”Australian report finds profit, not wages, driving inflation
[unlinked copy and paste deleted]
So why not a windfall profits tax here? It’ll raise a little revenue, but more importantly send a message to big business to stop rorting the consumer. The optics that Labour look after the majority of the country, rather than the big end of town, wouldn’t be bad either.
No one in the southern hemisphere has appetite for major tax increases. Not even the neo-socialists in South America.
But even with the existing tax settings we have, it does not help that our government remains very, very weak at breaking oligopolies like we have in fishing, dairy production, supermarkets, fuel, red meat production, construction materials, insurance, sea ports, shipping, international airports, airlines, and so much more. We must surely have one of the most concentrated economies in the world.
We do not appear to have in Cabinet anyone with the business sense to regulate prices hard., or even in the Commerce Commission. Oligopolists are driving inflation because nothing resists them passing increases on.
The effective inflation fighter we have, our own Reserve Bank, has the dual mandate of low inflation and lowest possible unemployment, but according to them if we have maximum sustainable employment, we should not be having inflation at all:
"When more people find jobs and fewer people are unemployed, employers tend to offer higher wages to fill their vacancies. If this happens nationwide, it generates wage inflation and eventually widespread inflation as businesses pass on the higher wage costs to the prices of goods and services.
When employment is at its maximum sustainable level, there will be low and stable inflation. However, if employment is above the maximum sustainable level for too long, it will eventually cause prices to rise more and more quickly, requiring the MPC to raise interest rates to keep inflation under control."
I don't consider the dual mandate an issue. Many central banks have a dual mandate and have for some time, then NZ was an exception with its single mandate.
The actual issue is how the RBNZ approaches monetary policy which is not something which follows from any mandate. Previously the central bank policy was typically pre-emptive, steps would be taken to any increase in inflation, which would immediately aim to break a wage price spiral. Now, at least descriptively, there can be a wait and see to observe if the price increase would translate to a wage increase, and then seeing if there was a lead to more price increases, before policy shift. This is probably marginally more healthy a policy.
The other issue the RBNZ has is the cash rate is quite blunt a tool to target inflation and has poor distributional outcomes.
And its not going to resolve any of the supply side price increases (many coming from overseas) in anything like a fair way.
My simple observation was not with the dual mandate itself but with their stated expectation that "When employment is at its maximum sustainable level, there will be low and stable inflation".
This is clearly wrong. They need to re-consult their Moniac.
I agree that stronger trends in wage and salary increases would be much preferable, especially after 20 years of waiting for them to arrive.
I think your ultimately right that low and stable inflation has little to do with the employment level, but that the RBNZ would disagree their statement is wrong.
Essentially they are saying that there is an employment level at which there is low and stable inflation. This is called the NAIRU level in technical terms. The NAIRU replaced the Phillips curve though its conceptually incoherent. The modern mathematical replacement for the Moniac will (if consulted) tell the RBNZ to increase unemployment because the inflation rate is too high. Probably better that they actually use their brains, rather than acting mechanically, to determine monetary policy.
They would probably also disagree that the present NZ economic situation is a test of this given the amount of imported inflation and supply side issues involved. That's not a judgement which the Moniac is capable of.
On the other hand the underlying Wicksellian theory that there exists one single interest rate which is most appropriate for the prevailing economic situation is clearly not applicable. The actual occurring economy is more broad and varied than the model economy which could support such a theory existing. So I consider the most suitable monetary policy will typically be to set the rate at zero and leave it there. Inflation issues should be resolved either via fiscal policy and within the contextual understanding that somebody will lose out cost wise when external prices change and this cost should be fairly distributed.
Doing it via monetary policy gives the pretense that imported inflation doesn't have distributional impacts, but it doesn't make those impacts go away.
Its a political question introducing such a tax, the revenue is irrelevant.
The question is will the windfall tax discourage profit gouging, and at what cost in govt popularity. It might make sellers say why bother making extraordinary profits they just get taxed away, but it might also lead to price hikes just to make a point to the public about whos boss.
just to make a point to the public about whos boss
And also make that same point to any government that tried to impose a windfall tax. I don't know of any examples of it happening elsewhere in the world, but it's a level of spitefulness that wouldn't surprise me in NZ.
It should then be easier for an effective political leader to use the spiteful behaviour of the commercial bosses as an example of why we need to restrain their antisocial excesses.
We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace–business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.
They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.
Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me–and I welcome their hatred.
I should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master.
There has certainly been some piss taking with fuel, There has been a 30-40 cent per litre difference in diesel pricing between Auckland and not to far out of Auckland.
That's far more than can be explained by regional fuel tax etc. Could well call it price gouging.
In Auckland, the price of 91 octane petrol was between $2.88 and $3.05 a litre across stations on Tuesday morning, while diesel was between $2.79 and $2.97, according to PriceWatch.
Prices had dropped below $3 in Wellington and Christchurch.
AA principal policy adviserTerry Collins said the decline was down to two things: the drop in price of crude oil and refinery, but also the questioning of why fuel companies had high profit margins by the Government." (my bold)
So even the threat of the Government doing something causes the big boys to moderate their profits.
