations has pushed the issue of party funding back into the spotlight. And while there are obvious things we can do to tighten up the donations regime - a much lower declaration threshold, realtime disclosure ...
While the south of New Zealand has been struggling with too much rain in recent days, here in the north we are so very short of it (though Saturday’s forecast looks promising). Basically, we have had almost none since Christmas.As someone who relies on rain to wash the car, ...
Former National Party MP Jami-Lee RossIt comes as no surprise that Jami-Lee Ross has been named as one of the defendants in the X2 $100,000 National Party donations case currently before the courts. Click bait journalists who were chaffing at the bit to discredit the former senior whip had already ...
Stand Clear! Winston Peters is encouraging voters to think of RNZ as belonging to “The Media Party”. He wants them to see it as a politically partisan institution with its own, vicious attack-dogs in the electoral fight. If he succeeds, it will be, and probably should be, the end of ...
"You're going to need a longer runway" Gratton et al explore the ongoing effects of upward-creeping temperatures on aviation in Greece in the period since 1955 at a range of airports in that country. For longer runways impacts are measurable but with little impact on operations. For airports with shorter runways, ...
In mid-December the Israeli secret police, the Shin Beit, revealed it had arrested dozens of Palestinian left-wing activists, including members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), in the previous few months. Among those arrested was one of the central leaders of the PFLP, Khalida Jarrar. As ...
Former National Party chief whip Jami-Lee Ross is one of the four people charged over National's multiple fraudulent donations. How unsurprising. Meanwhile, just days ago National leader Simon Bridges was trying to pretend the charges were nothing to do with his party. Yeah, right. When your chief whip effectively publicly ...
If you've been watching FYI for a while, you'll have noticed that the police have a bad habit of demanding ID from requesters. They have apparently been repeatedly told to stop doing this by the Ombudsman, but we all know what law enforcement thinks of the law, so thye keep ...
Collateral Damage: For the Green Phoenix to be reborn, the funeral pyre so patiently assembled by its identity politicians over the course of many fractious years – but with growing intensity over the past three – first has to be ignited. The terrible probability, of course, is that, in setting ...
If you follow politics in New Zealand you've likely noticed that the right wing have been going on and on about the Coalition Government failing to reduce poverty. In fact they’ve been incessantly claiming, in the absence of any conclusive data, that poverty has been getting worse.Yesterday, NewstalkZB reported:Mike Hosking: ...
The Herald reported over the weekend that an Auckland business owner is being targeted with asset forfeiture laws over a workplace death:A workplace fatality has seen police use a law usually associated with drugs and organised crime to seize millions of dollars in assets from a business owner because of ...
Just days after talking about how people feel "squeezed" and promising tax and service cuts as a "solution", National is talking about cancelling a rise in the minimum wage if elected: National is considering scrapping the Government's planned minimum wage increase if it wins this year's election, the party's finance ...
Nobody thinks about the next century anymore. That at least is Sci-Fi writer William Gibson’s observation (in this BBC 4 short interview, starting at 1:43:50 ). He calls it “Futures Fatigue”, but isn’t judgemental about it. Gibson notes that in the 20th century speculation about the 21st (and beyond) was common. Now ...
A Labour government desperate for the numbers crawls into bed with Winston Peters. Winston ignores the law and secretly takes money under the table from someone. When it is exposed just months out from an election, he is investigated by the Serious Fraud Office. That's what happened back in 2008. ...
So the Serious Fraud Office has another secret $100,050 National Party donation before the Courts in a major scandal that looks set to quash any chances Simon Bridges had of winning the 2020 election.Yesterday, Newsroom reported:The Serious Fraud Office prosecution of four people over donations to the National Party involves ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review... Story of the Week... Iceberg twice the size of Washington, D.C., breaks off Pine Island glacier in Antarctica Story Highlights: The Pine Island ...
Prof Philippa Howden-ChapmanHousing policy is building up to be the key election issue again. In this blog I reflect on the importance of the role of the New Zealand Government in improving access to affordable housing. I look at what the Government has been doing to increase quality public housing ...
Writing on The Spinoff, Danyl Mclauchlan argues that we have a vacuum in our political system, in that there is no longer an anti-establishment party anymore:I think there’s a vacuum in our political system. There are obvious problems with the status quo but no real critics offering reform. It’s a ...
Stuff today has a piece about the government discovering it has been oversubsidising polluters for a decade under the Emissions Trading scheme:The Government is pledging to urgently fix an issue within the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), after it emerged some polluters are likely being over-compensated with taxpayer-funded carbon credits. [...] ...
The Marlborough District Council, tired of public scrutiny, wants to increase the amount it charges for LGOIMA requests:The cost of requesting official information from Marlborough's government agency could almost double after a jump in "fishing expeditions". Charges could be raised from $60 to $100 an hour for information supplied by ...
When Winston Peters was caught money laundering donations and stalking journalists, the Greens were conspicuous by their silence. It was another example of how getting along with their government partners was eroding their values and their own reputation. It was obviously unsustainable, and so now James Shaw has finally spoken ...
I am among the most pro-free speech people I know. I don’t doubt there are others more strident than me, but I’m certainly up there. And my support for freedom of expression isn’t limited to opposition to government-imposed restrictions. It extends to a belief that employers should have limited powers ...
The eastern Bay of Plenty town of Ōpōtiki is getting a new harbour, which will create 1,850 new jobs in the region, in a new round of regional services funding announced by Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones. Ōpōtiki's harbour is currently unusable by most ships, but it will receive ...
Darroch Ball MP, New Zealand First Spokesperson for Law and Order New Zealand First Law and Order spokesman Darroch Ball has submitted the ‘Sentencing (Priority of Interests in Sentencing) Amendment Bill’ – a Members Bill which introduces a new overarching ‘priority and weighting provision’ that courts must follow when sentencing ...
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, New Zealand First Deputy Leader A total delivery of 2,000 new Police Officers has been achieved. New Zealand First Deputy Leader, Fletcher Tabuteau attended the latest police graduation of Recruit Wing 335 in Porirua today. Mr Tabuteau said, “Increasing police numbers and boosting their resources was one of ...
Taupō District mayor David Trewavas has welcomed today’s announcement from regional economic development minister Shane Jones outlining $5.87m of funding for the re-development of the Taupō Airport. The bulk of the investment ($5 million) will come from the Provincial Growth Fund, while the rest will be from the New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has defended multi-million dollar provincial growth fund money for Northland water storage. The New Zealand First leader, along with Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones, were recently in Dargaville to announce up to $12.745 million PGF funding top-up for water storage initiatives in the ...
One of our most immediate priorities upon forming Government was to get people out of sleeping in cars, garages, or on the street and into safe and warm housing. Since then, we've made major progress towards breaking the cycle of homelessness, including expanding Housing First, building more state houses, and ...
Kids learn better with a full stomach. That's why we launched our Lunches in Schools programme, which is already providing free and healthy school lunches to thousands of children so they can focus on what's important - learning. ...
Mark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP based in Clutha-Southland This afternoon to a crowd of over 100 people in Mataura -- Mark Patterson, New Zealand First List MP based in Clutha-Southland launched a parliamentary petition regarding the aluminium dross issue in Mataura, Southland. The petition asks that the ...
Fletcher Tabuteau MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Spokesperson for Finance, Fletcher Tabuteau has welcomed Statistics New Zealand’s latest report as a timely reminder of the value that this Coalition Government brings to every day New Zealanders: “This Coalition Government has meant a ...
Today New Zealand First made a pledge to campaign at the election to fund St John Ambulance the 90 per cent it has asked for. Government funding would allow St. John’s to achieve fully funded status. Leader of New Zealand First, Rt Hon Winston Peters publicly declared his determination to deliver ...
Darroch Ball MP, Spokesperson for Law and Order Newly released Police data shows once again the number of fleeing drivers have continued to skyrocket with a record 512 incidents occurring in December – almost tripling the number of incidents occurring just ten years ago, says New Zealand First Law and ...
While the Provincial Growth Fund has provided $2 million to set up temporary water supplies in Kaikohe and Kaitaia, Regional Economic Minister Shane Jones said he is greatly concerned that there are “issues” in implementing the projects. The Minister said the immediate solution was to pipe water from a bore ...
