From the article “The overwhelming feeling at the meeting was that we had been screwed over by a corporation that didn’t care about our children….”
That’s how national ran education so is anyone surprised this behaviour exists in the sector. Felt like how some describe Akl grammar these days to me also.
Living in a zone and forking out the cash doesn’t mean youre getting value…..it never did, wake up people.
Awesome to hear Trump blame the Democrats for forcing the separation of children at Mexican border when it’s not law and he controls all parts of government.
…evil against children may not be okay, but abusing Democrats works…
This isn’t a byproduct. Child separation as punishment, on display, was always a feature not a bug.
Sanctions on his business interests, his real estate, his children, his enablers. Interpol arrest warrants for the lot of them. Bullets wouldn’t be an ideal solution but I could live with it.
I don’t care if they get burned. I want them to swallow shit and piss for the rest of their lifes, and that includes ANY cheerleaders that could not wait for that orange piece of shit to get voted in in order to bring ‘change’. And i include all and any of the resident cheerleaders especially CV. Shit and piss no matter what you eat, not matter how much and how often you brush your teeth, cut your tongue and it will still be shit and piss.
I am fully out of snark.
I would also like to remind people of Theresienstadt, who was inspected by the international Red Cross with much fanfare to find ‘nothing untowards’.
Fuck goodwin, and fuck his cheerleaders, enablers and third party voters. Fuck em.
You want to know why not voting for these people is so important, that the lesser evil is sometimes the better choice, The lesser evil, while not being the Unicorn the left seems to need in order to get ‘engaged and inspired and lovely dovey’ does not remove the progress made, progress for women, children, and all others that are not white, male, heterosexual and their assorted arsekissers and bootlickers.
honestly if people are’nt put off after everyday Gosman, Wayne, and other assorted bullshitters come here and infect every thread with their offerings, they surely will not be offended by me wishing Trump supporters to taste shit and piss every time they swallow.
But then, who knows there are a lot of things right wingers have no issue with it, child abuse – be it by witholding funds from the mother as Winz drones under Anne Tolley and Paula Bennett have done,, – or by republicans in the US seems to not give them a hard time. Cause ….reasons.
James, you are trolling; taking “offensive” words and repeating them ad nauseum, being a smart-arse, adding nothing to the discussion. Leave out the “butter wouldn’t melt in mouth” crap; you’re trying to disrupt, put a spanner in the works, take the “high” ground; but your no more than a troll, stirring muck for your own perverse pleasure. Others here suggest that you “grow up”, b*gger off”, get a life and I’m sympathetic to their calls. James, you are boring us to death, we don’t trust what you say, we don’t enjoy your contributions, we don’t respect your point of view. What more can I say? The quality of your comments, dull and pointless in months gone by, has deteriorated into foul-mouthed sniping; have you no personal pride, no standards of behaviour? Puckish Rogue, for all his faults, is rarely offensive: you James, are unfailingly offensive. Grow. Up.
And enjoy the experience
Yep the trump is going to pay a heavy price for this with a bit of luck but probably not
“US President Donald Trump has attacked the German government’s approach to immigration, as he comes under pressure over his own crackdown on migrants.”
What a scum trump is and many other governments are not too far behind including our one. Separating children from their parents – colonisation 101 – they’ve been doing it, like forever!
At no extra cost you get the hypocrisy of quoting the bible as a defense by the white house just to rub some salt in.
This is a deliberate and provocative action with wonderful examples of humanity like Jeff Sessions supporting it.
Parents are being told their kids are being taken away for a bath…..it’s dickensian shit.
Colbert was scathing about this practice in an opening monologue last week. Notice it’s the comedians actually standing up against this whereas the msm……mmmm.
Since we’re all about the Godwins today I’ll admit to wondering how long it would be before Trump announced his final solution to the problem of the Mexican untermenschen.
The first use of concentration camps was the in the US in 1830’s, the Brits used them during the Boer War. Both countries, like their eugenics programs, preceded/inspired the Nazis use of them.
If these people are to be believed, and I have no personal expertise in the topic. they go back to the Assyrians. although the actual name only came into use about at the end of the nineteenth century.
“The idea of forced resettlement is nothing new; it was first recorded as being used by the ancient Assyrians, and was sporadically used throughout history, by such groups as the Ottomans and Russians. The term “concentration camp” was first coined by the Spanish in the late 19th century, when the Spanish army in Cuba rounded up civilians in these camps to fight guerrilla armies in the area. Shortly after this, the US used concentration camps in the Philippines.”
I do believe even in NZ parents are separated from their children if they are incarcerated. So lets all calm down people. Obama did it too and nary a cry. Hypocrisy much!
The trouble with your reasoning is that first it starts with the false premiss that these people entering the US from Mexico are doing something illegal. They are not. Seeking asylum is not an illegal activity.Trump has made it “illegal” contrary to the declaration of Human Rights and is blaming it on the Democrats. But in placing blame upon them he is telling lies.
This is not true. There is no law that requires immigrant families to be separated. The decision to charge everyone crossing the border with illegal entry — and the decision to charge asylum seekers in criminal court rather than waiting to see if they qualify for asylum — are both decisions the Trump administration has made.
The extreme Right Wing media is already starting the narrative that the kids are “Crisis Actors” coached by people paid by the Democrats.
The same exact words they have also used to try and discredit the survivors of school shootings pushing for tougher gun laws.
Trump’s attorney general Jeff Sessions in his speech defending the policy of separating the children from their families used the very same bible verse that was popular among slave owners in the southern US States to support their right to own slaves.
Meanwhile, Trump himself has apparently been breaking US law every day by ripping up memos, screwing them up and tossing them in the bin after he has finished reading them. A whole team of document specialists is now having to retrieve them from the bins and reconstruct them so that they can be preserved and archived as required by US law.
I couldn’t read past the first few comments. These creatures (I was going to call them animals but that’s a gross insult to animals) are craven lunatics.
Trump continues to show the worst side of humanity.
He and Session’s should be taken to the Hague for trial.
This is the old dead cat tactic every time prosecutors get closer to bringing him and his cronies to trial for treason the more outrageous his distractions,!
‘The National Party has expressed shock after the government ditched two of its key police policies – and it is calling for them to be reinstated.
The then National government last year announced an aim of attending 98 percent of burglaries in 48 hours. It also set a target of having 95 percent of the population living within 25 kilometres of an all-hours police station.’
These seem to be the kind of policies that everyone would agree are good ideas and much needed so since Labours ditching them what are they replacing them with?
Having been witness to a few burglaries of the Dairy located next to me, that National Policy was nothing more then a policy.
So yeah, its a nothing burger to can a policy that was not worth the toilet paper National wrote it on.
Judith Collins probably wiped her backside with that policy to parfume it a bit. .
National, cutting police numbers to bare bones in order to ‘achieve a surplus’.
National, hard against crime in name only.
National, its not crime if it helps me.
PR your faux outrage with a gutted police force how were National ever going to meet that ridiculous target.
Low taxes means cheap nasty govt services.
But the uber wealthy like yourself can afford 24 hr private security on top of police priority.
“But the uber wealthy like yourself can afford 24 hr private security on top of police priority.”
Not even close to being uber wealthy (depending on your definition of course) unless in comparison to the entire world but if you do that then most of us would probably be considered the 1%
PR you fell into my trap of exposing your crap.
You are for lower taxes then you provide security for your house self and family.
Yet the coalition is putting more cops on the beat yet you complain about an unachievable goal which if it were to be achieved other areas of policing would suffer.
This 98%within 48 hrs was a PR spin BS damage control for a party that pretends to be tough on crime.
“You are for lower taxes then you provide security for your house self and family.”
– Not sure what you mean, can you reword it please
“Yet the coalition is putting more cops on the beat yet you complain about an unachievable goal which if it were to be achieved other areas of policing would suffer.”
– I think more cops on the beat is a good as does Labour considering how many of the cops were budgeted under National but what “achievable goal” am I complaining about
“This 98%within 48 hrs was a PR spin BS damage control for a party that pretends to be tough on crime.”
– So why wouldn’t the COL carry through with it, its a vote and it’d shut National up pretty quickly
Thats funny, whenever the impossibility of the COL managing to get anywhere close to planting a billion trees or building a 100 000 houses is mentioned I get told at least they tried
So I guess at least National which is more than what the COL is doing
However this is a chance for the COL to steal a march on National, take on the policies for themselves, implement them properly and then National will find it a lot harder to criticise
“”The new Government’s come in, and perhaps the expectations that we’ve given them are too high.”
Yep – Labour made promises to their union backers – and now cannot follow thru – Instead they give Winny a billion dollars to holiday around the pacific.
“I wonder if Shane Jones personal slush fund could have been better utilised”.
Tell me you are kidding? You are far to smart to have to ask that question aren’t you?
A better question would be
“I wonder if Shane Jones personal slush fund could have been utilised in a worse manner”
It actually is much harder to answer. You have to think quite hard before you can come up with enough ways to completely waste a billion dollars a year that are worse than Shane’s load of rubbish.
You wrote, “Yep – Labour made promises to their union backers – and now cannot follow thru – Instead they give Winny a billion dollars to holiday around the pacific.”
Now let’s see how ‘worthless’ that is.
Firstly, it’s a political statement and could be attacked as such. References to the deputy prime minister as “Winny” and secondly the slur that a billion dollars budgeted for Pacific (note spelling with capital) foreign aid is being used as “holiday money” by Winston Peters show that your statement which I have quoted is a very political and partisan one.
Secondly, you said that Labour made promises to their union backers. What evidence have you to show that in the first place that actually happened (what promises, made when and to whom)? That is also a very political statement as it implies quid quo pro deals, and lack of governmental honesty and freedom of action.
Thirdly, you link a budgeted item of expenditure in foreign aid to non-fulfilment of alleged promises to union backers, as if it were a either/or arrangement. Your purpose there was I believe to slur Labour and Winston Peters both, as well as the unions.
ianmac says yours was a worthless statement. I would agree.