If you had read your article instead of spray & walk away you’d known how stupid you sound.
News of the truce and the ensuing reduction in public gun violence came too late for embattled former police minister Poto Williams.
She was replaced by Chris Hipkins on June 13 as part of a cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who said she had lost focus in the portfolio.
If you keep up your dump & jump trolling here you’ll be treated that way.
How would you have dealt with a "perfect storm" caused by a combination of 501's, and a large number of disaffected youth caused by the loss of social cohension due to decades of Neo-Liberal "there is no such thing as society" cruelty?
As well as constant White anting by ignorant fools such as David Seymour, at your workplace.
You wouldn't have a fucking clue, and be "well out of your depth".
Now, because of the idiot chorus from the RW, actually getting to the causes and really cutting crime has been set back another decade.
Really? Aside from there being no actual evidence that she was out of her depth and the fact she was beginning to make headway before Nat white anting made her position untenable, are you plugged into some collective Borg-like consciousness that lets you know what "Everyone" knows?
Her problem was: she didn't have very good communication skills. Especially when dealing with the media who aided and abetted the white-anters by shoving their mikes into her face whenever she dared venture out of her office… asking pointed questions designed to throw her off balance.
Unfortunately the criminals are getting bolder as the soft on crime approach has not worked. This guy shows how much respect or fear of the police (none) he has and absolutely nails the poor police woman. But then, I expect he is really a nice person just got mixed up with the wrong crowd and had a tough upbringing and was in the process of turning his life around. Hopefully the other officers gave out a bit of rough justice shortly afterwards.
"An illegal, violent reaction to the casual, un-provoked violence of a law breaker?"
That's what he did to the policewoman in the first few seconds of the video.
I can just imagine you sitting down with him over a cup of tea and explaining to him "What you did to that Policewoman wasn't really appropriate behavior, and you need to reflect on what you just did…..another cuppa?"
Directly or indirectly advocating violence in any shape or form (including ‘jest’ and advocating self-harm) to individuals or groups is simply not allowed. Moderators will have a no-tolerance humourless response as the only possible response. If you want to talk about political conflicts around the world, then do so being mindful of this proscription.
Carter Holt Harvey cited “short-term industry-wide supply issues”, while some blamed the mass export of logs to China, where our timber attracts a premium. But others saw more cynical motives at play. One industry commentator saw it as a “power move” to fight the low prices demanded of smaller retailers. ITM’s chief executive described it as a “corporate attack” that would “have ramifications for years to come”.
Earlier this year, Carter Holt Harvey stopped supplying wood products to Mitre 10 and ITM. The company, owned by New Zealand’s richest person, controls half the country’s structural timber trade and despite claiming shortages, kept supplying its own subsidiary, Carters. It was seen by many as a power move by the company against its competitors.
New Zealand is one of the few large log producing countries around the globe that allows their export without restrictions. At least 39 countries have log export bans of one kind or another and of these, at least 16 show clear intent to support domestic processing, according to a 2019 report from consultancy Sense Partners.
Selling off the harvesting rights to publicly owned forest to private and overseas interests has pretty much meant we have very little control over where our logs go.
The consortium comprises Fletcher Challenge (37.5 per cent); Brierley Investments (25 per cent); and Citifor, a subsidiary of China International Trust and Investment Corporation, (37.5 per cent).
China Forestry Group New Zealand Company Limited (China Forestry Group NZ) has agreed to acquire part of the NZ Superannuation Fund’s North Island forestry assets, following a competitive tender and Overseas Investment Office approval.
Hi Cricklewood. Oh fark yes…Bill Birch !. I'd maybe tried to suppress memories of THAT particular jerk. And of course what those a-holes legacy left Future NZ. Sad does not cover it.
I don't think I have ever seen the gossip, rumours and conspiracy theories to be as bad as they are now.
In my time in politics I heard them all – and many about myself. If I had a dollar for every time I heard about the untrue demise of Winston Peters and rumours of poor health then I would be a wealthy woman. I don't think a Green MP washes her hair in her own urine but this was told to me numerous times and as if it is fact.
I am sure that like a lot of workplaces the odd bit of after-hours shagging goes on but nowhere near as much as is rumoured and speculated on.
I had plenty of rubbish said about me and some of it still does the rounds on social media occasionally, all blatantly not true and actually insulting.
I once had to take out an injunction and get legal advice at my own expense to stop a so-called reputable radio station from repeating what someone who has obvious mental health issues had said about me on social media.
I understand at some level him projecting on to me just because he can – I couldn't reconcile tens of thousands of people believing and sharing it and mainstream media picking it up.
There aren't easy answers when you are under a full-on prolonged attack. By defending yourself you give them oxygen and although thousands might have seen it – I have to presume millions haven't – bringing it into the open just adds fuel and embarrassment. So they keep you quiet and reluctant to speak out.
Which brings me to the constant gossip about the Prime Minister and her partner.