Mark Patterson MP, New Zealand First List MP for Clutha-Southland NZ First is calling on Rio Tinto to accept its responsibilities to the Southland community and enable the immediate removal of the toxic Aluminium Dross from the Mataura Paper Mill site. New Zealand First List MP for Clutha-Southland, Mark Patterson ...
The Coalition Government has announced that a further $500,000 will be given to help residents in Southland and Otago to speed up recovery efforts from the floods. It follows prior government assistance of $200,000 earlier this month where the Southland Mayoral Relief Fund received $100,000 to support communities impacted by ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones was on RNZ’s Morning Report talking about the recent droughts in the Northland region and what the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is doing to alleviate its impact. The PGF recently announced a funding of $2 million for temporary water supplies to Kaikohe and Kaitaia, ...
Speaking to The Country’s Jamie Mackay, New Zealand First MP and Cabinet Minister Shane Jones talks water storage, plant-based meat imitation, and superstar Hollywood director James Cameron. While water storage may have its critics, Minister Jones defended the scheme by saying: “unless we invest and continue to invest” in this ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones is accusing northern iwi leaders of selling out Māori by voting for ideologically-driven court cases rather than practical steps to increase water supply. “I just think that iwi leaders who think that water issues are going to be solved by perpetually fighting in the ...
A dairy owner in St Kilda, Dunedin was delighted to hear that an attempted robbery of his establishment was foiled by a government-funded security system. Sean Lee was delighted at how well the anti-theft smoke system worked. When a knife-wielding man entered the store, the shop assistant immediately pressed a ...
Customs says it stopped more than three tonnes of illegal drugs coming into New Zealand last year. This includes 1,180kg of methamphetamine, 329kg of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine precursors, which could have been converted into 246kg of methamphetamine, 739kg and 6469 pills of MDMA or Ecstasy and 60kg of cocaine. Offshore, ...
Hon. Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development Up to $2 million will be allocated from the Provincial Growth Fund to set up temporary water supplies in Kaikohe and Kaitaia where drought is biting hard, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. Drought conditions in Northland have led to ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Law and Order New Zealand First welcomes the deployment of an Eagle Police helicopter in Christchurch in what is a step towards fulfilling its long-standing goal to increase the use of police helicopters for the front line, particularly in addressing the scourge of fleeing drivers. Christchurch leads ...
It may have been the first sitting week of 2020, but our Government is already in full-swing - managing a strong economy, investing in infrastructure, and working to break the cycle of homelessness. Read below for all that, and more... ...
In a heated debate in Parliament, National's Deputy Leader Paula Bennett claimed that “nearly 1600 patched gang members have been added” since the Coalition Government took power. To illustrate her point, she altered a chart used by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to show her government’s progress in housing to instead ...
Speech by the Rt Hon Winston Peters at Parliament’s Opening 2020 "We all need insurance" This year New Zealanders are going to have a clear choice to make That choice is between: Optimism versus pessimism; More progress versus back to the future; Investment versus divestment; Unity versus division. New Zealand ...
Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones has slammed the Board of Auckland Airport following the airport's runway closing twice within two weeks due to maintenance. Around 2,000 passengers were affected by last week’s runway closures, according to 1NEWS. Another maintenance closure on January 24 saw two international flights and three domestic flights ...
It’s my pleasure to be in Sydney today for our annual meeting, Prime Minister. It’s fair to say that since we last met, tragedy and disaster have befallen our two countries. They say that in moments of that nature, the true character of an individual comes to the fore. I ...
Travel restrictions introduced for Iran from today No exemptions for students from China to enter the country Increased health staff presence at international airports The Government has announced a suite of new actions as it steps up its response to the rapidly changing global spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. This ...
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has today classified the drought conditions in Waikato and South Auckland as an adverse event for the primary sector, unlocking $80,000 in Government support for farmers and growers. “This is recognition that the extreme and prolonged nature of this dry spell is taking its toll on ...
The Crown accounts are in a strong position to weather any economic uncertainty as a result of coronavirus, with the books in surplus and expenses close to forecast, Finance Minister Grant Robertson says. The Treasury today released the Crown accounts for the seven months to January. The operating balance before ...
Supporting New Zealand to make most of digital and data driven technologies will be the focus of a new Digital Council that begins its work today. Minister for Government Digital Services, Kris Faafoi, and Minister of Statistics, James Shaw, have confirmed the group of experts chosen to advise the Government ...
Safety and climate change resilience are behind South Island regional roading projects that are being brought forward as part of the New Zealand Upgrade Programme, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. As part of the NZ Upgrade, $300 million was allocated for regional investment opportunities. “I’m pleased to ...
Digital and air connectivity in Fiordland are getting a big boost, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. As part of the $12 billion New Zealand Upgrade Programme announced in January, $300 million was allocated for regional investment opportunities, to be administered by the Provincial Development Unit. “I’m pleased ...
West Coast ports and roads will benefit from an investment of $18.6 million to improve safety and resilience and enable future economic growth, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. The $12 billion NZ Upgrade Programme announced last month allocated $300 million for regional investment opportunities, to be administered ...
Regional roading projects that will improve safety and resilience are being brought forward as part of the New Zealand Upgrade Programme, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. As part of the NZ Upgrade, $300 million was allocated for regional investment opportunities. “I spend a lot of time in ...
The Eastern Bay of Plenty will finally get the harbour development it has wanted for decades, thanks to a $79.4 million central Government investment, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. This game-changing project will revitalise the township of Ōpōtiki and the wider Eastern Bay of Plenty, creating hundreds ...
Regional New Zealand will be a hive of activity in the coming months as the New Zealand Upgrade Programme delivers on its promise to modernise our infrastructure, prepare for climate change and help grow our economy. As part of the $12 billion NZ Upgrade Programme announced by the Government last ...
A milestone has been reached with the graduation of more than 2,000 new Police officers since the Coalition Government took office in October 2017. Police Minister Stuart Nash says the graduation today of Wing 335 marks a surge of 2,023 new officers, and coincides with some significant breakthroughs against organised ...
Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister, Kris Faafoi, and the Minister of Education, Chris Hipkins, have welcomed a new cyber security qualification as a step towards countering cyber threats and keeping New Zealanders safe. Attending the launch of the new Level 6 Diploma of Cyber Security at Auckland’s Unitec Institute ...
Government Ministers today celebrated 20 years of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park/ Ko te Pataka kai o Tikapa Moana/ Te Moananui a Toi, and recognise there is much to celebrate and so much more to do to give nature a helping hand. Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said “New Zealanders care deeply about nature.I want to ...
Prepared remarks on coronavirus by Finance Minister Grant Robertson to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and Massey University. Good morning ladies and gentlemen, The topic of this speech is the Budget 2020 priorities. But, given the considerable interest that I imagine is in the room about COVID-19 coronavirus, I do ...
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā iwi, e ngā rau rangatira ma. Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa. Ni sa bula vinaka. Namaste Thank you Shamima, Hon. Minister Vuniwaqa, community leaders and Women’s Crisis Centre staff for your warm welcome. It’s an honour and privilege to officially ...
The Government has released a comprehensive response to ensuring New Zealanders get a fairer deal at the petrol pump. This follows the Commerce Commission fuel market study which found motorists were paying more than they should for petrol and includes: Fuel Market Bill drafting, to pass mid-year Industry consultation in ...
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā iwi, e ngā rau rangatira ma Tēnā koutou katoa Ni sa bula vinaka As-salaam alaikum It is a privilege to be here today. Thank you for welcoming us to your house of prayer. Thank you for your warmth. Thank you for greeting ...
Taupō Airport is to be upgraded and expanded through a $5.9 million Government funding boost, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced. “Taupō Airport is the gateway to the Central North Island. It is essential for both keeping local people and businesses connected, but also to bring more people ...
The Minister of Housing Megan Woods has confirmed the Government is working with Rotorua Lakes District Council and Te Arawa for the second place-based assessment to better understand the housing and urban issues affecting the city. “Every New Zealander has a right to a warm, safe and secure place to ...
19 new community homes (in addition to 14 opened in December) delivered in Takanini, Auckland 500 people housed by CORT Housing Trust by end of March 2,290 new public housing homes delivered in Auckland (November 2017 – December 2019). Another nineteen new public housing homes are being delivered in Auckland, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker met today with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to discuss ways to strengthen ties between New Zealand and India. “India is a priority relationship for New Zealand. We share common democratic traditions, growing two-way trade, extensive people-to-people links, ...