Feeling hurt by being told to “dry up”? Not the worst injunction you could have received to stop inflicting such arrant nonsense upon the Standard’s readers.
You’re right. I didn’t comment. I failed to see it. Bad form.
But, saying they do it too is not a secure argument.
And accusing me of failure to do something, is also not an argument to counter my critique of your lack of argument.
I also have a policy that I choose to respond to those I choose. I do not respond to everything or everyone with whom I disagree or agree. That way is futility.
Thanks Mc 1. James is really just playing silly beggars. I think that he only intent to draw as many responses as he can regardless of any fact or valid opinion. For me why bother to respond to him/her?
James your right of right.
Why don’t you set up your own right wing Web site.
Instead of all the right wing cuckoos trying to take over this site with your stubborn unyielding Dogma!
DHBs says no more money would be put on the table for nurses.
Peters points to the Government’s Budget Responsibility Rules.
Interestingly, when it comes to the Budget Responsibility Rules and expenditure, Labour thought they had the balance about right.
However, it looks as if members of the Public Services Association (PSA), Inland Revenue (IRD) and the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (Mbie) along with teachers and nurses disagree.
It seems the realisation of Labour’s campaign rhetoric is starting to sink in.
I don’t think people were expecting Labour to put everything right overnight, but clearly they were expecting more than what’s currently on offer. Thus, it’s going to be interesting to see how this all plays out.
On a side note, National aren’t offering anything better, which will help Labour stand their ground as they know voters will have nowhere else to turn.
The problem is the nurses and doctors want to capture the health service for their own benefit and resent and oppose being managed. People argue they should be “paid what they are worth” without considering that the real skill lies in managing them. They are quite manipulative too, with their carefully cultivated image as selfless souls working long hours in a vocation to ease the suffering of the ill and disabled. It needs strong and pervasive management to cut through this cant and keep these pious do-gooders acting in the public interest. More powerful and well resourced management is what is required here !
As Cindy said nz just has to come round to her way of thinking or labour has failed and they will be a one term government Looking odds on bet this will be the case
“cock sucker” – an indication of some level of misogyny if uttered by a heterosexual male, or just another of those “go to” put downs that people just kinda thoughtlessly let trip off their tongue (eg – motherfucker etc)?
“cunt” – hmm. Good cunt or bad cunt? Cunt of the desirable variety or something else entirely?
Apparently all cultures use references to genitalia as put downs. Sometimes it gets a bit amusing/enlightening. So for example, the “go to” put down for a man in some African culture (I forget which one but it featured in some Stephen Fry programme about language) is to suggest that the man is hung like a donkey.
I thought “cock sucker” was more a homophobic put down rather than a misogynistic one. I guess on some level it could be both, but it was certainly to imply that a man was gay when i used to use it in my homophobic youth.
James, i have been quite open and honest about my feelings about the current lot of National Party members and their enablers.
You can use what ever word for me or anyone else for that matter that you see befitting. I still think that ugly – the insides you know the soul heart and mind – fits Judith Collins, and vile – as in her every action and word – fits Paula Bennett.
I stand by that.
As for chubby – i fit that description. Even tho, when much younger i was called a board with warts :).
A trout? cooked with lemon butter? blue – cooked in whitewine, or rather with almond butter? Ha, so hard to decide. But then I like meat :), and its not good friday. so what ever suits you.
Cock sucker? I have sucked my fair share of cocks, and can’t really see the insult in it, i might add that the sucked cocks did not complain, so again, where is the insult?
the thing is James, as a women of a certain age, a women who grew up poor, was assaulted at home by her stepfather, who lived as a transient teenager on the street as that was safer than living at home, i have been called my fair share of things in my life.
Heck, one lady in NZ even commented how ‘lady like’ i looked when i wore a nice dress and heels to an official dinner.
So no i don’t care. Judith Collins, Paula Bennett, Nick Smith, Simon Bridges, Bill English, John Key, Brownlee, and the other assorted clowns are vile and very very ugly, unlikable, and should be unelectable. And unless you can show me where one of these people have done something to better the life of someone else – they clearly don’t give a shit about this country other then it benefitting them – i might change my mind.
please show one example of the National Party giving a ‘hand up’ to any person in NZ that is not called Bill English, Paula Bennet, Oravida Collins, Nick Smith, Brownlee, Amy Adams, John ‘State House’ Key and any other of the National Party buffoons.
And no ‘zip it sweety’ ain’t gonna cut it.
And while you are at it, could you explain to me why National never got rid of that ‘socialism on steroids’ called working for families?
Is it because silly Farmer blokes with signs calling J. Adern a ‘pretty communist’ need it to feed their 8 children that they have despite obviously not making enough money to afford these 8 kids. Or is having children one can not afford only a crime against humanity when non white Farmer blokes and their wifes do eeet?
Right Alan, this whole “hand up” thing should be pretty easy for you to explain and please include examples from the previous government where it was put into practice, funded properly, and has the ongoing funding/support for long term beneficial impact.
Or was that a random RWKJ bs throw away line which, has no real substance or reasoning behind it.
Whilst you might be OK being called those names (and for whatever reason you are OK with it) – others might not be.
There will be plenty of women out there who get very upset being called chubby, or blokes who dont like being called cock suckers.
Cunt is not a nice name – you might be ok being called one – but others are not. Would you be happy with other people calling your family members that?
Perhaps we can start using the term for Jacinda – after all if you are OK for it to be used about Key – why not allow people call Jacinda that if they so feel like it?
In recent weeks your comments have contained more instances of these ‘offensive’ words than any other single poster.
A prediction: James will continue to incorporate these words into his comments at every opportunity – he believes it’s a strong ‘argument’, and his ‘duty’ to criticise offensive words and comments on this site. I guess that will keep him busy, which seems important to him.
“James does that “thing” where he repeats words he claims to be offended by. It’s a method favoured by 8-year olds generally, those who get some sort of buzz from using “bad words” under the guise of someone else having said them.”
again, i agree with you. We can call Jacinda or other women that, and i guess more then one National Party member, enabler and sponsor has called her that word the night National lost the Election.
John Key however will never be a cunt, he will always just be a selfish hair pulling young girl tormenting limp prick.. I am all for equality of the sexes. There.
Don’t go down that road, your false idea of a do good liberal with ‘political correctness’ is lost on me.
I don’t care about your feefee’s no more then you care about feeling sleeping in cars and raising their children in vans. I don’t care about Paula Bennetts feelings, if she is sad being called a vile human being, she can try to be a better one. Same for Judith Collins, she could try justice for all instead of just for those that give her money. Mr. Bridges could try to get bridges build instead of squandering time and money of others. Nick Smith could just go and retire. Brownlee can also retire, and the National Party could just find a soul, a heart, some guts and maybe be electable without friends. Not holding my breath tho.
But your whinging about how you hurt because the National Party is called on their bullshit, the national party member being called out for the callouls soulless ghouls they are? Nah, not buying it.
Mind you could try harder. I am having fun here.
But remember, there is not one word you can call me – a women, or a poor person, or a homeless person, or an abused person, that i have not heard, and that the National Party and its enablers and sponsors have not uttered themselves in order to score some cheap points with those that are suffering from white economic anxiety and who would like to go back to the 1850’s when people knew their place.
it’s gonna be fun when the multimillion hovels on the coast line of akl, wlgtn, etc etc will not be insurable.
That’s when the gnashing the teeth and the pulling of the hair begins, and maybe some will even realise just how stupid they have been.
i mean i spend that much money on couple of arborists to give my fruit trees a trim. But at least these trees bring forth kai, and much of it. Much better investment. House ….worth nothing, fruit trees? Priceless.
Imagine what that is going to do to rents let alone peoples ability to own a home.
And add to that Wellington Regional Council has proposed a 6.7 per cent average rates increase across the region coupled with Wellington City Council’s 3.9 percent rates increase.
People will be wanting and will require far larger pay increases now.
i guess that the houses that become uninsurable due to flooding etc etc will become slums of last resort and the rich will still have enough money to buy what ever property there is to buy. As for rents going up, they don’t need a reason to increase rents. They can buy law raise rent every 6 month willy nilly.
Going off the rate of that increase, far more will find they can’t afford to insure their home. As many more will find they can’t afford to buy one due to the increasing related costs of owning one.
And as landlord costs are continually increasing higher than the rate of inflation, it’s no wonder landlords are forced to increase rents.
The landlord has probably already worked quite hard to get themselves into a situation to afford investment property – is that a crime to you Sabine?
Do you have a problem with people working hard, being smart and having a few assets to show for it?
Sounds like it
Most people buy an investment property by borrowing against the capital gains from their home. That’s not work. There are plenty of people working bloody hard who can’t even pay the rent. There is huge generation inequality here as older people who already own squeeze young people out of the market. Are you OK with people making money from OTHER peoples hard work?
Boo hoo, virtually everyone I know who has accumulated a bit of wealth has worked bloody hard and often taken business risks, take your concerns to councils and get more land freed up for development, that is where the problem lies.
But, if the Landlord finds him overextended as due to rising cost he can not maintain his various mansions, then commercial interest would behoove it that he starts selling properties to better his income streem.
I think they call it “Free Market’ in National Party parlance.
Also, it helps to think first before buying properties in so called Million Dollar Suburbs if these are located in a flood plain, earth quake prone zone, or near a beach that might rise several meters of the next few decades.
Just because someone made an investment does not mean that person is entitled to income from it. If he/she is lucky the investment pays off, if not, Bugger.
repeat after me, Free Market. Free Market. Free Market.
There are the immediate impacts on things such as rents and property values etc but my thoughts were more towards the systemic….the implications of a failed property insurance industry could potentially collapse the current economic paradigm…..some may welcome that, then again what fills the void may be worse.
I don’t think we have yet to play a requiem for the insurance company.
There are already a great number of people that don’t have insurance on their houses, their cars, or their persons, simply because they don’t have the money. They have enough to serve the mortgage and pay either electricity or food. Never mind the roof that needs fixing.