I have been asked more times than I can remember if x is true about one or both of them. I am not in their lives and do not have intimate knowledge about them and I believe their private lives are exactly that – but I always answer no it's not true.
Purely because anyone with half a brain would not believe that in a country this size with two degrees of separation that the blatant extreme nonsense that people say would be ignored by our media if there was evidence to back it up.
My politics and ideology differ a lot from Jacinda Ardern's but as a woman, mum, partner and politician I would stand at her side and suggest everyone just leave her private life alone.
I have heard intelligent, respectable people repeating gossip about her. They all know someone who knows someone and as such they know it is true. Just because something is repeated a lot does not make it true.
Yes, by being in the public eye we open ourselves up to criticism, but let's leave that to being about performance and leave the personal stuff alone.
We need our best and our brightest putting their hands up for public office in the future and if it was your son or daughter would you want lies repeated about their private lives?
We are all guilty of enjoying a spot of gossip but when it comes to our leaders enough is enough.
I'm not so sure that's her motive. I think it's more about keeping the discussion about "rumours and gossip about the PM and her partner" alive, and that she's tried to do this in a way that disguises that motive.
I was being just a little sarky. When I happened upon this effort earlier my first impression was that there was pot-stirring going on. A Westie don't change it's spots…
My politics and ideology differ a lot from Jacinda Ardern's but as a woman, mum, partner and politician I would stand at her side and suggest everyone just leave her private life alone.
Basically Bennett is saying – STFU with the gossip – let people's private lives be just that.
Basically Bennett is saying – STFU with the gossip – let people's private lives be just that.
Agree. Some of the stuff I have seen or heard about Clarke Gayford in particular is mind boggling crap. It has also beggared my belief that normally intelligent andrespectable people have actually believed it. In one instance the person claimed a certain rumour had to be correct because someone she knew had been there when it happened. The 'someone she knew' was an arch enemy of Labour and was lying.
Respect for Paula Bennett for coming out and saying what she did.
You might think that's Bennett's motive – but it would only apply if there was little gossip going on. I'm sorry to say, that's not the case – the trash being talked about Ardern and Gayford is increasing in volume – and spreading.
You may not like Bennett – but she's right on the money here.
Quite frankly, I find it disgusting. And choose not to participate (or link) to the rubbish which is being spread around.
Sure, I understand what you're saying – of course the sentiment may appear sincere. But I do not believe Bennett is capable of doing anything that does not have a self-serving aspect to it.
However, it's probably not you who is either the culprit, or the target audience for this piece.
Right-wing supporters are more likely to listen and/or believe a right-wing opinion writer. If/when a left-wing one contributes the same content, it's more likely to be dismissed by a right-wing audience (using exactly the same 'self-serving' justification).
I don't disagree that what you say happens, but I do not think the present situation is an example of that. There are, of course, right-wing politicians – even if fewer these days – who are or have been quite capable of holding opinions on particular matters that dedicated left-leaning people would agree with. I just cannot accept that Bennett could be one of them.
I had no idea there was gossip. Clearly I'm moving in the wrong circles. I did make a mental note to self to plumb the deeper depths of the darkweb and try and find out what Bennett is on about.
Any thoughts from other commentators on this?
Whist I think the current method is a crock of shit, it is the method used by all the other countries so why the change in NZ.
Changing the metric does seem an odd thing to do given we'll be an outlier in the way we report our data to the WHO makes comparing things all that much harder.
If you listened to/watched the press conference you would know your assertions are more BS. The change was prompted by the WHO and will be consistent with other countries we compare to. In addition, the current measure/statistic will continue to be reported.
I was being fair. It is fair to expect people to bring some logical consideration to things they may read, including actually being bothered to check they actually understand the the issues and facts, including their context. Just simple things we learn at school when we are taught how to think.
Daniel Anderson had a 17-year-old worker who was chiselling when a piece of metal flew into his right eye in March 2020. Despite multiple surgeries, the teenager lost sight in the eye.
Anderson did not notify WorkSafe of the injury, as required, but several months later the victim's mother did, triggering an investigation.
WorkSafe national manager of investigations Hayden Mander said when an inspector asked Anderson whether he told workers to use protective gear, his response was: "I'm not their mother and going to dress them every morning."
Fark…..what a P.O.S. . I have struck scum bags like this through my life. This is a 17 year old lad. He should have had a Boss worthy of that title. But I still recall when another young lad lost his leg….and the online vilification he was getting …from the same kind of scum. Just a sick mentality….
The kids are not alright. Don’t care about the cat role playing (although this seems more like something primary school kids would be doing), but there are some boundary issues here.
“TikTok unquestionably knew that the deadly Blackout Challenge was spreading through their app and that their algorithm was specifically feeding the Blackout Challenge to children, including those who have died,” the complaint reads.
The lawsuit lists a number of complaints against TikTok, including that its algorithm promotes harmful content, allows underage users on the app, and it fails to warn users or their legal guardians of the app’s addictive nature.
Nah, not yet; once a comment ends up in Pre-Mod queue because it has too many links, for example, editing and removing links doesn’t automatically undo the move. IDK if deleting the comment and starting fresh is an option.