Speech to the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) Delhi, India Wednesday 26 February 2020 [CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY] The Indo-Pacific: from principles to partnerships Distinguished guests, good afternoon and thank you for your invitation. It is good to be here at a time where New Zealand needs less of an introduction than ...
Tihei mauri ora Te Whare e tu nei Te Papa e takoto Tēnā korua No reira tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa Ni sa bula Vinaka It is a real pleasure to be here today, and to have the honour of addressing you all. If you’ll indulge me I’m ...
Improved air quality to support better health and environmental wellbeing is the focus of proposed amendments to air quality regulations, says the Associate Minister for the Environment, Hon Nanaia Mahuta. “Although our air quality is good in most places, during winter certain places have spikes in air pollution, mainly from ...
The remote eastern Bay of Plenty community of Raukokere will receive a Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) investment of $10.6 million for a water storage facility, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says. “This is great news for the rural community. The landowner, Te Whānau a Maruhaeremuri Hapū Trust, will use ...
The Lake Ōkaro lakebed has transferred to Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Minister for Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti Kelvin Davis announced today. Kelvin Davis joined Te Arawa at Te Papaiōuru Marae in Rotorua to celebrate the reinstatement of Te Arawa Lakes Trust as a key decision maker over the bed ...
New legislation is being proposed which aims to reduce the stress and financial hardship caused by late payments to small businesses. The Minister for Small Business Stuart Nash is considering stricter rules around payment practices between businesses. “Late payments from large organisations to smaller suppliers can be crippling for these ...
A new partnership programme between the New Zealand Police and Fiji Police will focus on combatting transnational organised crime and enhancing investigative skills, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on the first day of her visit to Fiji. The programme will see: · New Zealand Institute of Environmental Science and Research ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama met today in Suva, and renewed their commitment to continue to strengthen Fiji-New Zealand relations on a foundation of shared values and equal partnership. The Prime Ministers acknowledged the kinship between Fijians and New Zealanders, one that has endured over ...
A $19.9 million investment from the Provincial Growth Fund will help develop essential infrastructure for an industrial hub in the Bay of Plenty town of Kawerau, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says. “The funding will go to three projects to further develop the Putauaki Trust Industrial Hub, an industrial ...
The Provincial Growth Fund is investing $8.3 million on a roading package for Mahia that will lead to greater and wider economic benefits for the region and beyond, Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced at an event in Mahia today. The $8.3 million announced consists of: $7 ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed new reporting showing the Coalition Government is on track to meet its child poverty targets, with 18,400 children lifted out of poverty as a result of the Families Package. Stats NZ has released the first set of comprehensive child poverty statistics since the Government ...
Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter today announced that Bikes in Schools facilities have been rolled out to 20,000 more kiwi kids under this Government. She made the announcement at the opening of a new bike track at Henderson North School in Auckland. “Bikes in Schools facilities give kids ...
Benefit settings rise in line with wages as of 1 April Main benefits will increase by over 3 percent, instead of 1.66 percent, on 1 April with the Government’s decision to annually adjust benefit rates to increases in the average wage. The Minister for Social Development, Carmel Sepuloni, said ...
Strengthening New Zealand’s political and business ties with India will be the focus of Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters’ and Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker’s visit to India this week. The Ministers are co-leading a high level business delegation to India to support increased people and economic engagement ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio continues to champion for greater Pacific participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers with the announcement of the Toloa Awards, with 8 recipients of the Toloa Community Fund and 13 Toloa Tertiary Scholarships. “The Toloa Programme encourages more Pacific peoples ...
Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has extended the date for people to have their say on proposed changes to improve management of whitebait across New Zealand. Submissions were due to close on 2 March 2020 but will now remain open until 9am on Monday 16 March 2020. “I have ...
The endangered toroa/Antipodean albatross has new international protection for its 100,000km annual migration, thanks to collaborative efforts led by New Zealand, Australia and Chile. Today, 130 countries agreed to strictly protect Antipodean albatross at the Conference of Parties on the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild ...
No sales to under-18-year-olds No advertising and sponsorship of vaping products and e-cigarettes No vaping or smokeless tobacco in smokefree areas Regulates vaping product safety comprehensively, - including devices, flavours and ingredients Ensure vaping products are available for those who want to quit smoking Vaping regulation that balances ...
Visiting the Audio Foundation and the Michael Lett Gallery, both just off Auckland’s K’ Road, Tulia Thompson finds herself considering the galaxy and what it means to be human. You have to imagine you are viewing these on a stifling hot February afternoon. There is a cacophony of men and machines, ...
"If it wasn’t for the blood stains on his jeans and the road they could pretend it hadn’t happened": a children's birthday in Wellington is the setting for a short story by Rebecca Styles. “Oh, Jesus,” says Tom as he tears off down the driveway. Suzie runs after him — ...
Silver Ferns centurion Casey Kopua stars in the second episode of Pure As, a mini documentary series on the Silver Ferns' personal journeys to World Cup glory. The moment Casey Kopua returned to the Silver Ferns after two years in retirement, she had to seriously ask herself if she'd done the right ...
I had planned to write an unabashed rave review, and then another book landed in my letterbox – and I just couldn’t read those stories in isolation from my own experience, writes Spinoff books editor Catherine Woulfe.I want to write about two books that I’ve just read, and then I ...
Less than half of New Zealand adults have a will. One hundred per cent of New Zealand adults die. Sam Brooks writes on why you need a will.Before you read any further, ask yourself this one question:If I dropped dead right now, reading this piece, would my loved ones know ...
Yesterday New Zealand confirmed the first known case of Covid-19 in the country. As the virus approaches global pandemic status, what progress is being made in developing a vaccine? Siouxsie Wiles explains where we’re at, and how the vaccines work.The race to find a vaccine for Covid-19 is under way, ...
By RNZ News Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed today that a suspected case of Covid-19 coronavirus has tested positive in New Zealand. Ardern said the person was in their 60s, and was a citizen of New Zealand who had recently travelled from Iran via Bali. The person had previously ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jonti Horner, Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland Happy February 29! It doesn’t come round very often, so make sure you enjoy it. But why do we have these extra days? Well, if we didn’t, the seasons would gradually move around the ...
New Zealand Pompe Network Allyson Lock, MNZM An open letter to New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern “Know us by our deeds”. This was the headline next to your picture on the cover of Time Magazine, for all the world to see. I saw it. I’m ...
Analysis: The government faces economic strife and uncertainty as the coronavirus continues to spread, four men charged in National's donations case plead not guilty, and more revelations about NZ First's "slush fund". ...
New Zealand’s first case of COVID-19 has just been confirmed. Here’s what we know so far.What’s the latest?Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed New Zealand’s first case of COVID-19 coronavirus. New Zealand is the 48th country to have a confirmed case of the virus. What do we know about the patient?The ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Mercer, Associate Professor of Theatre Arts, Curtin University Review: Leviathan, directed by Yaron Lifschitz. Circa in collaboration with Co:3 Australia, MAXIMA Circus and CircusWA for Perth Festival. As the audience takes their seats, two feet poke out from beneath the curtain. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tom Bailey, Research Fellow, The University of Queensland If you’re hot and sticky even before your daily commute, you might ask why you sweat so much. Sweating is usually the body’s way of stopping you overheating. But for some people, sweating becomes ...
At a tense press conference in Sydney, the New Zealand prime minister has just issued a stark challenge to Australia over its treatment of NZ citizens. Here’s what she said. We appreciate that many Kiwis have taken up the opportunity to live and work in Australia – many more than has ...
New Zealand has widened, not narrowed, its coronavirus travel ban despite universities pleading for an exemption for international students The Government has extended its coronavirus-related travel restrictions to include Iran, while resisting calls from universities to provide an exemption for international students from China. Health officials will also monitor an ...
The Serious Fraud Office has today received a referral from NZ Police in relation to Phil Goff’s election expenses. The SFO will be assessing the matter and has no further comment at this time. ...