The ones that can offset Insurance costs as an expense against income – which it would be in the Rentiers scenario will load the cost over to the tenant. IF the tenant can’t afford it, that tenant will move, another one will move in, rinse repeat until the kingdom comes.
The houses that will be uninsurable, will become slums, slowly but surely. Still bringing income, but at literally no cost, and no government – regardless of their stripes and dots – will do anything as at that stage housing will have become so rare that any dog kennel will do.
The favelas of South Americas, or the slums of Asia, will come to NZ at some stage. And the likes of our current National Party enablers will have no issue with it, they will yell, Free Market provides, Free Market provides.
We know high levels of private debt can cause financial crises. The Bank of England identified “the high level of UK household indebtedness” as one of the “most significant near-term domestic risks to financial stability”.
Taylor and Schularick, who examined 14 advanced economies over 140 years, show that
“the best pre-crisis indicator is a rapid build up of private debt.”
And the former chairman of the UK’s Financial Services Authority, Adair Turner, has argued that:
“The financial crisis of 2007/08 occurred because we failed to constrain the private financial system’s creation of private credit and money”.
So, right now, one of the biggest risks to our economy is being used as the primary solution.
This ‘hair of the dog’ strategy shows how unsound the foundations of our economy are. It exposes why the banking system doesn’t work for the people, and that the Bank of England’s monetary policy toolbox urgently needs updating.
With Donald Trump cruelly separating babies from their mothers, as wealthy people do, our Trolls will be delighted and distracted.
They will be petting and patting Donald all over his incredible body and purple heart. Melania will get roughed up of course. She is just a waste to be shat upon by the Evil trolls.
Think of the rewards that Gosman and James will get ! Evil is so rewarding. As all trolls know.
Good morning The AM Show how would trump like it if those Mokopunas were his own Mokopunas this action of taking mokos from there parents and lock them in cages creates a whole lot of trauma they will all resent USA its unhumane don’t blame the demarcats Don its the changes to your laws you made that have cause this what’s that the rest of the World has to live up to the standards you set but the USA can do what it wants.If your wrong just get over it and change your law/attitude.
The changes made by Labour to the NZ House ownership laws is what a responsible government does you make plans for a law and when you see those changes need to be refine that’s the wise why to handle that situation not like national who would deny there was a problem and ram the law through parliament and hide the problems it creates.
ECO MAORI Says yes to all the council having a fuel tax carbon tax you want to know why because national have denied human caused global warming for 9 years and this lack of leadership /blocking on climate change has left all the councils with a lot of catching up to mitigate climate change problems we face now. Yes I know its going to be hard on the common person but with some senseable thinking I’m sure we will survive the fuel taxs better that trying to survive a Papatuanukue with a extremely bad environment. Ka kite ano P.S the sandflys did not like my words over the last few days days they provided a swam of a escort on my way back to Auckland
The AM Show ECO MAORI Says we need to integrate OUR elderly in our society may be some sort of employment with the main goal of getting the elderly out of their houses once and a while I Back Mark Sainsbury move to get people to know that our valuerable elderly are being taken advantage of Ka pai e hoa some people just can’t help themselves and just pray on the elderly wallets idiots
Kai pai Paddy Grower the story on the government using the private investigation company to spy on innocent Kiwis Ka kite ano
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Hi,I’ve been imagining a scenario where I am walking along the pavement in the United States. It’s dusk, I am off to get a dirty burrito from my favourite place, and I see three men in hoodies approaching.Anther two men appear from around a corner, and this whole thing feels ...
Since the announcement in September 2021 that Australia intended to acquire nuclear-powered submarines in partnership with Britain and the United States, the plan has received significant media attention, scepticism and criticism. There are four major ...
On a very wet Friday, we hope you have somewhere nice and warm and dry to sit and catch up on our roundup of some of this week’s top stories in transport and urbanism. The header image shows Northcote Intermediate Students strolling across the Te Ara Awataha Greenway Bridge in ...
On a very wet Friday, we hope you have somewhere nice and warm and dry to sit and catch up on our roundup of some of this week’s top stories in transport and urbanism. The header image shows Northcote Intermediate Students strolling across the Te Ara Awataha Greenway Bridge in ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: and Elaine Monaghan on the week in geopolitics and climate, including Donald Trump’s tariff shock yesterday; and,Labour’s Disarmament and Associate ...
I'm gonna try real goodSwear that I'm gonna try from now on and for the rest of my lifeI'm gonna power on, I'm gonna enjoy the highsAnd the lows will come and goAnd may your dreamsAnd may your dreamsAnd may your dreams never dieSongwriters: Ben Reed.These are Stranger Days than ...
With the execution of global reciprocal tariffs, US President Donald Trump has issued his ‘declaration of economic independence for America’. The immediate direct effect on the Australian economy will likely be small, with more risk ...
The StrategistBy Jacqueline Gibson, Nerida King and Ned Talbot
AUKUS governments began 25 years ago trying to draw in a greater range of possible defence suppliers beyond the traditional big contractors. It is an important objective, and some progress has been made, but governments ...
I approach fresh Trump news reluctantly. It never holds the remotest promise of pleasure. I had the very, very least of expectations for his Rumble in the Jungle, his Thriller in Manila, his Liberation Day.God May 1945 is becoming the bitterest of jokes isn’t it?Whatever. Liberation Day he declared it ...
Beyond trade and tariff turmoil, Donald Trump pushes at the three core elements of Australia’s international policy: the US alliance, the region and multilateralism. What Kevin Rudd called the ‘three fundamental pillars’ are the heart ...
So, having broken its promise to the nation, and dumped 85% of submissions on the Treaty Principles Bill in the trash, National's stooges on the Justice Committee have decided to end their "consideration" of the bill, and report back a full month early: Labour says the Justice Select Committee ...
The 2024 Independent Intelligence Review offers a mature and sophisticated understanding of workforce challenges facing Australia’s National Intelligence Community (NIC). It provides a thoughtful roadmap for modernising that workforce and enhancing cross-agency and cross-sector collaboration. ...
OPINION AND ANALYSIS:Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier’s comments singling out Health NZ for “acting contrary to the law” couldn’t be clearer. If you find my work of value, do consider subscribing and/or supporting me. Thank you.Health NZ has been acting a law unto itself. That includes putting its management under extraordinary ...
Southeast Asia’s three most populous countries are tightening their security relationships, evidently in response to China’s aggression in the South China Sea. This is most obvious in increased cooperation between the coast guards of the ...
In the late 1970s Australian sport underwent institutional innovation propelling it to new heights. Today, Australia must urgently adapt to a contested and confronting strategic environment. Contributing to this, a new ASPI research project will ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital waiting list crisis just gets worse, including compelling interviews with an over-worked surgeon who is leaving, and a patient who discovered after 19 months of waiting for a referral that her bowel and ovaries were fused together with scar tissue ...
Plainly, the claims being tossed around in the media last year that the new terminal envisaged by Auckland International Airport was a gold-plated “Taj Mahal” extravagance were false. With one notable exception, the Commerce Commission’s comprehensive investigation has ended up endorsing every other aspect of the airport’s building programme (and ...
Movements clustered around the Right, and Far Right as well, are rising globally. Despite the recent defeats we’ve seen in the last day or so with the win of a Democrat-backed challenger, Dane County Judge Susan Crawford, over her Republican counterpart, Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel, in the battle for ...
In February 2025, John Cook gave two webinars for republicEN explaining the scientific consensus on human-caused climate change. 20 February 2025: republicEN webinar part 1 - BUST or TRUST? The scientific consensus on climate change In the first webinar, Cook explained the history of the 20-year scientific consensus on climate change. How do ...
After three decades of record-breaking growth, at about the same time as Xi Jinping rose to power in 2012, China’s economy started the long decline to its current state of stagnation. The Chinese Communist Party ...
The Pike River Coal mine was a ticking time bomb.Ventilation systems designed to prevent methane buildup were incomplete or neglected.Gas detectors that might warn of danger were absent or broken.Rock bolting was skipped, old tunnels left unsealed, communication systems failed during emergencies.Employees and engineers kept warning management about the … ...
Regional hegemons come in different shapes and sizes. Australia needs to think about what kind of hegemon China would be, and become, should it succeed in displacing the United States in Asia. It’s time to ...
RNZ has a story this morning about the expansion of solar farms in Aotearoa, driven by today's ground-breaking ceremony at the Tauhei solar farm in Te Aroha: From starting out as a tiny player in the electricity system, solar power generated more electricity than coal and gas combined for ...
After the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, and almost a year before the Soviet Union collapsed in late 1991, US President George H W Bush proclaimed a ‘new world order’. Now, just two months ...
Warning: Some images may be distressing. Thank you for those who support my work. It means a lot.A shopfront in Australia shows Liberal leader Peter Dutton and mining magnate Gina Rinehart depicted with Nazi imageryUS Government Seeks Death Penalty for Luigi MangioneMangione was publicly walked in front of media in ...
Aged care workers rallying against potential roster changes say Bupa, which runs retirement homes across the country, needs to focus on care instead of money. More than half of New Zealand workers wish they had chosen a different career according to a new survey. Consumers are likely to see a ...
The scurrilous attacks on Benjamin Doyle, a list Green MP, over his supposed inappropriate behaviour towards children has dominated headlines and social media this past week, led by frothing Rightwing agitators clutching their pearls and fanning the flames of moral panic over pedophiles and and perverts. Winston Peter decided that ...
Twilight Time Lighthouse Cuba, Wigan Street, Wellington, Sunday 6 April, 5:30pm for 6pm start. Twilight Time looks at the life and work of Desmond Ball, (1947-2016), a barefooted academic from ‘down under’ who was hailed by Jimmy Carter as “the man who saved the world”, as he proved the fallacy ...
The landedAnd the wealthyAnd the piousAnd the healthyAnd the straight onesAnd the pale onesAnd we only mean the male ones!If you're all of the above, then you're ok!As we build a new tomorrow here today!Lyrics Glenn Slater and Allan Menken.Ah, Democracy - can you smell it?It's presently a sulphurous odour, ...