He's basically taking care of everything himself, no middle man
Did the comic himself, self published it himself, set up his own warehouse, all his part time workers are now full time, organising the distribution himself, so all the profits are his which he's reinvesting
So of course he's getting attacked by the left
Politics is downstream from culture and the culture is changing
The interwebs have always been a strange place full of strange people and children doing and saying strange shit. It's no reason to amplify hate mongers.
But if you do want something to be outraged about…
I went online to see the article, and website is articles predominantly promotion of gender ideology, and queer theory. Fair enough, I thought. Must be the rainbow community magazine for students, but no, it is the student magazine for all students.
Housing issues, courses, course fees, impact of Covid, etc. not apparent at first glance.
Thanks for pointing out the obvious, completely missed that. Make sense now!
(However, I still find it disturbing to see young women undergo cosmetic mastectomies, even though it is celebrated as autonomy. I know you feel differently.)
I mean, call me a bit thick, but if it's UniQ Victoria's official account and they literally say it's their "annual collaboration with Salient", doesn't that clearly indicate it's a once a year special issue for the rainbow student community at Vic? Because I'm pretty sure Salient regularly runs stories on "housing issues, courses, course fees, impact of Covid, etc" the rest of the year. So either there is something terribly wrong with my literacy skills or you're building a straw man that's just missing Dorothy, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion for the full Wizard of Oz.
Maybe don't take every little bit of fringe eccentricity amplified by social media algorithms as being indicative of larger social trends? That's how you get Covid conspiracies.
Maybe don't take every little bit of fringe eccentricity amplified by social media algorithms as being indicative of larger social trends? That's how you get Covid conspiracies.
What she is demonstrating is not rare, the thinking involved and the boundary issues is common enough for me to want to post it here on a political blog. Maybe don't knee jerk dismiss something that you are unaware of, that's how we dumb down politics.
I'm not certain the furries are a unitary community – they have been a presence at scifi & fantasy events for decades, as cosplayers. These ones at least are typically fond of the movie Zootopia.
I wasn't thinking of furries as a community or sub culture so much as the boundary issues that are in many of the online subcultures now. Like I said, I'm not bothered by the cat role play. Having watched it again, it's just as likely to be a piss take.
I am aware of furries though. They're been around for decades and are about as concerning as, oh, I dunno, trekkies, larpers or any other kind of cosplayer. Why do you feel the need to gatekeep boundary issues anyway? How does it affect you at all?
Certain things have been happening in the pop culture realm as of late thats leading me to believe the pendulum is starting to move back towards the centre
The failure of movies like Thor (amongst others), the success of Top Gun: Maverick, the rise of TV series like Terminal List and Reacher shows that there is a disconnect between what the people want and what the media corporations are giving us
I haven't spoken much about comics because (I'm guessing) most people here don't read them but as bad as I say movies and TV are comics are even worse
Basically Manga is outselling American comics, in America.
There are some theories why and one of them is that Manga is not beholden to "The Message" like American comics are, ie:
You sound like one of those alt right hacks on YouTube who thinks they're owning the libs by complaining about Western pop culture being too woke while apparently ignoring that manga and anime is full of queer themes.
Having a close friend who was severely injured by this here in NZ, some of the surgeons comments are familiar.
Carole, then 60 and a recently retired personnel administrator, had returned to see the surgeon with her partner seven weeks after the surgery. She was in tears as she explained her debilitating pain.
'I told the surgeon that I could feel the mesh cutting into me, which was agonising,' Carole told Good Health.
'But he ignored this and said everything was OK. He told me: 'I just don't understand how you could be in pain. I will refer you to a psychiatrist.' Then he turned to Malcolm and said: 'I've made her nice and tight for you.' '
You sound like one of those alt right hacks on YouTube who thinks they're owning the libs by complaining about Western pop culture being too woke while apparently ignoring that manga and anime is full of queer themes.
Gay doesn't mean woke but retconning previously strait characters for the sake of diversity is woke and, given the drop in sales, its not what the readership want
Hence why Eric July is smashing it, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up making more money than the last top ten made together
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 29 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 28 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
A lengthy response to the recently released draft Government policy statement on transport will soon be delivered from Auckland Council to Minister of Transport Simeon Brown. A submission raising concerns about funding distribution and the plan’s treatment of Auckland passed through the council’s transport committee on Wednesday, despite some councillors ...
The unidentified foreign intelligence operation discussed in a scathing report by New Zealand’s Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) last week appears to be a controversial United States intelligence system. The IGIS report said the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) decision to host a foreign system from 2012-2020 was “improper” ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
As a young gymnast, Aimee Didierjean was always conscious of making sure her underwear wasn’t showing on the competition floor. A peek of a bra strap, or briefs if a leotard rode up, would cost a gymnast points in her routines. “When I was growing and going through puberty, it ...
Jubi/West Papua Daily Repeated cases of Indonesian military (TNI) soldiers torturing civilians in Papua have been evident, as seen in the viral video depicting the torture of civilians in the Puncak Regency allegedly done by soldiers of Raider 300/Brajawijaya Infantry Battalion. There is a pressing need for stringent law enforcement ...