The series, a collaboration between Spinoff Members and Verb Wellington, kicks off with a discussion on politics and the media. As all right thinking people know, there are a mere 204 days until the general election. To get in the mood, we’re launching a new series of live events. And not ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (Picador, $20)What are you even up to, Auckland.2 Eleanor ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson insists NZ is in a strong position to weather the fallout from coronavirus, even though Australia has declared it a pandemic. He underlines the Crown accounts are buoyant, the fundamentals of the economy are strong and careful management has seen the economy continue to grow in ...
On the heels of the arrival of The Outsider on NEON, Jean Sergent explores how screen adaptations of Stephen King’s work are able to take on a life of their own. Stephen King, the 72 year old horror author from Portland, has a better work ethic than you or I and ...
Iwi are too reliant on investments in property and primary industries, restricting returns for their members, according to a new report. The annual Iwi Investment Report by consulting firm TDB Advisory, showed the country's eight largest iwi with a collective $9 billion worth of assets, had weak growth in the ...
Announcing a package of regional capital projects worth about $190 million, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones mentioned climate change. He said Regional New Zealand “will be a hive of activity in the coming months as the New Zealand Upgrade Programme delivers on its promise to modernise our infrastructure, prepare ...
The people of India have been holding mass protests all over India ever since the anti Muslim and anti working class Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was enacted into law on 12 December 2019. The state has made many attempts to suppress the rising ...
New Zealand consumer confidence remains high, according to the ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence Index. The index was down just one point on last month to 122. "Consumers are feeling pretty happy with their lot at the moment - the lifting housing market is making homeowners feel richer, job opportunities are ...
Jacinda Ardern has described difficult conversations with Australia as being "gnarly'' - but says the trans-Tasman relationship is strong enough to get through them. ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s contentPolitical donations Yvette McCullough (RNZ): Transparency International warns need for political funding reform is urgent Gordon Campbell: On where the ...
Continued strong demand for chicken, burgers and tacos has resulted in another strong year for Restaurant Brands. The fast food operator's net profit for the year ended December fell nearly 16 percent to $30.1m, but that was for a 44-week period, versus the year earlier's 52-week period. That company changed ...
The New Zealand share market opened lower on Friday, following a sixth day of world market losses as investors respond to the economic threat of coronavirus. The NZX benchmark top 50 index opened down 1.5 percent, after last night's 0.9 percent fall. The benchmark top 50 Index has fallen more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maggie Tonkin, Senior Lecturer, English and Creative Writing, University of Adelaide Review: Dance Nation, directed by Imara Savage. State Theatre Company South Australia and Belvoir for the Adelaide Festival Dance is at the heart of playwright Clare Barron’s Dance Nation, from the ...
The Government’s response to new revelations that one of the country’s biggest fishing companies, Talley’s, and its managing director has donated tens of thousands of undisclosed dollars to the New Zealand First Foundation is unacceptable. “The ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Michelle Grattan talks with Assistant Professor Caroline Fisher about the week in politics, including the implementation of an emergency plan to tackle the spread of coronavirus, the major parties’ policies on climate change, national security ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Euan Ritchie, Associate Professor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life & Environmental Sciences, Deakin University On Churchill Island, southeast of Melbourne, small cone-shaped, shallow holes (digs) puncture the grass. They’re widespread, and reveal moist soil below ...
The University of Auckland's Tim Dare examines what SkyCity's 'de-platforming' of controversial speaker Peter Singer might mean for free speech In work first appearing in the late 1970s, Princeton Philosophy Professor Peter Singer argued that in a limited range of circumstances parents ought to be able to ask doctors to end ...
By Stefan Armbruster of SBS News in Brisbane Thousands of New Zealanders who are denied disability support are hoping Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will take the issue up with her counterpart Scott Morrison when they meet today. Despite paying taxes and the NDIS levy, New Zealanders who have come ...
The Maori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta and her Australian counterpart have met in Sydney and formally agreed to share ideas on how to better support each country's indegineous people ...
Apparently you have a vacancy on your programme after Kanoa Lloyd decided she didn’t “need to see a homophobic Pasodoble or a xenophobic Cha Cha.” Now, we have to admit we don’t know what a Pasodoble is. But we do know xenophobia when we see ...
Public services are increasingly migrating to the internet, but as the government prioritises digital interaction many of the people who need those services the most are left behind, according to a new report. Pita, an elderly gentleman, received a letter from the IRD that claimed he hadn’t paid his tax obligations ...
By Felipe F. Salvosa II in Manila Philippines Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon has dismissed comments by Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go that “politics” is behind the filing of a proposed concurrent resolution calling on regulators to temporarily allow television giant ABS-CBN to operate as Congress deliberates on its ...
The Serious Fraud Office has received a referral from NZ Police in relation to Lianne Dalziel’s election expenses. The SFO will be assessing the matter and has no further comment at this time. ...
Employers are encouraged to sign up for Road Safety Week 2020 (4-10 May), and join hundreds of communities, schools and organisations running activities to raise awareness of road safety issues. Brake, the road safety charity, which coordinates the event, ...
A poem by US National Youth Poet Laureate Kara Jackson.i woke up and the day caught me in its mouth like a strand of yarni am usefulthe motivation for a scarf, maybe some stitch started to be finishedi will make up someone’sheat i will be a fireso intricate it can be worn i ...
The euthanasia debate took an unusual turn this week when Vision NZ, the political party associated with the Destiny Church, made an unexpected policy announcement. It appeared that Vision NZ supported voluntary euthanasia, but just for one person, co-host of TV3’s The Project, Kanoa Lloyd. The now former campaign manager ...
State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes has today announced the findings of an inquiry into how Budget-sensitive material was accessed at the Treasury. The inquiry, led by Ms Jenn Bestwick, was launched by the Commission at the request of the Treasury ...
A scathing report into the accidental release of sensitive Budget 2019 information by the Treasury has found poor procurement processes and governance failures by senior leadership were to blame for security flaws in its website not being identified earlier The inquiry into the accidental release of Budget 2019 information prior ...
The Port of Tauranga's first half result is flat, despite a drop in cargo handled through the country's biggest port. The port company's net profit dropped 1.4 percent to $48.3 million in the six months to December, but was otherwise flat after accounting for a tax adjustment of $0.6m. Revenue ...
For those mothers who gave birth by non-elective Caesarean section, feelings of sadness – even of failure – can be overwhelming, writes Janice Sharan.I’m sitting next to my 15-month-old. He’s sleeping peacefully, his mop of dark hair damp with sweat, lips pursed and his chest rising and falling as he ...
Today is the last day Kiwibank will accept cheques, and its customers will no longer be able to make a payment by cheque. Inland Revenue and ACC will also follow suit on 1 March. The number of cheques has been going down by about 20 percent year-on-year and last year ...
Television New Zealand has reported a strong increase in first half profit, driven up by an increase in advertising revenue. The state-owned broadcaster made a net profit of $15.8 million in the six months to December, beating the year earlier by $5m or 47 percent. "Strong ratings performance for our ...
Air New Zealand has launched its latest safety video that moves away from celebrity appearances to push an environmental message on New Zealand's endangered native birds. The video A Journey to Safety takes a different approach from the widely criticised video of two years ago - called a 'weird mish-mash' ...
A report into how sensitive documents were accessed by the National Party before last year's Budget has found Treasury governance, oversight and risk management processes fell short. ...
In the lead up to Children’s Day in New Zealand on Sunday 1 March, The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) Aotearoa NZ President Dr Jeff Brown says the wellbeing of children and their whānau must remain a priority for all of society, not only ...
A Kiwi firm is trialling a mobile device and app that could test for Covid-19 in hospitals, schools, factories and homes anywhere in the world within 40 minutes No-one wishes harm on anyone, but sometimes a crisis is also an opportunity to quickly develop new technologies and systems to solve ...
Ahead of the forthcoming public meeting on Monday 2 March regarding the Newlands Volunteer Fire Brigade former Ohariu MP Hon Peter Dunne is extending his best wishes to all those involved in the current campaign to keep the station open. "Although ...
Sure, the new wave of RTDs might have cool labels and no carbs or whatever, but for Sam Brooks, none come close to the perfection held within that little yellow can.RTDs are coming back, if they were ever really gone. I remember the halcyon days of getting drunk off Purple ...
The ongoing strike by NorthTec tutors steps up a notch today with a public rally. For two weeks the members of Te Hautū Kahurangi | New Zealand Tertiary Education Union have been on strike. The action has meant not completing attendance registers; ...