US President Donald Trump’s unconventional methods of conducting international relations will compel the next federal government to reassess whether the United States’ presence in the region and its security assurances provide a reliable basis for ...
Things seem to be at a pretty low ebb in and around the Reserve Bank. There was, in particular, the mysterious, sudden, and as-yet unexplained resignation of the Governor (we’ve had four Governors since the Bank was given its operational autonomy 35 years ago, and only two have completed their ...
Long story short:PMChristopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...
Long story short:PMChristopher Luxon said in January his Government was ‘going for growth’ and he wanted New Zealanders to develop a ‘culture of yes.’ Yet his own Government is constantly saying no, or not yet, to anchor investments that would unleash real private business investment and GDP growth. ...
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...
For decades, Britain and Australia had much the same process for regulating media handling of defence secrets. It was the D-notice system, under which media would be asked not to publish. The two countries diverged ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...
This post by Nicolas Reid was originally published on Linked in. It is republished here with permission.In this article, I make a not-entirely-serious case for ripping out Spaghetti Junction in Auckland, replacing it with a motorway tunnel, and redeveloping new city streets and neighbourhoods above it instead. What’s ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...
In short this morning in our political economy:The Nelson Hospital crisis revealed by 1News’Jessica Roden dominates the political agenda today. Yet again, population growth wasn’t planned for, or funded.Kāinga Ora is planning up to 900 house sales, including new ones, Jonathan Milne reports for Newsroom.One of New Zealand’s biggest ...
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues unabated. Neither side is in a position to achieve its stated objectives through military force. But now there is significant diplomatic activity as well. Ukraine has agreed to ...
One of the first aims of the United States’ new Department of Government Efficiency was shutting down USAID. By 6 February, the agency was functionally dissolved, its seal missing from its Washington headquarters. Amid the ...
If our strategic position was already challenging, it just got worse. Reliability of the US as an ally is in question, amid such actions by the Trump administration as calling for annexation of Canada, threating ...
Small businesses will be exempt from complying with some of the requirements of health and safety legislation under new reforms proposed by the Government. The living wage will be increased to $28.95 per hour from September, a $1.15 increase from the current $27.80. A poll has shown large opposition to ...
Summary A group of senior doctors in Nelson have spoken up, specifically stating that hospitals have never been as bad as in the last year.Patients are waiting up to 50 hours and 1 death is directly attributable to the situation: "I've never seen that number of patients waiting to be ...
Although semiconductor chips are ubiquitous nowadays, their production is concentrated in just a few countries, and this has left the US economy and military highly vulnerable at a time of rising geopolitical tensions. While the ...
Health and Safety changes driven by ACT party ideology, not evidence said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff. Changes to health and safety legislation proposed by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden today comply with ACT party ideology, ignores the evidence, and will compound New ...
In short in our political economy this morning:Fletcher Building is closing its pre-fabricated house-building factory in Auckland due to a lack of demand, particularly from the Government.Health NZ is sending a crisis management team to Nelson Hospital after a 1News investigation exposed doctors’ fears that nearly 500 patients are overdue ...
Exactly 10 years ago, the then minister for defence, Kevin Andrews, released the First Principles Review: Creating One Defence (FPR). With increasing talk about the rising possibility of major power-conflict, calls for Defence funding to ...
In events eerily similar to what happened in the USA last week, Greater Auckland was recently accidentally added to a group chat between government ministers on the topic of transport.We have no idea how it happened, but luckily we managed to transcribe most of what transpired. We share it ...
Hi,When I look back at my history with Dylan Reeve, it’s pretty unusual. We first met in the pool at Kim Dotcom’s mansion, as helicopters buzzed overhead and secret service agents flung themselves off the side of his house, abseiling to the ground with guns drawn.Kim Dotcom was a German ...
Come around for teaDance me round and round the kitchenBy the light of my T.VOn the night of the electionAncient stars will fall into the seaAnd the ocean floor sings her sympathySongwriter: Bic Runga.The Prime Minister stared into the camera, hot and flustered despite the predawn chill. He looked sadly ...
Has Winston Peters got a ferries deal for you! (Buyer caution advised.) Unfortunately, the vision that Peters has been busily peddling for the past 24 hours – of several shipyards bidding down the price of us getting smaller, narrower, rail-enabled ferries – looks more like a science fiction fantasy. One ...
Today, the Oranga Tamariki (Repeal of Section 7AA) Amendment Bill has passed its third and final reading, but there is one more stage before it becomes law. The Governor-General must give their ‘Royal assent’ for any bill to become legally enforceable. This means that, even if a bill gets voted ...
Abortion care at Whakatāne Hospital has been quietly shelved, with patients told they will likely have to travel more than an hour to Tauranga to get the treatment they need. ...
Thousands of New Zealanders’ submissions are missing from the official parliamentary record because the National-dominated Justice Select Committee has rushed work on the Treaty Principles Bill. ...
Today’s announcement of 10 percent tariffs for New Zealand goods entering the United States is disappointing for exporters and consumers alike, with the long-lasting impact on prices and inflation still unknown. ...
The National Government’s choices have contributed to a slow-down in the building sector, as thousands of people have lost their jobs in construction. ...
Willie Apiata’s decision to hand over his Victoria Cross to the Minister for Veterans is a powerful and selfless act, made on behalf of all those who have served our country. ...
The Privileges Committee has denied fundamental rights to Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, Rawiri Waititi and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, breaching their own standing orders, breaching principles of natural justice, and highlighting systemic prejudice and discrimination within our parliamentary processes. The three MPs were summoned to the privileges committee following their performance of a haka ...
April 1 used to be a day when workers could count on a pay rise with stronger support for those doing it tough, but that’s not the case under this Government. ...
Winston Peters is shopping for smaller ferries after Nicola Willis torpedoed the original deal, which would have delivered new rail enabled ferries next year. ...
The Government should work with other countries to press the Myanmar military regime to stop its bombing campaign especially while the country recovers from the devastating earthquake. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Government to scrap proposed changes to Early Childhood Care, after attending a petition calling for the Government to ‘Put tamariki at the heart of decisions about ECE’. ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill today that will remove the power of MPs conscience votes and ensure mandatory national referendums are held before any conscience issues are passed into law. “We are giving democracy and power back to the people”, says New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters. ...
Welcome to members of the diplomatic corp, fellow members of parliament, the fourth estate, foreign affairs experts, trade tragics, ladies and gentlemen. ...
In recent weeks, disturbing instances of state-sanctioned violence against Māori have shed light on the systemic racism permeating our institutions. An 11-year-old autistic Māori child was forcibly medicated at the Henry Bennett Centre, a 15-year-old had his jaw broken by police in Napier, kaumātua Dean Wickliffe went on a hunger ...
Confidence in the job market has continued to drop to its lowest level in five years as more New Zealanders feel uncertain about finding work, keeping their jobs, and getting decent pay, according to the latest Westpac-McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index. ...
The Greens are calling on the Government to follow through on their vague promises of environmental protection in their Resource Management Act (RMA) reform. ...
“Make New Zealand First Again” Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, thank you for being here today. We know your lives are busy and you are working harder and longer than you ever have, and there are many calls on your time, so thank you for the chance to speak ...
Hundreds more Palestinians have died in recent days as Israel’s assault on Gaza continues and humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, is blocked. ...
National is looking to cut hundreds of jobs at New Zealand’s Defence Force, while at the same time it talks up plans to increase focus and spending in Defence. ...
It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...
The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...
The Government’s new planning legislation to replace the Resource Management Act will make it easier to get things done while protecting the environment, say Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop and Under-Secretary Simon Court. “The RMA is broken and everyone knows it. It makes it too hard to build ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay has today launched a public consultation on New Zealand and India’s negotiations of a formal comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “Negotiations are getting underway, and the Public’s views will better inform us in the early parts of this important negotiation,” Mr McClay says. We are ...
More than 900 thousand superannuitants and almost five thousand veterans are among the New Zealanders set to receive a significant financial boost from next week, an uplift Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says will help support them through cost-of-living challenges. “I am pleased to confirm that from 1 ...
Progressing a holistic strategy to unlock the potential of New Zealand’s geothermal resources, possibly in applications beyond energy generation, is at the centre of discussions with mana whenua at a hui in Rotorua today, Resources and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is in the early stages ...
New annual data has exposed the staggering cost of delays previously hidden in the building consent system, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “I directed Building Consent Authorities to begin providing quarterly data last year to improve transparency, following repeated complaints from tradespeople waiting far longer than the statutory ...
Increases in water charges for Auckland consumers this year will be halved under the Watercare Charter which has now been passed into law, Local Government Minister Simon Watts and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown say. The charter is part of the financial arrangement for Watercare developed last year by Auckland Council ...
There is wide public support for the Government’s work to strengthen New Zealand’s biosecurity protections, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. “The Ministry for Primary Industries recently completed public consultation on proposed amendments to the Biosecurity Act and the submissions show that people understand the importance of having a strong biosecurity ...
A new independent review function will enable individuals and organisations to seek an expert independent review of specified civil aviation regulatory decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Director of Civil Aviation, Acting Transport Minister James Meager has announced today. “Today we are making it easier and more affordable ...
The Government will invest in an enhanced overnight urgent care service for the Napier community as part of our focus on ensuring access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown has today confirmed. “I am delighted that a solution has been found to ensure Napier residents will continue to ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey attended a sod turning today to officially mark the start of construction on a new mental health facility at Hillmorton Campus. “This represents a significant step in modernising mental health services in Canterbury,” Mr Brown says. “Improving health infrastructure is ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has welcomed confirmation the economy has turned the corner. Stats NZ reported today that gross domestic product grew 0.7 per cent in the three months to December following falls in the June and September quarters. “We know many families and businesses are still suffering the after-effects ...
The sealing of a 12-kilometre stretch of State Highway 43 (SH43) through the Tangarakau Gorge – one of the last remaining sections of unsealed state highway in the country – has been completed this week as part of a wider programme of work aimed at improving the safety and resilience ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters says relations between New Zealand and the United States are on a strong footing, as he concludes a week-long visit to New York and Washington DC today. “We came to the United States to ask the new Administration what it wants from ...