Lifted from The Spinoff’s Bulletin.
”Australian report finds profit, not wages, driving inflation
[unlinked copy and paste deleted]
So why not a windfall profits tax here? It’ll raise a little revenue, but more importantly send a message to big business to stop rorting the consumer. The optics that Labour look after the majority of the country, rather than the big end of town, wouldn’t be bad either.
No one in the southern hemisphere has appetite for major tax increases. Not even the neo-socialists in South America.
But even with the existing tax settings we have, it does not help that our government remains very, very weak at breaking oligopolies like we have in fishing, dairy production, supermarkets, fuel, red meat production, construction materials, insurance, sea ports, shipping, international airports, airlines, and so much more. We must surely have one of the most concentrated economies in the world.
We do not appear to have in Cabinet anyone with the business sense to regulate prices hard., or even in the Commerce Commission. Oligopolists are driving inflation because nothing resists them passing increases on.
The effective inflation fighter we have, our own Reserve Bank, has the dual mandate of low inflation and lowest possible unemployment, but according to them if we have maximum sustainable employment, we should not be having inflation at all:
"When more people find jobs and fewer people are unemployed, employers tend to offer higher wages to fill their vacancies. If this happens nationwide, it generates wage inflation and eventually widespread inflation as businesses pass on the higher wage costs to the prices of goods and services.
When employment is at its maximum sustainable level, there will be low and stable inflation. However, if employment is above the maximum sustainable level for too long, it will eventually cause prices to rise more and more quickly, requiring the MPC to raise interest rates to keep inflation under control."
Inflation and maximum sustainable employment – Reserve Bank of New Zealand – Te Pūtea Matua (rbnz.govt.nz)
SO apparently low and stable inflation should occur anytime now.
Does anyone in this joint know how to actually regulate?
I don't consider the dual mandate an issue. Many central banks have a dual mandate and have for some time, then NZ was an exception with its single mandate.
The actual issue is how the RBNZ approaches monetary policy which is not something which follows from any mandate. Previously the central bank policy was typically pre-emptive, steps would be taken to any increase in inflation, which would immediately aim to break a wage price spiral. Now, at least descriptively, there can be a wait and see to observe if the price increase would translate to a wage increase, and then seeing if there was a lead to more price increases, before policy shift. This is probably marginally more healthy a policy.
The other issue the RBNZ has is the cash rate is quite blunt a tool to target inflation and has poor distributional outcomes.
And its not going to resolve any of the supply side price increases (many coming from overseas) in anything like a fair way.
My simple observation was not with the dual mandate itself but with their stated expectation that "When employment is at its maximum sustainable level, there will be low and stable inflation".
This is clearly wrong. They need to re-consult their Moniac.
I agree that stronger trends in wage and salary increases would be much preferable, especially after 20 years of waiting for them to arrive.
I think your ultimately right that low and stable inflation has little to do with the employment level, but that the RBNZ would disagree their statement is wrong.
Essentially they are saying that there is an employment level at which there is low and stable inflation. This is called the NAIRU level in technical terms. The NAIRU replaced the Phillips curve though its conceptually incoherent. The modern mathematical replacement for the Moniac will (if consulted) tell the RBNZ to increase unemployment because the inflation rate is too high. Probably better that they actually use their brains, rather than acting mechanically, to determine monetary policy.
They would probably also disagree that the present NZ economic situation is a test of this given the amount of imported inflation and supply side issues involved. That's not a judgement which the Moniac is capable of.
On the other hand the underlying Wicksellian theory that there exists one single interest rate which is most appropriate for the prevailing economic situation is clearly not applicable. The actual occurring economy is more broad and varied than the model economy which could support such a theory existing. So I consider the most suitable monetary policy will typically be to set the rate at zero and leave it there. Inflation issues should be resolved either via fiscal policy and within the contextual understanding that somebody will lose out cost wise when external prices change and this cost should be fairly distributed.
Doing it via monetary policy gives the pretense that imported inflation doesn't have distributional impacts, but it doesn't make those impacts go away.
Its a political question introducing such a tax, the revenue is irrelevant.
The question is will the windfall tax discourage profit gouging, and at what cost in govt popularity. It might make sellers say why bother making extraordinary profits they just get taxed away, but it might also lead to price hikes just to make a point to the public about whos boss.
And also make that same point to any government that tried to impose a windfall tax. I don't know of any examples of it happening elsewhere in the world, but it's a level of spitefulness that wouldn't surprise me in NZ.
It should then be easier for an effective political leader to use the spiteful behaviour of the commercial bosses as an example of why we need to restrain their antisocial excesses.
Franklin Roosevelt's Address Announcing the Second New Deal
October 31, 1936 http://docs.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/od2ndst.html
[link required]
There has certainly been some piss taking with fuel, There has been a 30-40 cent per litre difference in diesel pricing between Auckland and not to far out of Auckland.