The cut price fuel retailer, Waitomo says the Government’s proposed changes to the fuel market will mean customers will be able to see if they are getting fleeced. ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will use today’s meeting with counterpart Scott Morrison in Sydney to tell him his Government is deporting Australian criminals to New Zealand. ...
Coronavirus: Finance Minister Grant Robertson - NZ in shadow of the biggest economic uncertainty in recent times; and A2 Milk result: Net profit leaps 21% on China sales. ...
Thousands of Kiwis are expected to attend the March for Life in Auckland this Saturday (29 February). With Parliament just days away from voting on a Bill to liberalise abortion-up-to-birth in New Zealand those marching will be making a public stand ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Tormey, Professor of Politics, University of Bristol Of the many issues thrown up by Brexit, one of the most pressing is the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom. Brexit was in large measure a revolt by a certain section of English ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Gibney, NHMRC early career fellow, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity While countries around the globe have been taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, it has now been reported in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lee Baumgartner, Professor of Fisheries and River Management, Institute for Land, Water, and Society, Charles Sturt University As this summer draws to a close, it marks just over a year since successive fish death events at Menindee in Lower Darling River made ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW Every January Larry Fink, the head of the world’s largest funds manager, BlackRock, sends a letter to the chief executives of major public companies. This year’s letter focused on climate risk. “Climate change has become a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kevin Davis, Professor of Finance, University of Melbourne The government’s financial system inquiry, on which I sat, reported five years ago. It recommended that the creators of financial products be subject to a design and distribution obligation (DDO), which would mean the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andy Simionato, Lecturer, RMIT University Books are always transforming. The book we hold today has arrived through a number of materials (clay, papyrus, parchment, paper, pixels) and forms (tablet, scroll, codex, kindle). The book can be a tool for communication, reading, entertainment, ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Ardern gets diplomatic, fuel market legislation released, and police pinged over employment records breach.There hasn’t really been much coverage of it in The Bulletin, but it’s worth looking back at quite an important diplomatic week for the PM. She has been ...
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by Steve Braunias.Fiction 1 The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox (Victoria University Press, $35) ReadingRoom broke the storydetailing how Knox’s novel was fought over by US publishers in a ...
Sky Sport News presenters Kate King and Goran Paladin deliver the latest news of Kiwi sporting women at home and around the globe. *WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE* Hurdler Portia Bing has reinvented herself in a bid to make the Tokyo Olympics and take another step towards putting last year's disqualification at ...
Open Mike 19/05/2018 
Wise Words: “To retain its taxpayer-guaranteed revenue, RNZ must also retain its most precious commodity: public respect and support. That can be imperilled by poorly thought out judgements, including assuming that it should set the political climate.” - Pamela Stirling, Editor, NZ Listener.THE LISTENER LONG AGO ceased to be a ...2 hours ago
What can we make of where National’s current leader Simon Bridges and the Party’s reliable water carrier Paula Bennett are taking their campaign to “win back the Treasury benches”? Going by the often petulant tone he has adopted, and the frequent histrionics of the most ardent supporters: going nowhere, and ...15 hours ago
by Daphna Whitmore It is surprising how rarely the authorities take an evolutionary perspective when dealing with health crises, such as the latest coronavirus spread. They talk about viruses mutating but that is a frequent occurrence, and they treat mutation as though it were equivalent to evolution. A mutation is ...15 hours ago
With sincere apologies to Martin Niemöller ...17 hours ago
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Many readers will probably have read this RNZ article (or heard the related interview), or seen calls for consultation on the Ministry of Education’s suggested changes to the number of subjects – and achievement standards – on offer to year 11 students. I’ve been following (& participating, where I ...23 hours ago
A New Hope from the National Party leader ...2 days ago
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BAMS survey of 2018 extreme weather The Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society has published a collection of articles examining unusually extreme weather events of 2018 and connections of those to climate change. These investigations are listed separately below but thanks to the generosity of AMS appear free for ...2 days ago
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In mid-December the Israeli secret police, the Shin Beit, revealed it had arrested dozens of Palestinian left-wing activists, including members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), in the previous few months. Among those arrested was one of the central leaders of the PFLP, Khalida Jarrar. As ...1 week ago
I am among the most pro-free speech people I know. I don’t doubt there are others more strident than me, but I’m certainly up there. And my support for freedom of expression isn’t limited to opposition to government-imposed restrictions. It extends to a belief that employers should have limited powers ...2 weeks ago
The eastern Bay of Plenty town of Ōpōtiki is getting a new harbour, which will create 1,850 new jobs in the region, in a new round of regional services funding announced by Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones. Ōpōtiki's harbour is currently unusable by most ships, but it will receive ...22 hours ago
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Visiting the Audio Foundation and the Michael Lett Gallery, both just off Auckland’s K’ Road, Tulia Thompson finds herself considering the galaxy and what it means to be human. You have to imagine you are viewing these on a stifling hot February afternoon. There is a cacophony of men and machines, ...1 hour ago
"If it wasn’t for the blood stains on his jeans and the road they could pretend it hadn’t happened": a children's birthday in Wellington is the setting for a short story by Rebecca Styles. “Oh, Jesus,” says Tom as he tears off down the driveway. Suzie runs after him — ...2 hours ago
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Analysis: The government faces economic strife and uncertainty as the coronavirus continues to spread, four men charged in National's donations case plead not guilty, and more revelations about NZ First's "slush fund". ...15 hours ago
A gun safety expert says a firearm registry is the most important gun control measure NZ does not yet have. ...17 hours ago
New Zealand has widened, not narrowed, its coronavirus travel ban despite universities pleading for an exemption for international students The Government has extended its coronavirus-related travel restrictions to include Iran, while resisting calls from universities to provide an exemption for international students from China. Health officials will also monitor an ...17 hours ago
How clever technology that gives people access to their wages every day might help keep people from out-of-control debt. ...18 hours ago
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The University of Auckland's Tim Dare examines what SkyCity's 'de-platforming' of controversial speaker Peter Singer might mean for free speech In work first appearing in the late 1970s, Princeton Philosophy Professor Peter Singer argued that in a limited range of circumstances parents ought to be able to ask doctors to end ...20 hours ago
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The Maori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta and her Australian counterpart have met in Sydney and formally agreed to share ideas on how to better support each country's indegineous people ...21 hours ago
The euthanasia debate took an unusual turn this week when Vision NZ, the political party associated with the Destiny Church, made an unexpected policy announcement. It appeared that Vision NZ supported voluntary euthanasia, but just for one person, co-host of TV3’s The Project, Kanoa Lloyd. The now former campaign manager ...22 hours ago
A scathing report into the accidental release of sensitive Budget 2019 information by the Treasury has found poor procurement processes and governance failures by senior leadership were to blame for security flaws in its website not being identified earlier The inquiry into the accidental release of Budget 2019 information prior ...22 hours ago
The Port of Tauranga's first half result is flat, despite a drop in cargo handled through the country's biggest port. The port company's net profit dropped 1.4 percent to $48.3 million in the six months to December, but was otherwise flat after accounting for a tax adjustment of $0.6m. Revenue ...22 hours ago
Today is the last day Kiwibank will accept cheques, and its customers will no longer be able to make a payment by cheque. Inland Revenue and ACC will also follow suit on 1 March. The number of cheques has been going down by about 20 percent year-on-year and last year ...22 hours ago
Television New Zealand has reported a strong increase in first half profit, driven up by an increase in advertising revenue. The state-owned broadcaster made a net profit of $15.8 million in the six months to December, beating the year earlier by $5m or 47 percent. "Strong ratings performance for our ...22 hours ago
Air New Zealand has launched its latest safety video that moves away from celebrity appearances to push an environmental message on New Zealand's endangered native birds. The video A Journey to Safety takes a different approach from the widely criticised video of two years ago - called a 'weird mish-mash' ...22 hours ago
A Kiwi firm is trialling a mobile device and app that could test for Covid-19 in hospitals, schools, factories and homes anywhere in the world within 40 minutes No-one wishes harm on anyone, but sometimes a crisis is also an opportunity to quickly develop new technologies and systems to solve ...23 hours ago
The cut price fuel retailer, Waitomo says the Government’s proposed changes to the fuel market will mean customers will be able to see if they are getting fleeced. ...1 day ago
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will use today’s meeting with counterpart Scott Morrison in Sydney to tell him his Government is deporting Australian criminals to New Zealand. ...1 day ago
Coronavirus: Finance Minister Grant Robertson - NZ in shadow of the biggest economic uncertainty in recent times; and A2 Milk result: Net profit leaps 21% on China sales. ...1 day ago
Cycling the length of NZ has got Rod Oram thinking about farming in the climate change era ...1 day ago
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan New Zealand bestseller list and described by Steve Braunias. Fiction 1 The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox (Victoria University Press, $35) ReadingRoom broke the story detailing how Knox’s novel was fought over by US publishers in a ...1 day ago
Sky Sport News presenters Kate King and Goran Paladin deliver the latest news of Kiwi sporting women at home and around the globe. *WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE* Hurdler Portia Bing has reinvented herself in a bid to make the Tokyo Olympics and take another step towards putting last year's disqualification at ...1 day ago
The UN will be investigating the ‘disproportionate and indiscriminate use of force by the Israeli occupying forces .