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee has welcomed changes to international anti-money laundering standards which closely align with the Government’s reforms. “The Financial Action Taskforce (FATF) last month adopted revised standards for tackling money laundering and the financing of terrorism to allow for simplified regulatory measures for businesses, organisations and sectors ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour says he welcomes Medsafe’s decision to approve an electronic controlled drug register for use in New Zealand pharmacies, allowing pharmacies to replace their physical paper-based register. “The register, developed by Kiwi brand Toniq Limited, is the first of its kind to be approved in New ...
The Coalition Government’s drive for regional economic growth through the $1.2 billion Regional Infrastructure Fund is on track with more than $550 million in funding so far committed to key infrastructure projects, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. “To date, the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) has received more than 250 ...
[Comments following the bilateral meeting with United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio; United States State Department, Washington D.C.] * We’re very pleased with our meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this afternoon. * We came here to listen to the new Administration and to be clear about what ...
The intersection of State Highway 2 (SH2) and Wainui Road in the Eastern Bay of Plenty will be made safer and more efficient for vehicles and freight with the construction of a new and long-awaited roundabout, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop. “The current intersection of SH2 and Wainui Road is ...
The Ocean Race will return to the City of Sails in 2027 following the Government’s decision to invest up to $4 million from the Major Events Fund into the international event, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown says. “New Zealand is a proud sailing nation, and Auckland is well-known internationally as the ...
Improving access to mental health and addiction support took a significant step forward today with Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announcing that the University of Canterbury have been the first to be selected to develop the Government’s new associate psychologist training programme. “I am thrilled that the University of Canterbury ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened the new East Building expansion at Manukau Health Park. “This is a significant milestone and the first stage of the Grow Manukau programme, which will double the footprint of the Manukau Health Park to around 30,000m2 once complete,” Mr Brown says. “Home ...
The Government will boost anti-crime measures across central Auckland with $1.3 million of funding as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Fund, Auckland Minister Simeon Brown and Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee say. “In recent years there has been increased antisocial and criminal behaviour in our CBD. The Government ...
The Government is moving to strengthen rules for feeding food waste to pigs to protect New Zealand from exotic animal diseases like foot and mouth disease (FMD), says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. ‘Feeding untreated meat waste, often known as "swill", to pigs could introduce serious animal diseases like FMD and ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held productive talks in New Delhi today. Fresh off announcing that New Zealand and India would commence negotiations towards a Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the two Prime Ministers released a joint statement detailing plans for further cooperation between the two countries across ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the forestry sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Agriculture and Trade Minister Todd McClay signed a new Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) today during the Prime Minister’s Indian Trade Mission, reinforcing New Zealand’s commitment to enhancing collaboration with India in the horticulture sector. “Our relationship with India is a key priority for New Zealand, and this agreement reflects our ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new Family Court Judges. The new Judges will take up their roles in April and May and fill Family Court vacancies at the Auckland and Manukau courts. Annette Gray Ms Gray completed her law degree at Victoria University before joining Phillips ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today officially opened Wellington Regional Hospital’s first High Dependency Unit (HDU). “This unit will boost critical care services in the lower North Island, providing extra capacity and relieving pressure on the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and emergency department. “Wellington Regional Hospital has previously relied ...
Namaskar, Sat Sri Akal, kia ora and good afternoon everyone. What an honour it is to stand on this stage - to inaugurate this august Dialogue - with none other than the Honourable Narendra Modi. My good friend, thank you for so generously welcoming me to India and for our ...
Trade Delegation to the Galactic EmpireGalactic Emperor Trump lounges in his throneIn the High Court of Orange, far, far, across the wild seas.The Court Trumpeters blow a desultory toot on their trumpets.“Small King Lux of Zealandia comes before the CourtOn a special mission for market access!”Announces J.D., the Galactic Emperor’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the government’s latest initiative on energy prices, Anthony Albanese on Sunday will promise that if re-elected, Labor will reduce the cost of installing a typical home battery by 30% from July 1. This would ...
Asia Pacific Report The chief of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has described Gaza as “no land” for children, as two rallies were held in New Zealand’s largest city Auckland today to mark Palestine Children’s Day. Citing the UN agency for children UNICEF, Phillipe Lazzarini said that “at least ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the government’s latest initiative on energy prices, Anthony Albanese on Sunday will promise that if re-elected, Labor will reduce the cost of installing a typical home solar battery by 30% from July 1. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University; and Vice Chancellor’s Strategic Fellow, Victoria University The United States and Iran are once again on a collision course over the Iranian nuclear program. In a letter ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Bradshaw, Professor of Marketing, Royal Holloway University of London US alcohol has been removed from sale in the Canadian province of British Columbia.lenic/Shutterstock As politicians around the world scramble to respond to US “liberation day” tariffs, consumers have also begun ...
While public opinion of Israel plummets, each day the genocide continues without significant repercussions only reinforces that they can ignore this opinion, writes Alex Foley.SPECIAL REPORT:By Alex Foley Israel announced that Hossam Shabat was a “terrorist” alongside six other Palestinian journalists. Hossam predicted they would assassinate him. He ...
Ngāi Tahu’s senior lawyer was in full flight on the final day of an eight-week High Court hearing when the judge brought him to a screeching halt.Barrister Chris Finlayson KC led the case for Ngāi Tahu, the South Island iwi that said a wai māori (freshwater) crisis prompted it to ...
Madeleine Chapman reflects on a week of bleak reading. Nothing in life is free. Everyone knows that. But for a blissful eight months, my commute was. After closing Mount Eden station nearly a decade ago to redevelop it, Auckland Transport eventually opened a new, frequent bus route (64) to connect ...
Out of the little playground kiosk at Petone beach, Mariana’s Kitchen is serving up perfect, authentic empanadas. It was a perfect Wellington day: the sun was shining and the wind was blowing. In its gust the word “OPEN” flashed on a red and yellow banner on the Petone foreshore. From ...
As Daylight Saving comes to an end, let us remember the local naturalist who came up with the idea so he could spend more time searching for insects in the Karori Bush.Here in the south, the signs are everywhere. Beanies are creeping onto heads and people are starting to ...
Lyric Waiwiri-Smith chats to Marlon Williams about the six-year journey to releasing Te Whare Tīwekaweka, his first album entirely in te reo Māori.Singer-songwriter Marlon Williams (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāi Tai) remembers a childhood where speaking “household Māori” was as everyday as the waves which crash into the harbour of Ōhinehou. ...
The journalist and author takes us through her life in television, including her biggest live TV regret and the Succession moment she witnessed first hand. This week, journalist and broadcaster Ali Mau released No Words For This, a “gripping, generous, revelatory and layered” memoir that reveals shocking family secrets, explores ...
It has all the qualities of an aircraft but with its rocket engine, the Dawn Mk-II Aurora can fly faster and higher than any jet.“We have a real path to this being the first vehicle that flies to 100km altitude – the border of space – twice in a day,” ...
The agitated and perpetually frightened right wingBy spending a lot of time online while eating spaghetti on toast in small rooms and staying up all hours, illuminated by the ghostly white screen of the PC, and worrying about what could go wrong in the world if the left wing got ...
After ten rings Tracey hung up. She started the car; an orange petrol light appeared. It appeared yesterday on the way home, but Tracey decided to deal with it today. She opened her phone and first looked for specials on the BP app and then on Caltex, but there was ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Anthony Albanese has announced that the government will ensure the Port of Darwin, currently leased by the Chinese company Landbridge, is returned to Australian hands. “Australia needs to own the Port of Darwin,” the prime ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Anthony Albanese has announced that the government will ensure the Port of Darwin, currently leased by the Chinese company Landbridge, is returned to Australian hands. “Australia needs to own the Port of Darwin,” the prime ...
Now that Phil Goff has ended his term as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to the UK, he is officially free to speak his mind on the damage he believes the Trump Administration is doing to the world. He has started with these comments he made on the betrayal of Ukraine ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Draper, Professor, and Executive Director: Institute for International Trade, and Jean Monnet Chair of Trade and Environment, University of Adelaide On April 2, United States President Donald Trump unveiled a sweeping new “reciprocal tariff” regime he says will level the playing ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Toby Murray, Professor of Cybersecurity, School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne Several of Australia’s biggest superannuation funds have suffered a suspected coordinated cyberattack, with scammers stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars of members’ retirement savings. Superannuation funds ...
Democracy Now! Jewish students at Columbia University chained themselves to a campus gate across from the graduate School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) this week, braving rain and cold to demand the school release information related to the targeting and ICE arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a former SIPA student. ...
We stand in solidarity with all communities impacted by Islamophobia, racism, and discrimination. We call for genuine accountability, not empty apologies. It is imperative that the government takes decisive action to restore integrity to the Human Rights ...
"This is a broken promise to the public. People demand the right to choose and want products from gene editing to be labelled,” said Jon Carapiet, spokesman for GE-Free New Zealand (in Food and Environment). ...
Public submissions potentially ignored and unrecorded were a focus this week. We background how the process usually works and what will happen now. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Trembath, Professor of Speech Pathology, Griffith University Lukas/Pexels If your child is struggling with certain everyday activities – such as playing with other kids, getting dressed or paying attention – you might want to get them assessed to see if ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist Norfolk Island sees its United States tariff as an acknowledgment of independence from Australia. Norfolk Island, despite being an Australian territory, has been included on Trump’s tariff list. The territory has been given a 29 percent tariff, despite Australia getting only 10 percent. It ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne alybaba/Shutterstock Street trees usually grow in appalling soils, have little space for their roots, are rarely watered and often get aggressively trimmed by road authorities ...
Delicious irony as rich parents butt heads against a corporate wall.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/06/17/123505/when-corporate-culture-clashes-with-education
Who’d have thought it, they don’t give a toss.
From the article “The overwhelming feeling at the meeting was that we had been screwed over by a corporation that didn’t care about our children….”