That's far more than can be explained by regional fuel tax etc. Could well call it price gouging.
Fuel companies pocket record margins, thanks to Govt excise cuts | Stuff.co.nz
"Piss taking".
Yet another reason to replace fossil fuels. Saving 9 billion a year, conservative estimate, in foreign exchange to subsidise the price gouging pricks.
I've deleted your copypasta. If you can copy and paste you can copy a link as well. It is a requirement here that all quoting comes with a link.
If you provide a link I will replace your text. And hope that you take this on board for next time.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/the-bulletin/19-07-2022/whats-driving-inflation
The Bulletin is a daily email newsletter from the Spinoff (I get it as well), but handily the Spinoff also publishes them on their website.
it's still possible to link from the Bulletin, there's a share button at the bottom of each segment.
Petrol prices drop across NZ as Government questions fuel companies
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/129313050/petrol-prices-drop-across-nz-as-government-questions-fuel-companies
"Fuel prices are dropping across the country after the Government questioned fuel companies’ profit margins.
In Auckland, the price of 91 octane petrol was between $2.88 and $3.05 a litre across stations on Tuesday morning, while diesel was between $2.79 and $2.97, according to PriceWatch.
Prices had dropped below $3 in Wellington and Christchurch.
AA principal policy adviser Terry Collins said the decline was down to two things: the drop in price of crude oil and refinery, but also the questioning of why fuel companies had high profit margins by the Government." (my bold)
So even the threat of the Government doing something causes the big boys to moderate their profits.
please read this and respond.
.https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19-07-2022/#comment-1900913
Noted.Thanks.
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2022/07/18/federal-reserve-thinks-answer-inflation-imposing-class-war
Could someone please pass this onto Poto Williams.
Fark she must have been so full of herself to spout the shit she did while everyone in Auckland and NZ knew what the truth was.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/auckland-gang-warfare-city-sees-109-reported-gun-crimes-in-a-single-month/VERZANIUDJTL5VPP33O3KRHCFE/
If you had read your article instead of spray & walk away you’d known how stupid you sound.
If you keep up your dump & jump trolling here you’ll be treated that way.
Note: Poto Williams, and the police, efforts were starting to have an effect.
Of course stupid right wingers like you, expect instant solutions to the disasters that your policies have caused over decades.
Everyone knew Poto was well out of her depth. Hopefully Hipkins will manage to achieve something as he is their best minister.
How would you have dealt with a "perfect storm" caused by a combination of 501's, and a large number of disaffected youth caused by the loss of social cohension due to decades of Neo-Liberal "there is no such thing as society" cruelty?
As well as constant White anting by ignorant fools such as David Seymour, at your workplace.
You wouldn't have a fucking clue, and be "well out of your depth".
Now, because of the idiot chorus from the RW, actually getting to the causes and really cutting crime has been set back another decade.
How Finland reduced its prison population by two thirds – How to Cut New Zealand's Prison Population (cuttheprisonpop.nz)
Really? Aside from there being no actual evidence that she was out of her depth and the fact she was beginning to make headway before Nat white anting made her position untenable, are you plugged into some collective Borg-like consciousness that lets you know what "Everyone" knows?
Her problem was: she didn't have very good communication skills. Especially when dealing with the media who aided and abetted the white-anters by shoving their mikes into her face whenever she dared venture out of her office… asking pointed questions designed to throw her off balance.
A blind man on a fast horse could see she was promoted beyond her means. Even Jacinda realised it finally and moved her.
Unfortunately the criminals are getting bolder as the soft on crime approach has not worked. This guy shows how much respect or fear of the police (none) he has and absolutely nails the poor police woman. But then, I expect he is really a nice person just got mixed up with the wrong crowd and had a tough upbringing and was in the process of turning his life around. Hopefully the other officers gave out a bit of rough justice shortly afterwards.
Female police officer knocked unconscious by offender, vicious Manurewa assault caught on camera – NZ Herald
An illegal, violent reaction to the casual, un-provoked violence of a law breaker?
One can only imagine the state of your strides.
"An illegal, violent reaction to the casual, un-provoked violence of a law breaker?"
That's what he did to the policewoman in the first few seconds of the video.
I can just imagine you sitting down with him over a cup of tea and explaining to him "What you did to that Policewoman wasn't really appropriate behavior, and you need to reflect on what you just did…..another cuppa?"
Do you really think someone who's so casual with their use of violence would respond in any positive way to more violence?
They'd laugh at your pissant lust for vengeance.
They wouldn't laugh while they are being bent over in the showers in Mt Eden.
WTF is it with you lot and your rape fantasies?
It's how they view the world
[Mod note]
https://thestandard.org.nz/policy/#banning
[This is your warning]
Had a tradie rant about our high cost of timber being due to our FTA with china.
Im aware we don't own all our forests, so those we don't that timber goes where it's owners want.
So how plausible is it that it's all the FTA with china ?
but also:
– Who owns the NZ domiciled sawmills?
Hi tc. The Answer as always…..is not one thing. Carters…China….”Monopoly” . Does seem we in NZ are being shafted though.