Time for sanctions.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/gaza-killings-israel-hamas-un-war-crimes-investigate-border-deaths-sniper-a8357981.html
I doubt that will ever happen, but we can hope.
Waste of time does the un ever achieve anything?
The UN has achieved a lot – when the US wasn’t deliberately preventing it.
Ed, the OIC has just declared political measures against countries recognising Jerusalem as the capital.
Have been watching the OIC summit live on Al Jazeera this morning,Erdogan is currently speaking.
The BDS movement is gaining in strength.
What are they doing still boycotting soda stream and Teva medicines ?
Trolling for the apartheid Israeli state now.
How low can you go?
🙄
“If you are planning to be a lifelong renter, a reality check.”
That has to be the most hilarious opening line I’ve read for a long time…there is a serious disconnect of understanding in this country between home owners and actual ‘lifelong renters’.
very very few people in this country, with options/money would ever rent their whole life, seriously
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/104021981/renters-planning-to-be-tenants-in-retirement-face-big-savings-target
The fact is high rentals have destroyed the social fabric of this country and the only exits are the social housing or home ownership at any price.
Clearly Stuff need to quote better experts.
Nice piece of archeological work.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12043041
Not very flash of Kim Hill to claim the “Are Hamas killing their youth” (so-called) question as her own this morning’s interview with Dr Ramzy Baroud. It’s been a while since I tuned into Saturday mornings. Oh well.
And did I just hear her comment rather off-handedly that his sister will be “busy” given that she’s in Gaza?!
Yes Bill, her evolution to a system lacky has been slow but certain.
She’s come the odd cropper though, including this memorable occasion fifteen years ago when John Pilger took her to task for her smug and complacent introductory comments…
https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/face-to-face-with-kim-hill-john-pilger-2003
You can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs billy.
Lots of little eggs gabby …. 2014: Operation Protective Egg: Killed / Broken 495 were children and 253 women.
Life in Gaza
1.8m people / eggs living in Gaza
4,505 per square kilometre
475,000 living in emergency shelters or with other families
17,200 homes destroyed or severely damaged by Israeli attacks
244 schools damaged
Source: Ocha (26 August 2014)
2008, as part of Operation Cast Egg . Around 1,391 Palestinians were killed, including an estimated 759 civilians, according to B’Tselem. Reports say this included 344 children eggs and 110 women eggs.
19 medic eggs shot in one day 10.30 mins
Hamas is going to get sick of omelets at that rate reasy, or maybe not.
I think your comparing eggs to grass gabbzy
https://www.nrc.no/news/2018/april/gaza-the-worlds-largest-open-air-prison/
“Israel’s favorite metaphor for its periodic strikes on Gaza—”mowing the lawn”—suggests violence that is routine, indiscriminate, and risk-free.”
The regular pattern is for Israel, then, to disregard whatever agreement is in place, while Hamas observes it — as Israel has officially recognized — until a sharp increase in Israeli violence elicits a Hamas response, followed by even fiercer brutality. These escalations, which amount to shooting fish in a pond, are called “mowing the lawn” in Israeli parlance.
“Israeli military strategists talk, chillingly, of “mowing the lawn”. Even leaving aside the morally questionable nature of seeing human flesh as grass”
Eggs / grass aside …. Hamas are a red herring … “The Gaza open air prison camp where 1.94 million Palestinians live behind a blockade and are refused access to the other occupied Palestinian areas and the rest of the world is the problem”. ….
Half of all children have been psychologically traumatised by war, occupation and blockade. Close to 300,000 children need psychosocial help.
Same with The west bank where …. “ • Israeli terrorists, both soldiers and settlers, harass, kidnap, and kill Palestinians with almost complete impunity.
• Also in the West Bank, countless checkpoints are established and manned by Israeli terrorists/soldiers. When these are open and closed is completely arbitrary. They make the simple act of going to school or work an hours-long ordeal. People have died at checkpoints when seeking emergency medical treatment, simply because the Israelis manning them didn’t feel like letting them through
• Over 550,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank, in violation of international law.
• Palestine homes are routinely bulldozed, leaving the families that resided in them homeless, to make room for new Jewish-only roads or illegal housing developments.”
http://johnpilger.com/videos/palestine-is-still-the-issue
“Hamas represents a large constituency. Many Gazans voted for the party because they were disgusted with the corruption of the secular Fatah movement and were impressed with the social service system Hamas had created. Like other resistance movements—the African National Congress, the Irish Republican Army—Hamas was on its way toward becoming a political party. “…
“if you claim to respect democracy, you must recognize the results of free and fair elections. And if you want a party to change its position—and it’s willing to talk—you have to sit down at the table and negotiate with it.,,, But Israel—and by extension the United States—didn’t choose this option.”
https://www.alternet.org/noam-chomsky-real-reason-israel-mows-lawn-gaza
https://fpif.org/mowing-lawn-gaza/
https://www.mintpressnews.com/counting-israels-next-mowing-lawn-palestine/216640/
Yes, I was stunned when she put it to Dr Ramzy Baroud that is is very hard for Israel to except that Palestinians want the right to return to their land (or some such)
If someone stole stuff from you 70 years ago, and you’ve been asking for it back for 70 years why in the name of all things sane should the thief be shown compassion because they don’t want to give the stolen goods back?
Was she just being the devils advocate?
I do hope so.
Though she even insulted him suggesting he wasn’t alive during the 87 intifada, therefore I suppose without the right to speak for those who were. But he replied with modesty and courtesy that she didn’t deserve.
As Baroud said, we’re sick of hearing about Israels rights.
And another point is, that if Jews have the right to return to a land they claim was theirs 2000 years ago, why do Palestinians not have the same right to return to land that was theirs 70 years ago.
http://subzpsubzp.blogspot.co.nz/2018/01/farrars-honeymoon-scam_19.html?m=1
I posted this on open mike on the 17th, but it might of got lost with the budget stuff.
This written by sword fish”……..it’s about how the meme about the honey moon bounce in the polls was started by Ferrari and picked up by msm and spouted as fact
This is a must read. Maybe even post it with sword fishes permission.
We need more of this
I thought that Grant Robertson looked good on The Nation this morning. A bit like a younger version of Steven Joyce in a good way.
Ten years as an MP, three years in Opposition with finance responsibilities, and now as Minister of Finance he comes across as in control of his job and responsibilities.
He looks to be a financial asset for the Government, and has the potential to be a real asset for the country if he stays on track as a prudent and incremental progressive.
Labour may end up benefiting more from his behind the scenes work than from the surface celebrity of Ardern.
Unfortunately for the country GR probably does not underatand that incrementalism is a death sentence in a myriad of ways…
Neither do you Pete George…it seems from your comment…
How many disingenuous statements can you identify in your comment…don’t confuse with the backhanded compliments or memes…they’re slightly different…
One Two, Incrementalism is not fashionable but it is sensible.
Michael Cullen and Labour introduced Kiwi Saver. The impact is only now being truly felt and understood for some nearing home ownership or retirement. That is ten+ years for the policy to really make a difference in people’s lives. It will continue to do good for people and the country.