That’s how national ran education so is anyone surprised this behaviour exists in the sector. Felt like how some describe Akl grammar these days to me also.
Living in a zone and forking out the cash doesn’t mean youre getting value…..it never did, wake up people.
We would have seen more of this had charter schools taken root.
Trickle-down erodes the middle class. Who to eat next?
I’m sure they were responsible and bought posh school closure insurance.
Hector Espiner back to his usual badgering bullying tone. Doesn’t seem to be working though.
Wasn’t it Soozy’s turn today? Winnie wasn’t too impressed.
Awesome to hear Trump blame the Democrats for forcing the separation of children at Mexican border when it’s not law and he controls all parts of government.
Worth a read..
Sanctions on his business interests, his real estate, his children, his enablers. Interpol arrest warrants for the lot of them. Bullets wouldn’t be an ideal solution but I could live with it.
he advertised it.
He was very vocal about what he was going to do , and he is doing it.
Those of us that warned the cheerleaders of the future to come were poopoo’ed.
I hope that his cheerleaders will suffer a life time of swallowing saliva that tastes like shit.
There are already plenty of Senators and Congress reps and Fox News commentators saying cages for children aren’t that bad, or aren’t really cages.
Every time a film clip is sneaked out of the Detention Centres from here on in, they are going to get burnt hard.
I don’t care if they get burned. I want them to swallow shit and piss for the rest of their lifes, and that includes ANY cheerleaders that could not wait for that orange piece of shit to get voted in in order to bring ‘change’. And i include all and any of the resident cheerleaders especially CV. Shit and piss no matter what you eat, not matter how much and how often you brush your teeth, cut your tongue and it will still be shit and piss.
I am fully out of snark.
I would also like to remind people of Theresienstadt, who was inspected by the international Red Cross with much fanfare to find ‘nothing untowards’.
Fuck goodwin, and fuck his cheerleaders, enablers and third party voters. Fuck em.
You want to know why not voting for these people is so important, that the lesser evil is sometimes the better choice, The lesser evil, while not being the Unicorn the left seems to need in order to get ‘engaged and inspired and lovely dovey’ does not remove the progress made, progress for women, children, and all others that are not white, male, heterosexual and their assorted arsekissers and bootlickers.
cunts last night and now shit, piss and fuck.
Weka, Weka?
oh dear, you are upset?
Sad!
no, not at all, but it probably puts a few people off reading and commenting, which after all is the point of a blog
honestly if people are’nt put off after everyday Gosman, Wayne, and other assorted bullshitters come here and infect every thread with their offerings, they surely will not be offended by me wishing Trump supporters to taste shit and piss every time they swallow.
But then, who knows there are a lot of things right wingers have no issue with it, child abuse – be it by witholding funds from the mother as Winz drones under Anne Tolley and Paula Bennett have done,, – or by republicans in the US seems to not give them a hard time. Cause ….reasons.
Weka never pulled me up for swearing. I’ve never used that “c” word though.
Count the number of times James used those words…
(like a pig in muck).
Context Robert, context.
I say it’s bad. You seem happy accepting it.
James, you are trolling; taking “offensive” words and repeating them ad nauseum, being a smart-arse, adding nothing to the discussion. Leave out the “butter wouldn’t melt in mouth” crap; you’re trying to disrupt, put a spanner in the works, take the “high” ground; but your no more than a troll, stirring muck for your own perverse pleasure. Others here suggest that you “grow up”, b*gger off”, get a life and I’m sympathetic to their calls. James, you are boring us to death, we don’t trust what you say, we don’t enjoy your contributions, we don’t respect your point of view. What more can I say? The quality of your comments, dull and pointless in months gone by, has deteriorated into foul-mouthed sniping; have you no personal pride, no standards of behaviour? Puckish Rogue, for all his faults, is rarely offensive: you James, are unfailingly offensive. Grow. Up.
And enjoy the experience
Yep the trump is going to pay a heavy price for this with a bit of luck but probably not
“US President Donald Trump has attacked the German government’s approach to immigration, as he comes under pressure over his own crackdown on migrants.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44524873
What a scum trump is and many other governments are not too far behind including our one. Separating children from their parents – colonisation 101 – they’ve been doing it, like forever!
At no extra cost you get the hypocrisy of quoting the bible as a defense by the white house just to rub some salt in.
This is a deliberate and provocative action with wonderful examples of humanity like Jeff Sessions supporting it.
Parents are being told their kids are being taken away for a bath…..it’s dickensian shit.
Colbert was scathing about this practice in an opening monologue last week. Notice it’s the comedians actually standing up against this whereas the msm……mmmm.
Isn’t that what they were told about the showers at Auschwitz ?
Fair game now to call Trump et al Nazis
Since we’re all about the Godwins today I’ll admit to wondering how long it would be before Trump announced his final solution to the problem of the Mexican untermenschen.
Any mention of Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin (pick your favourite) in reference to Trump is now fair game.
How can the Brits justify inviting him to visit Britain next month now?
And Prince Harry tells his Dad-in-law to “give Trump a chance”. What a chump!
Didn’t the Brits invent the concentration camp?
No.
The first use of concentration camps was the in the US in 1830’s, the Brits used them during the Boer War. Both countries, like their eugenics programs, preceded/inspired the Nazis use of them.
I used to think that too, until someone pointed out that the Brits were copying ACW prison camps.
Yes, interesting. And in turn inspired by the US ‘reservations’ for the region’s original inhabitants https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentration_camp
If these people are to be believed, and I have no personal expertise in the topic. they go back to the Assyrians. although the actual name only came into use about at the end of the nineteenth century.
“The idea of forced resettlement is nothing new; it was first recorded as being used by the ancient Assyrians, and was sporadically used throughout history, by such groups as the Ottomans and Russians. The term “concentration camp” was first coined by the Spanish in the late 19th century, when the Spanish army in Cuba rounded up civilians in these camps to fight guerrilla armies in the area. Shortly after this, the US used concentration camps in the Philippines.”
https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-that-the-first-concentration-camps-were-a-British-invention-during-the-Boer-War
Who would have thought it?
Anne, According to a journalist/magazine?
Released just now by BBC world:
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-44503978/the-sound-of-migrant-children-separated-from-parents
I hope this turn of events marks the beginning of the end of the road for Trump and his evil team of despots and religious nuts.
I never thought the day would come when I would support the “lock em up and throw away the key” brigade but in this instance… bring it on!
I do believe even in NZ parents are separated from their children if they are incarcerated. So lets all calm down people. Obama did it too and nary a cry. Hypocrisy much!
Obama did it too and nary a cry.
citation needed.
Obama did it too and nary a cry.
Liar!
The trouble with your reasoning is that first it starts with the false premiss that these people entering the US from Mexico are doing something illegal. They are not. Seeking asylum is not an illegal activity.Trump has made it “illegal” contrary to the declaration of Human Rights and is blaming it on the Democrats. But in placing blame upon them he is telling lies.
https://www.vox.com/2018/6/11/17443198/children-immigrant-families-separated-parents
Whilst some unaccompanied teenagers were place in immigration detention whilst their cases were sorted out during the Obama administration there were no instances of young children being separated from their parents.
The extreme Right Wing media is already starting the narrative that the kids are “Crisis Actors” coached by people paid by the Democrats.
The same exact words they have also used to try and discredit the survivors of school shootings pushing for tougher gun laws.
Trump’s attorney general Jeff Sessions in his speech defending the policy of separating the children from their families used the very same bible verse that was popular among slave owners in the southern US States to support their right to own slaves.
Meanwhile, Trump himself has apparently been breaking US law every day by ripping up memos, screwing them up and tossing them in the bin after he has finished reading them. A whole team of document specialists is now having to retrieve them from the bins and reconstruct them so that they can be preserved and archived as required by US law.
What percentage of ‘mainstream news and events’ is completely scripted, would be impossible to estimate, or to comprehend…
Theatre and scripting runs long, wide and deep…
Giving of emotional energy, is what the the script writers require…
It gets worse. This is the kind of mentality afoot. If you think it’s bad, just try reading the comments at the end of the article. Makes kiwiblog’s poo-flinging monkeys look like sages:
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-06-17/democrat-admits-child-migrant-crisis-was-kept-very-quiet-under-obama
I couldn’t read past the first few comments. These creatures (I was going to call them animals but that’s a gross insult to animals) are craven lunatics.
The full video of the separated children. I didn’t last till the end. Too distressing.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jun/18/us-border-families-separated-audio-recording
Will re-link at Daily Review. Must be seen by everybody.
True NZJester – full on sickos that crew.
Trump continues to show the worst side of humanity.
He and Session’s should be taken to the Hague for trial.
This is the old dead cat tactic every time prosecutors get closer to bringing him and his cronies to trial for treason the more outrageous his distractions,!
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/359841/national-party-shock-at-government-scrapping-police-policies
‘The National Party has expressed shock after the government ditched two of its key police policies – and it is calling for them to be reinstated.
The then National government last year announced an aim of attending 98 percent of burglaries in 48 hours. It also set a target of having 95 percent of the population living within 25 kilometres of an all-hours police station.’
These seem to be the kind of policies that everyone would agree are good ideas and much needed so since Labours ditching them what are they replacing them with?
Having been witness to a few burglaries of the Dairy located next to me, that National Policy was nothing more then a policy.
So yeah, its a nothing burger to can a policy that was not worth the toilet paper National wrote it on.
Judith Collins probably wiped her backside with that policy to parfume it a bit. .
National, cutting police numbers to bare bones in order to ‘achieve a surplus’.
National, hard against crime in name only.
National, its not crime if it helps me.
Are you feeling ok Sabine, your replies today seem a bit different than usual
Your concern is noted PR.
and my comment regarding the Naitonal Party and Judith Collins is standard.
National Party still full of useless fucks, and Judith Collins is still full of shit and unlikable and undetectable.
I hope i have restored you faith in me.
Thats good to hear, we have different political beliefs but it doesn’t mean we can’t have concern for each other
Caring conservatism PR?