Selling off the harvesting rights to publicly owned forest to private and overseas interests has pretty much meant we have very little control over where our logs go.
Pretty clear who we can thank for that…
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/2026-billion-sale-forestry-corporation-completed
The consortium comprises Fletcher Challenge (37.5 per cent); Brierley Investments (25 per cent); and Citifor, a subsidiary of China International Trust and Investment Corporation, (37.5 per cent).
https://accentuatepr.co.nz/chinese+soe+makes+long-term+investment+in+new+zealand+forestry+sector
China Forestry Group New Zealand Company Limited (China Forestry Group NZ) has agreed to acquire part of the NZ Superannuation Fund’s North Island forestry assets, following a competitive tender and Overseas Investment Office approval.
Hi Cricklewood. Oh fark yes…Bill Birch !. I'd maybe tried to suppress memories of THAT particular jerk. And of course what those a-holes legacy left Future NZ. Sad does not cover it.
Yeah, our trouble now with timber is demonstrable proof of how short sighted the Nats are with their assets sales.
Be worth pointing that out when the building supply issues are thrust at the current govt.
Here in the shadow of the hill,
Lies Mrs Birch, mother of Bill.
Her soul of course has fled this vale
of tears, and so this plot's For Sale.
Funny because..it might be true : ) ?
And, Bill rap.?
Ol' Bill forever, Think Big playa,
Planned the Dawn Raids to nab overstayer,
Unions another target thats a fact
A brain fart called Employment Contract Act,
If Bill ever had a sister,
She's down the river… to.. some… rich lister
Not wrong.
But other causes as well, like building supply monopolies price gouging in NZ.
Thanks folks it's rarely a single thing so appreciate that context.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/paula-bennett-jacinda-ardern-and-the-insidious-rumour-mill/6K7GD3SYGFVAGYZDQ37ILWZJ7Y/?dicbo=v2-fd1b224c1396237124f1bc3496e26fbb&&ref=topbox
That someone could decide to print this should be unbelievable.
Got to pay to read it.
Surprise surprise, what misinformation and disinformation are the Nat & Act Supporters spewing now? Pullya's article is paywalled.
It's nationals herald. It provides soapboxes and facilitates Dirty politics which is like rust….it never sleeps.
If you have an Auckland Library card, you can read all the Heralds free of charge via Pressreader. Great to bypass the paywall.
This article, while being typically self serving, actually made a reasonable point about the online abuse that the PM has been receiving.
Arch ladder kicker waxes kind…
I don't think I have ever seen the gossip, rumours and conspiracy theories to be as bad as they are now.
In my time in politics I heard them all – and many about myself. If I had a dollar for every time I heard about the untrue demise of Winston Peters and rumours of poor health then I would be a wealthy woman. I don't think a Green MP washes her hair in her own urine but this was told to me numerous times and as if it is fact.
I am sure that like a lot of workplaces the odd bit of after-hours shagging goes on but nowhere near as much as is rumoured and speculated on.
I had plenty of rubbish said about me and some of it still does the rounds on social media occasionally, all blatantly not true and actually insulting.
I once had to take out an injunction and get legal advice at my own expense to stop a so-called reputable radio station from repeating what someone who has obvious mental health issues had said about me on social media.
I understand at some level him projecting on to me just because he can – I couldn't reconcile tens of thousands of people believing and sharing it and mainstream media picking it up.
There aren't easy answers when you are under a full-on prolonged attack. By defending yourself you give them oxygen and although thousands might have seen it – I have to presume millions haven't – bringing it into the open just adds fuel and embarrassment. So they keep you quiet and reluctant to speak out.
Which brings me to the constant gossip about the Prime Minister and her partner.
I have been asked more times than I can remember if x is true about one or both of them. I am not in their lives and do not have intimate knowledge about them and I believe their private lives are exactly that – but I always answer no it's not true.
Purely because anyone with half a brain would not believe that in a country this size with two degrees of separation that the blatant extreme nonsense that people say would be ignored by our media if there was evidence to back it up.
My politics and ideology differ a lot from Jacinda Ardern's but as a woman, mum, partner and politician I would stand at her side and suggest everyone just leave her private life alone.
I have heard intelligent, respectable people repeating gossip about her. They all know someone who knows someone and as such they know it is true. Just because something is repeated a lot does not make it true.
Yes, by being in the public eye we open ourselves up to criticism, but let's leave that to being about performance and leave the personal stuff alone.
We need our best and our brightest putting their hands up for public office in the future and if it was your son or daughter would you want lies repeated about their private lives?
We are all guilty of enjoying a spot of gossip but when it comes to our leaders enough is enough.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/paula-bennett-jacinda-ardern-and-the-insidious-rumour-mill/6K7GD3SYGFVAGYZDQ37ILWZJ7Y/?dicbo=v2-fd1b224c1396237124f1bc3496e26fbb&&ref=topbox
I'm not so sure that's her motive. I think it's more about keeping the discussion about "rumours and gossip about the PM and her partner" alive, and that she's tried to do this in a way that disguises that motive.