The so called “Cullen Fund” has countered our debt and added strength to our current retirement planning…. again ten+ years in the making and strengthened by this Government
Both policies were so valuable that the last National Government watered them down, but did not remove them.
That this budget of 2018 is a “Foundation Budget” working towards by increments to the “Well being Budget” of 2019, which will be a world wide first, putting people and the environment front and centre, with money as the change agent used in clever ways to achieve a sustainable way of living.
Any person repeating national memes of “no plan” “we did more” “we are better” “the election was stolen” “not enough” has not been paying attention.
After 9+ years of squeeze… there are so many voices in the wilderness and this new Government cares and that is why they are working so hard and so fast to try to mitigate the many tragic circumstances some people face… it will never be enough for some, but they are doing what they said they would. Put people and environment first incrementally. Sadly powerful forces in the world and here do not like change that shares wealth or power, so working incrementally is key. “Good things take time”
+100
Robertson in the steps of Cullen is simply doing what a wise Minister of Finance does: invest for the long term.
Lest I forget, I am on record here being very skeptical of Roberston and he is proving me wrong.
It is good to hear you praise Grant Robertson and I agree with you PG. He is clearly on top of his job. But I take issue with your depiction of Jacinda Ardern as a “surface celebrity”. If you really believe that is all there is to her, then your judgement of her is seriously awry.
While this is the picture her Nat opponents are trying to paint of Jacinda, all the evidence has succeeded in proving the exact opposite. She is highly intelligent and has a maturity well beyond her years. Her grasp of national and international affairs is equal to her predecessor, Helen Clark and the respect and confidence in her that her overseas counterparts have openly expressed… is testament to that. Add to that her strength of character and resilience, and there’s not much more one could ask for.
Her rhetorical skills are right up there too – she absolutely savaged the hapless Bridges with natural triplets and juxtapositions like “too much shouty shouty and not enough planny planny”.
The Gnats, accorded too much sunshine by a limp media, have neglected their skills and become accustomed to lying as a default strategy. It’s weak.
“Her grasp of national and international affairs is equal to her predecessor, Helen Clark ”
You have got to be kidding on that one.
Not at all – Helen never got anything like the ringing endorsement Jacinda got from Angela Merkel. Gnat wishful thinking has fooled you guys bigtime about Jacinda – sure she presents well, but she’s got plenty of depth, and is a much better communicator. There is a sincerity about her which is rare in contemporary politicians – reminiscent of Edward Walker’s description of Ivy.
Of course if you take your views from tragic mistakes like Malcolm Turnbull or the near-sighted and vindictive scribblers of the Herald you won’t pick that up.
Pete George, They are truly complementary. But personally I would like Grant to be more progressive. Jacinda Ardern has cut-through. She has the ability to connect emotionally and shows judgement in having Grant Robertson in that portfolio. Do not think Jacinda is ‘surface’ only. She is a policy wonk with a phenomenal grasp of complexities, and any who work with her soon show admiration for her acumen work ethic and humanity, coupled with sharp wit and eloquence. She is the coalition’s glue.
What do you mean by “behind the scenes work”? Stuff that cannot bear the bright sunlight of transparency and accountability?
Yawn….
How come I keep getting this, when I try to post reminisces of my time in Syria?
Because TS server is not responding because of a ‘Request Timeout’
You know, like it’s given up waiting for you to post your
comment.
it detected the phrase “my time in syria” 🙂
It detected the phrase “my time with the Hay’et Tahrir al-Shamin (read ISIS) in the Yarmouk Syrian refugee camp”
Clever wee server
To Lynn Prent: what happened to the Replies drop-down menu on the RH side? I can only see Comments or Opinions but no longer the replies to my comments!?
Edit: As soon as I submit a comment my details disappear too and I have to re-enter them for each and every comment, which is cumbersome 😉
Have you changed settings in your browser? Specifically, cookie settings?
No, I haven’t knowingly changed anything. But to be sure I played around with settings in two different browsers (MS Edge and G Chrome) and ran a few tests here on TS and it made no difference.
Same as for me.
I just noticed it as I commented to that my required name and mail get wiped automatically too. I’m using Firefox and it did update to V60.0.1 the other night between my latest reply with the fields empty and my previous one when they auto-filled in. Mozilla has been making a lot of security changes to Firefox with every update.
I have lost my automatic login and have to enter info individually with a different icon thing. I thought it might be connected with my site going down last night – through Vodafone but it seems that others have problems too. I have Firefox too, and have been getting red notices that I have too update my details which I haven’t got round to.
Same. Firefox 60 has some big CSS rendering changes under the hood. Developer-oriented link at end of this page: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/60.0/releasenotes/
Ah. Same behaviour in Chrome 61.0 as well.
Drill baby, drill
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/104024959/rise-in-oil-and-gas-exploration-activity-in-taranaki-by-early-2019
My advice to these companies; Don’t
Related:
New Zealand will still be drilling for oil in the deep sea in 2070?!?
When climate change is due to have ravaged most of the natural world.
When super storms are tearing up all infrastructure and making industrial civilisation and agriculture a marginal proposition.
Another day waking up to find there has been another US shooting. They are becoming so common in the US. But then when you have a lobby group like the NRA sponsored by gun manufacturers legally bribing politicians to make sure that no legislation is passed to slow these things down and protect the people, what can you expect.
The NRA in the US has no shame having elected a man as their NRA president who in testimony has admitted to being a Traitor to his own country and selling guns to those deemed terrorist organizations by the US. He only got out of jail time on a technicality because a lot of the evidence used to convict him was found to be inadmissible as it was given by him during a hearing to a congressional hearing while he was under an immunity deal.
These are the sort of problems you have when you give lobbyists access to legally bribe politicians. This was something you saw in very minor ways starting to creep into NZ under previous National Governments with their Cabinet Club dinners where lobbyists got full access to National MPs and the former PM John Key. Here we saw a small number of deaths to with no one really held accountable, but the deaths here where due to lobbying for lax safety enforcement in places like the logging and mining industry.
Apparently 22 school shooting this year!!
The shooter was 17.
A comment made about one young USA shooter has stuck with me. He is supposed to have said something like – society is so bad and everyone is contemptible and humans destroying the earth and that it would be better if all of us died. It is dangerous for young people to start thinking like this before they have had layers of denial of the reality of their, and general human behaviour, to insulate him.
The NZ Herald have run a very interesting and full piece on early Maori history and artefacts found.
Myth of Mangahawea: How scientists uncovered the home of our earliest Polynesian arrivals 19/5/2018
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12043041
Another item from 17/5/2018 on the apartheid-like laws that used to be the norm in earlier times. A book explores that history.
‘Racist as f***’: Book backs up Taika Waititi’s claims about New Zealand racism
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12053300
Looking at archives and old newspapers, he discovered Māori were treated as “enemies of the state”, long after the Waikato War had finished.
“During a series of epidemics, Māori were banned from moving about the country, because their brown skin was equated with disease,” Hamilton said.
“When smallpox broke out in 1913, Māori villages were sealed off, and Māori were banned from the roads and from trains unless they had a special certificate showing they’d been immunised.
“No Pākehā was ever subjected to these rules. They were blatantly racist, made life almost impossible for Māori, and were in force for many months.”
Māori were also excluded from bars, cinemas and barber shops in South Auckland.
“For much of the 20th century it was hard to get a drink in places like Papakura and Pukekohe if you were the wrong colour,” Hamilton said.
The book details the experience of Rongomanu Bennett, a Māori psychiatrist who was refused a beer in the Papakura Tavern in 1959.
He began a campaign and made headlines around the world.
“The New York Times called Papakura ‘the Little Rock of New Zealand’, after the Arkansas city where African Americans were fighting segregation,” Hamilton said.
The Prime Minister at the time eventually backed up Bennett, and Papakura Tavern agreed to serve Māori.
“Book backs up Taika Waititi’s claims about New Zealand racism”
didn’t he say “racist as fuck”
he didn’t say “was”
all this is before he was born.
Apparently in the 70’s there was separate seating for Māori patrons in the Pukekohe theatre. Two years ago, I heard the Tangata Whenua providing a report on the health of a stream in a council meeting being referred to as ‘n*****s’. As residents of Franklin we have the misfortune to receive the eLocal, ensuring at least one Māori bashing article per issue. My list of present day casual racism witnessed is long, but others would be much longer, and no doubt, more damaging.