Like the P tests that unhomed people and the health and safety bullshit used as a smokescreen for the culprits at Pike River.
Take it somewhere else – the decks are awash with Gosman vomit already.
Obviously PR you are just another Auckland wanker.
50 kms between 24 hour manned police staions FFS.
Oh, I see thats only NORTH of the Bombay Hills.
PR your faux outrage with a gutted police force how were National ever going to meet that ridiculous target.
Low taxes means cheap nasty govt services.
But the uber wealthy like yourself can afford 24 hr private security on top of police priority.
“But the uber wealthy like yourself can afford 24 hr private security on top of police priority.”
Not even close to being uber wealthy
(depending on your definition of course) unless in comparison to the entire world but if you do that then most of us would probably be considered the 1%
PR you fell into my trap of exposing your crap.
You are for lower taxes then you provide security for your house self and family.
Yet the coalition is putting more cops on the beat yet you complain about an unachievable goal which if it were to be achieved other areas of policing would suffer.
This 98%within 48 hrs was a PR spin BS damage control for a party that pretends to be tough on crime.
“PR you fell into my trap of exposing your crap.”
– A trap so cunning only you can see it
“You are for lower taxes then you provide security for your house self and family.”
– Not sure what you mean, can you reword it please
“Yet the coalition is putting more cops on the beat yet you complain about an unachievable goal which if it were to be achieved other areas of policing would suffer.”
– I think more cops on the beat is a good as does Labour considering how many of the cops were budgeted under National but what “achievable goal” am I complaining about
“This 98%within 48 hrs was a PR spin BS damage control for a party that pretends to be tough on crime.”
– So why wouldn’t the COL carry through with it, its a vote and it’d shut National up pretty quickly
How did they get on with achieving those goals puckers?
Thats funny, whenever the impossibility of the COL managing to get anywhere close to planting a billion trees or building a 100 000 houses is mentioned I get told at least they tried
So I guess at least National which is more than what the COL is doing
However this is a chance for the COL to steal a march on National, take on the policies for themselves, implement them properly and then National will find it a lot harder to criticise
So you reckon they tried then do you puckers?
I reckon its not a left v right issue to the voters
“”The new Government’s come in, and perhaps the expectations that we’ve given them are too high.”
Yep – Labour made promises to their union backers – and now cannot follow thru – Instead they give Winny a billion dollars to holiday around the pacific.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/06/we-can-t-put-everything-alright-overnight-winston-peters-on-nurses-pay.html
“We’ve still got to keep a surplus for a rainy day down the stream, which is almost inevitable – especially if this Government goes on for two terms.”
I don’t think he meant to put it quite that way or is he saying this government is going to make a major blunder?
I wonder if Shane Jones personal slush fund could have been better utilised
You 2 created your own blog yet so you can chat amongst yourselves ?
What a bloody good idea.
What – and miss your insightful analysis and political arguments?
Oh – Im sorry – Babies !!!! happier now.
“I wonder if Shane Jones personal slush fund could have been better utilised”.
Tell me you are kidding? You are far to smart to have to ask that question aren’t you?
A better question would be
“I wonder if Shane Jones personal slush fund could have been utilised in a worse manner”
It actually is much harder to answer. You have to think quite hard before you can come up with enough ways to completely waste a billion dollars a year that are worse than Shane’s load of rubbish.
Labour can only blame themselves for over promising when they knew they wouldn’t be able to deliver
Mind you after 18 years of stable government it’ll be interesting to see how this all plays out
Oh dry up James. Worthless!
Ahh – being rude to the poster – the last defence of someone who know that the comment is right and has nothing reasonable to answer with.
You know Im right.
James, in defence of my fellow ‘mac’.
You wrote, “Yep – Labour made promises to their union backers – and now cannot follow thru – Instead they give Winny a billion dollars to holiday around the pacific.”
Now let’s see how ‘worthless’ that is.
Firstly, it’s a political statement and could be attacked as such. References to the deputy prime minister as “Winny” and secondly the slur that a billion dollars budgeted for Pacific (note spelling with capital) foreign aid is being used as “holiday money” by Winston Peters show that your statement which I have quoted is a very political and partisan one.
Secondly, you said that Labour made promises to their union backers. What evidence have you to show that in the first place that actually happened (what promises, made when and to whom)? That is also a very political statement as it implies quid quo pro deals, and lack of governmental honesty and freedom of action.
Thirdly, you link a budgeted item of expenditure in foreign aid to non-fulfilment of alleged promises to union backers, as if it were a either/or arrangement. Your purpose there was I believe to slur Labour and Winston Peters both, as well as the unions.
ianmac says yours was a worthless statement. I would agree.
Feeling hurt by being told to “dry up”? Not the worst injunction you could have received to stop inflicting such arrant nonsense upon the Standard’s readers.
You show your bias with commenting on ” References to the deputy prime minister as “Winny”
Yet fail to see you commenting on National members being called everything right up to “cunt” – see last nights post.
i did not see that comment, but for once i agree with you.
Cunts are beautiful warm things, nurturing, loving, welcoming (well most of the times). The National Party and its supporters are non of this.
You’re right. I didn’t comment. I failed to see it. Bad form.
But, saying they do it too is not a secure argument.
And accusing me of failure to do something, is also not an argument to counter my critique of your lack of argument.
I also have a policy that I choose to respond to those I choose. I do not respond to everything or everyone with whom I disagree or agree. That way is futility.
You’re lucky.
Thanks Mc 1. James is really just playing silly beggars. I think that he only intent to draw as many responses as he can regardless of any fact or valid opinion. For me why bother to respond to him/her?
You’re both right and wrong James – so far right Genghis Khan would be ashamed of you, and consistently in error about everything except barbecue.
James your right of right.
Why don’t you set up your own right wing Web site.
Instead of all the right wing cuckoos trying to take over this site with your stubborn unyielding Dogma!
DHBs says no more money would be put on the table for nurses.
Peters points to the Government’s Budget Responsibility Rules.
Interestingly, when it comes to the Budget Responsibility Rules and expenditure, Labour thought they had the balance about right.
However, it looks as if members of the Public Services Association (PSA), Inland Revenue (IRD) and the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (Mbie) along with teachers and nurses disagree.
It seems the realisation of Labour’s campaign rhetoric is starting to sink in.
I don’t think people were expecting Labour to put everything right overnight, but clearly they were expecting more than what’s currently on offer. Thus, it’s going to be interesting to see how this all plays out.
On a side note, National aren’t offering anything better, which will help Labour stand their ground as they know voters will have nowhere else to turn.
The problem is the nurses and doctors want to capture the health service for their own benefit and resent and oppose being managed. People argue they should be “paid what they are worth” without considering that the real skill lies in managing them. They are quite manipulative too, with their carefully cultivated image as selfless souls working long hours in a vocation to ease the suffering of the ill and disabled. It needs strong and pervasive management to cut through this cant and keep these pious do-gooders acting in the public interest. More powerful and well resourced management is what is required here !
As Cindy said nz just has to come round to her way of thinking or labour has failed and they will be a one term government Looking odds on bet this will be the case
lol, our resident rightwingers really have an issue today with rudeness.
OHMYGOSH, someone please pass the smelling salts for the dears. Someone must loosen their ties, lest they faint. Poor things.
Sabine –
Are you OK with women being called “chubby” or “trout”
Or being called a “cock sucker” should someone disagree with you.
Perhaps you dont like a minister – do you think its OK to call them a cunt?
Perhaps you should have an issue with it as well.
After all the behaviour you tolerate is the behaviour you endorse.
“cock sucker” – an indication of some level of misogyny if uttered by a heterosexual male, or just another of those “go to” put downs that people just kinda thoughtlessly let trip off their tongue (eg – motherfucker etc)?
“cunt” – hmm. Good cunt or bad cunt? Cunt of the desirable variety or something else entirely?
Apparently all cultures use references to genitalia as put downs. Sometimes it gets a bit amusing/enlightening. So for example, the “go to” put down for a man in some African culture (I forget which one but it featured in some Stephen Fry programme about language) is to suggest that the man is hung like a donkey.
I thought “cock sucker” was more a homophobic put down rather than a misogynistic one. I guess on some level it could be both, but it was certainly to imply that a man was gay when i used to use it in my homophobic youth.
James, i have been quite open and honest about my feelings about the current lot of National Party members and their enablers.
You can use what ever word for me or anyone else for that matter that you see befitting. I still think that ugly – the insides you know the soul heart and mind – fits Judith Collins, and vile – as in her every action and word – fits Paula Bennett.
I stand by that.
As for chubby – i fit that description. Even tho, when much younger i was called a board with warts :).
A trout? cooked with lemon butter? blue – cooked in whitewine, or rather with almond butter? Ha, so hard to decide. But then I like meat :), and its not good friday. so what ever suits you.
Cock sucker? I have sucked my fair share of cocks, and can’t really see the insult in it, i might add that the sucked cocks did not complain, so again, where is the insult?
the thing is James, as a women of a certain age, a women who grew up poor, was assaulted at home by her stepfather, who lived as a transient teenager on the street as that was safer than living at home, i have been called my fair share of things in my life.
Heck, one lady in NZ even commented how ‘lady like’ i looked when i wore a nice dress and heels to an official dinner.
So no i don’t care. Judith Collins, Paula Bennett, Nick Smith, Simon Bridges, Bill English, John Key, Brownlee, and the other assorted clowns are vile and very very ugly, unlikable, and should be unelectable. And unless you can show me where one of these people have done something to better the life of someone else – they clearly don’t give a shit about this country other then it benefitting them – i might change my mind.
I hope that clears it up for you dear.
Ouch! James: you’ve just been masticated (not a rude word, fyi).
They do give a shit about helping the country Sabine, just not in the way you think is best, hand up versus hand out etc.
Don’t you mean “push down”?
please show one example of the National Party giving a ‘hand up’ to any person in NZ that is not called Bill English, Paula Bennet, Oravida Collins, Nick Smith, Brownlee, Amy Adams, John ‘State House’ Key and any other of the National Party buffoons.
And no ‘zip it sweety’ ain’t gonna cut it.
And while you are at it, could you explain to me why National never got rid of that ‘socialism on steroids’ called working for families?
Is it because silly Farmer blokes with signs calling J. Adern a ‘pretty communist’ need it to feed their 8 children that they have despite obviously not making enough money to afford these 8 kids. Or is having children one can not afford only a crime against humanity when non white Farmer blokes and their wifes do eeet?
Alan, James! Challenging someone who has plainly stated they’re “fully out of snark” seems … foolhardy; are you both soft in the head?
Right Alan, this whole “hand up” thing should be pretty easy for you to explain and please include examples from the previous government where it was put into practice, funded properly, and has the ongoing funding/support for long term beneficial impact.
Or was that a random RWKJ bs throw away line which, has no real substance or reasoning behind it.
Whilst you might be OK being called those names (and for whatever reason you are OK with it) – others might not be.
There will be plenty of women out there who get very upset being called chubby, or blokes who dont like being called cock suckers.
Cunt is not a nice name – you might be ok being called one – but others are not. Would you be happy with other people calling your family members that?
Perhaps we can start using the term for Jacinda – after all if you are OK for it to be used about Key – why not allow people call Jacinda that if they so feel like it?
In recent weeks your comments have contained more instances of these ‘offensive’ words than any other single poster.
A prediction: James will continue to incorporate these words into his comments at every opportunity – he believes it’s a strong ‘argument’, and his ‘duty’ to criticise offensive words and comments on this site. I guess that will keep him busy, which seems important to him.
again, i agree with you. We can call Jacinda or other women that, and i guess more then one National Party member, enabler and sponsor has called her that word the night National lost the Election.
John Key however will never be a cunt, he will always just be a selfish hair pulling young girl tormenting limp prick.. I am all for equality of the sexes. There.
Don’t go down that road, your false idea of a do good liberal with ‘political correctness’ is lost on me.
I don’t care about your feefee’s no more then you care about feeling sleeping in cars and raising their children in vans. I don’t care about Paula Bennetts feelings, if she is sad being called a vile human being, she can try to be a better one. Same for Judith Collins, she could try justice for all instead of just for those that give her money. Mr. Bridges could try to get bridges build instead of squandering time and money of others. Nick Smith could just go and retire. Brownlee can also retire, and the National Party could just find a soul, a heart, some guts and maybe be electable without friends. Not holding my breath tho.
But your whinging about how you hurt because the National Party is called on their bullshit, the national party member being called out for the callouls soulless ghouls they are? Nah, not buying it.
Mind you could try harder. I am having fun here.
But remember, there is not one word you can call me – a women, or a poor person, or a homeless person, or an abused person, that i have not heard, and that the National Party and its enablers and sponsors have not uttered themselves in order to score some cheap points with those that are suffering from white economic anxiety and who would like to go back to the 1850’s when people knew their place.
“John Key however will never be a cunt, he will always just be a selfish hair pulling young girl tormenting limp prick.. ”
James ???: crikey!!
And the worst of all those epithets for Sir John Key is ‘hair-pulling’.
Because it was a repeated, bullying, power-strutting action from a man to whom empathy and propriety are foreign concepts.
What future property insurance?
https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/359931/wellington-woman-shocked-at-300-percent-insurance-hike
i guess next will be people living near the cost and flood plains.
I can see certain areas of akl become ‘uninsurable’ not because the people don’t want to pay for it, but essentially are priced out of it.
and as the pool decreases the less and less viable the model becomes.
yep.
it’s gonna be fun when the multimillion hovels on the coast line of akl, wlgtn, etc etc will not be insurable.
That’s when the gnashing the teeth and the pulling of the hair begins, and maybe some will even realise just how stupid they have been.
i mean i spend that much money on couple of arborists to give my fruit trees a trim. But at least these trees bring forth kai, and much of it. Much better investment. House ….worth nothing, fruit trees? Priceless.
Imagine what that is going to do to rents let alone peoples ability to own a home.
And add to that Wellington Regional Council has proposed a 6.7 per cent average rates increase across the region coupled with Wellington City Council’s 3.9 percent rates increase.
People will be wanting and will require far larger pay increases now.
i guess that the houses that become uninsurable due to flooding etc etc will become slums of last resort and the rich will still have enough money to buy what ever property there is to buy. As for rents going up, they don’t need a reason to increase rents. They can buy law raise rent every 6 month willy nilly.
Going off the rate of that increase, far more will find they can’t afford to insure their home. As many more will find they can’t afford to buy one due to the increasing related costs of owning one.
And as landlord costs are continually increasing higher than the rate of inflation, it’s no wonder landlords are forced to increase rents.
yes, pity the poor landlord, who has to increase prices to continue making a profit on his houses that are owned by the bank.
pity pity pity
not.
Pity has nothing to do with it. Merely stating a fact. And the realisation of that.
the poor landlord can sell any and all houses other then the one he lives in and try work for a living.
Problem solved.
The landlord has probably already worked quite hard to get themselves into a situation to afford investment property – is that a crime to you Sabine?
Do you have a problem with people working hard, being smart and having a few assets to show for it?
Sounds like it
Most people buy an investment property by borrowing against the capital gains from their home. That’s not work. There are plenty of people working bloody hard who can’t even pay the rent. There is huge generation inequality here as older people who already own squeeze young people out of the market. Are you OK with people making money from OTHER peoples hard work?
Boo hoo, virtually everyone I know who has accumulated a bit of wealth has worked bloody hard and often taken business risks, take your concerns to councils and get more land freed up for development, that is where the problem lies.
So they worked hard, so fucking what. Lots of people work hard..
Nope it is not Alan.
But, if the Landlord finds him overextended as due to rising cost he can not maintain his various mansions, then commercial interest would behoove it that he starts selling properties to better his income streem.
I think they call it “Free Market’ in National Party parlance.
Also, it helps to think first before buying properties in so called Million Dollar Suburbs if these are located in a flood plain, earth quake prone zone, or near a beach that might rise several meters of the next few decades.
Just because someone made an investment does not mean that person is entitled to income from it. If he/she is lucky the investment pays off, if not, Bugger.
repeat after me, Free Market. Free Market. Free Market.
yes agree with all of that, what is your point?
There are the immediate impacts on things such as rents and property values etc but my thoughts were more towards the systemic….the implications of a failed property insurance industry could potentially collapse the current economic paradigm…..some may welcome that, then again what fills the void may be worse.
I don’t think we have yet to play a requiem for the insurance company.
There are already a great number of people that don’t have insurance on their houses, their cars, or their persons, simply because they don’t have the money. They have enough to serve the mortgage and pay either electricity or food. Never mind the roof that needs fixing.
The ones that can offset Insurance costs as an expense against income – which it would be in the Rentiers scenario will load the cost over to the tenant. IF the tenant can’t afford it, that tenant will move, another one will move in, rinse repeat until the kingdom comes.
The houses that will be uninsurable, will become slums, slowly but surely. Still bringing income, but at literally no cost, and no government – regardless of their stripes and dots – will do anything as at that stage housing will have become so rare that any dog kennel will do.
The favelas of South Americas, or the slums of Asia, will come to NZ at some stage. And the likes of our current National Party enablers will have no issue with it, they will yell, Free Market provides, Free Market provides.
Bank of England is alarmed about the increase of personal debt
So, how is NZ’s private debt bubble going?
70K in the hole on education. Wide skill set for a brave new world. Who’s hiring?
What a relief !
With Donald Trump cruelly separating babies from their mothers, as wealthy people do, our Trolls will be delighted and distracted.
They will be petting and patting Donald all over his incredible body and purple heart. Melania will get roughed up of course. She is just a waste to be shat upon by the Evil trolls.
Think of the rewards that Gosman and James will get ! Evil is so rewarding. As all trolls know.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/359959/inquiry-into-spying-claims-extended-to-all-govt-agencies
Thompson & Clarke SSC investigation expands.
Today, Mr Hughes announced that the inquiry would now cover all government agencies.
He said he was concerned about what has surfaced in the inquiry to date and new information now available about other agencies.
The fresh material came to light in official information requests to the Ministry of Primary Industries and the Security Intelligence Service
Good ,another example of the rot that set in under national.
I wonder if Slater or his mates involved as he was in the ‘security industry’ before blogging and would know of lot of the principals
Good morning The AM Show how would trump like it if those Mokopunas were his own Mokopunas this action of taking mokos from there parents and lock them in cages creates a whole lot of trauma they will all resent USA its unhumane don’t blame the demarcats Don its the changes to your laws you made that have cause this what’s that the rest of the World has to live up to the standards you set but the USA can do what it wants.If your wrong just get over it and change your law/attitude.
The changes made by Labour to the NZ House ownership laws is what a responsible government does you make plans for a law and when you see those changes need to be refine that’s the wise why to handle that situation not like national who would deny there was a problem and ram the law through parliament and hide the problems it creates.
ECO MAORI Says yes to all the council having a fuel tax carbon tax you want to know why because national have denied human caused global warming for 9 years and this lack of leadership /blocking on climate change has left all the councils with a lot of catching up to mitigate climate change problems we face now. Yes I know its going to be hard on the common person but with some senseable thinking I’m sure we will survive the fuel taxs better that trying to survive a Papatuanukue with a extremely bad environment. Ka kite ano P.S the sandflys did not like my words over the last few days days they provided a swam of a escort on my way back to Auckland
The AM Show ECO MAORI Says we need to integrate OUR elderly in our society may be some sort of employment with the main goal of getting the elderly out of their houses once and a while I Back Mark Sainsbury move to get people to know that our valuerable elderly are being taken advantage of Ka pai e hoa some people just can’t help themselves and just pray on the elderly wallets idiots
Kai pai Paddy Grower the story on the government using the private investigation company to spy on innocent Kiwis Ka kite ano
This link is to trump
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12073187
Here some music to
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6ad4MH7fMLs Ana to kai Ka kite ano