Bastion Point was in 1976.
Moutoa Gardens 1995.
Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004.
Tuhoe raid – Operation 8 2007.
These have happened in this generation.
Are you sure that you are living in this country, if you think Taika Waititi doesn’t have a point?
All I was saying was that the book quoted only stuff from when before Taika Waititi was born.
Yeah new Zealand is racist IMO in that some members of all races hate other races.
Your comment implied that Taiki Waititi had no evidence to back up the present tense. I provided a small number, which you ignored.
If you want to maintain your complacency over the specific racism directed towards Maaori in New Zealand, then continue on as you are. Ignore the living reality of Tangata Whenua and dilute any conversation with generalisations. I’m sure your comfort level will not be disturbed.
There’s an article about a book dealing with historical racism – it was used in relation to Taika Waititi’s comment I pointed out the two did not overlap in terms of history – and lo abuse cometh in my direction. I did not ignore the references you made – I have no argument with them. Your focus is on specific racism towards maori – I find all racism objectionable and I tire of one category of racism being portrayed as more important than others.
If you find abuse in my comment, then I’m not surprised at your perspective.
Generalising about racism, particularly noticeable in NZ is an avoidance technique. No one has suggested that racism is not a global issue. My response to you paraphrases the BLM movement: “Racism towards Maaori matters as well.”. I haven’t seen you acknowledge that the existence of it still causes damage and is harmful.
Let’s acknowledge that racism etc occurs all around the world in Tom Lehrer’s inimitable style.
Then let’s get back to regarding Maori people respectfully and understand their strivings to cope in our capitalist world of take from above (the Highland Clearings syndrome). It should be noted that –
Sir Francis Henry Dillon Bell GCMG KC PC was a New Zealand lawyer and politician who served as the Prime Minister of New Zealand from 10 to 30 May 1925. Wikipedia
considered Maori communist because they shared and lived co-operatively, not coldly, individually with rich and abject poor as the settlers were prepared to do. (This is in my memory, and I can’t quote source.) And this country’s citizens are increasingly adopting the same behaviour as a satisfactory culture now.
We have much to learn from Maori in living with those of a different culture and be co-operative to the advantage of both. When we acknowledge that, we will be able to turn aside lingering accusations of racism.
Thanks, greywarshark for the well considered comment and link.
Flies have short memories too.
What an amazing coincidence.
Sergei Skripal is sneaked out of hospital the day before the Royal Wedding.
How convenient.
And how convenient for the lying corrupt British state has a compliant media that asks no difficulty questions.
The only reason you know about it is that the BBC et al reported on it. Otherwise, it falls under the category of “none of your goddamn business how people who’ve survived attempted murder choose to convalesce”.
PS: witless assumptions and slavish adherence to Moscow propaganda do not generate “difficult questions”. They just say something about you.
I don’t ‘listen to Moscow.’
I listen to the brilliant George Galloway.
I liked him best crawling around on all fours pretending to be a cat.
Correct again Ed. The lamestream who can dish the dirt on anyone they so choose, have no idea what’s happened to the two victims in the biggest story in Britain. What the hell!
The only fatalities of the event were two guinea pigs and a cat.
And they died of starvation, poor creatures.
‘Industrial strength’ novichok.
They just think we are fools to believe the lies they spin.
They could at least have notified the Russian embassy eddy.
Give them another chance?
Would they have sent a wet team to get him leaving the Hospital?
John le Carre would have a ball with this affair.
You need to look at how implausible MI5’s lies on this are.
Ed, Listening Post doing story re media coverage and Israel/Palestine, tune in, is live now, 🙂
Thank you
Generally speaking, police don’t keep suspects up to date with developments in ongoing investigations.
I’d forgotten how much you hated Russia.
Try again Ed: Russia is an official suspect of the UK investigation, no matter how much you love or hate them. Suspects don’t get updates; saying so makes no statement as to guilt whatsoever.
I suggest you educate yourself by listening to Galloway, Murray, Ford and others on the subject.
Independent, intelligent sources.
Don’t rely on what May and Johnson tell you.
Suspects don’t get updates, Ed, no matter what the man who introduced Nadira Alieva to spanking says.
You’re trying to be witty. Bad idea.
You’re trying to do an impression of an airbag. It’s very good.
As I said, you shouldn’t be trying to be funny. It’s almost as bad as listening to Jim Mora trying to sound serious.
Blows up in an instant but on inspection, is void of anything substantive.
Was going more for “apt metaphor” than humour.
Why is oab always so aggressive?
Youry addingy y toy people’s namesy isy really tediousy already.
The media could at least ask some questions.
Oh, but they’re all at Windsor Castle, simpering away.
Useful fools.
they’re all at Windsor Castle
Apart from Steven Morris and Patrick Wintour and Jill Lawless and Andrew Griffin and Fiona Hamilton and Leila Nathoo, who’ve all had stories on the Skripal poisoning published in the last 24 hours, that is.
You get the point.
It’s a perfect day to make a story disappear.
Are you being argumentative for arguments sake?
Quite tiring.
I get the point: you see conspiracies everywhere, and deeply resent any factual contradiction.
The Skripal poisoning requires a conspiracy, whoever you think did it.
You ‘see a conspiracy’ enacted by the Russians.
I accept there was a conspiracy. There had to be.
But I am not prepared to be judge, jury and executioner based on evidence presented by such dubious sources as MI5, Theresa May and Boris Johnson.
Also, you continually use the word conspiracy as if it were an insult.
Have you looked up what the word means in a dictionary?
To help, you….
noun
a secret plan by a group to do something unlawful or harmful.
“a conspiracy to destroy the government”
synonyms: plot, scheme, stratagem, plan, machination, cabal; More
the action of plotting or conspiring.
“they were cleared of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice”
synonyms: plotting, collusion, intrigue, connivance, machination, collaboration; treason
“he was due to stand trial for conspiracy to murder”
Ed is not a conspiracy theorist. From what I’ve seen he’s got a good grasp (of reality) in geopolitical, environmental and local issues, etc. Using good independent journalism Ed can’t really go wrong. Craig Murray, John Pilger, Robert Fisk, Rachel Stewart et al.
Craig Murray? A deeply compromised masochist fop (by his own admission) with no access.
Stewart is excellent, but then she doesn’t write foreign policy articles.
Pilger does some good work, despite his bias.
As for Fisk, The Intercept does a better job.
The intercept has some excellent contributing journalists.
Robert Mackey isn’t one of them.
What parts of the linked article did he get wrong?
What?
So first you link to an organisation as though to suggest the organisation is a person, and I simply point out that the person you linked to doesn’t measure up against the other journalists he shares a platform with, and then you ask a question that makes no sense whatsover.
If you want a sense of Robert Mackey’s journalism, read his NYT and Guardian pieces. He tends towards being descriptive.
edit – if you want to argue with yourself over what Mackey did and didn’t get wrong in that piece, you could begin with the content of the 148 comments it attracted. They cover it off quite well. 😉
“as though to suggest”?
All I suggested is that The Intercept (or Mackey if you prefer) did a better job than Fisk on this occasion, which is pertinent to Maui’s assertion that Ed is well informed.
It is becoming clearer that the Government’sKiwi build and the increase in state house construction announced in the budget will not be enough to catch up with the 9 years of neglect by the National government.
Should the government be thinking of a solution that could end the housing crisis overnight and not cost the taxpayer a cent, and legislate against perfectly good houses
and apartments being allowed to be left empty, without reasonable excuse?
Ghost homes – properties lie empty in spite of crisis
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11676319
You would think it would also be set up to track low use of water by properties.
Low use of water week after week should raise an alarm and have someone dispatched out to check on water monitoring equipment to make sure it has not been tampered with or is faulty.
Thanks Ad. I must admit I was a bit doubtful of Grant initially, but after meeting Jacinda on several occasions, I trust her. She is genuine.
Don’t know why this did not attach to your comment Ad
Company’s like this make a mess and when the——–hits the fan they file bankrupt and start another company and carry on cheating.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12054766
Ka kite ano
Marae thats the way Narnia Mahuta you tell them they national and Maori party they stuffed up the prospects for maori they were the government that has suppressed the poor people whom are mostly brown and Maori you are doing good holding your own against two men .Ka pai e hao Ka kite ano