I was being just a little sarky. When I happened upon this effort earlier my first impression was that there was pot-stirring going on. A Westie don't change it's spots…
Sorry – what's unbelievable about it.
The key point:
Basically Bennett is saying – STFU with the gossip – let people's private lives be just that.
Agree. Some of the stuff I have seen or heard about Clarke Gayford in particular is mind boggling crap. It has also beggared my belief that normally intelligent and respectable people have actually believed it. In one instance the person claimed a certain rumour had to be correct because someone she knew had been there when it happened. The 'someone she knew' was an arch enemy of Labour and was lying.
Respect for Paula Bennett for coming out and saying what she did.
Sorry, here's my response here:
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19-07-2022/#comment-1900992
You might think that's Bennett's motive – but it would only apply if there was little gossip going on. I'm sorry to say, that's not the case – the trash being talked about Ardern and Gayford is increasing in volume – and spreading.
You may not like Bennett – but she's right on the money here.
Quite frankly, I find it disgusting. And choose not to participate (or link) to the rubbish which is being spread around.
Sure, I understand what you're saying – of course the sentiment may appear sincere. But I do not believe Bennett is capable of doing anything that does not have a self-serving aspect to it.
However, it's probably not you who is either the culprit, or the target audience for this piece.
Right-wing supporters are more likely to listen and/or believe a right-wing opinion writer. If/when a left-wing one contributes the same content, it's more likely to be dismissed by a right-wing audience (using exactly the same 'self-serving' justification).
I don't disagree that what you say happens, but I do not think the present situation is an example of that. There are, of course, right-wing politicians – even if fewer these days – who are or have been quite capable of holding opinions on particular matters that dedicated left-leaning people would agree with. I just cannot accept that Bennett could be one of them.
I had no idea there was gossip. Clearly I'm moving in the wrong circles. I did make a mental note to self to plumb the deeper depths of the darkweb and try and find out what Bennett is on about.
I'd call that a result.
Seems like the Covid number was getting to large for the Govt.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid19-omicron-outbreak-ashley-bloomfield-to-give-daily-update-changes-to-reporting-of-deaths/IBEIDDBTMU5RIK2JD4K4IT5CYY/
Any thoughts from other commentators on this?
Whist I think the current method is a crock of shit, it is the method used by all the other countries so why the change in NZ.
Changing the metric does seem an odd thing to do given we'll be an outlier in the way we report our data to the WHO makes comparing things all that much harder.
If you listened to/watched the press conference you would know your assertions are more BS. The change was prompted by the WHO and will be consistent with other countries we compare to. In addition, the current measure/statistic will continue to be reported.
To be fair the article linked to doesnt explain that. All you get is
" Until now, all deaths where someone had died within 28 days of a positive Covid 19 result have been reported, as had been done by other countries"
Not everyone is able or indeed willing to sit through the press conference.
I was being fair. It is fair to expect people to bring some logical consideration to things they may read, including actually being bothered to check they actually understand the the issues and facts, including their context. Just simple things we learn at school when we are taught how to think.
So where did you get "we'll be an outlier in the way we report our data to the WHO" from?
That is strange as we only just changed recently to this reporting method which is in line with overseas. Back in March per this article.
Why the hell are we changing again other than someone doesn't like the numbers?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/463975/measuring-and-reporting-covid-19-deaths-what-you-need-to-know
Fark…..what a P.O.S. . I have struck scum bags like this through my life. This is a 17 year old lad. He should have had a Boss worthy of that title. But I still recall when another young lad lost his leg….and the online vilification he was getting …from the same kind of scum. Just a sick mentality….
The kids are not alright. Don’t care about the cat role playing (although this seems more like something primary school kids would be doing), but there are some boundary issues here.
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1549105010729832448
Ah, tiktok.
https://amp.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jul/05/tiktok-girls-dead-blackout-challenge
Hi Weka
I've taken out a few links from my post (awaiting moderation) but I can't really take anymore out as I need them to illustrate my points
Also my pronouns are nya/nyan/nyanself
Number of links is fine. Someone might have put you in temp premod. You been misbehaving?
Nah, not yet; once a comment ends up in Pre-Mod queue because it has too many links, for example, editing and removing links doesn’t automatically undo the move. IDK if deleting the comment and starting fresh is an option.
Hesca fascinating guy, YoungRippa
He's basically taking care of everything himself, no middle man
Did the comic himself, self published it himself, set up his own warehouse, all his part time workers are now full time, organising the distribution himself, so all the profits are his which he's reinvesting
So of course he's getting attacked by the left
Politics is downstream from culture and the culture is changing
Ah, hate site.
/
https://twitter.com/MichaelEHayden/status/1536792584911306754
https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2022/06/14/far-right-influencers-hyped-coeur-dalene-pride-patriot-front-showed
here ya go, something you can watch.
https://twitter.com/ramseyboltin/status/1547606632187629569
The interwebs have always been a strange place full of strange people and children doing and saying strange shit. It's no reason to amplify hate mongers.
But if you do want something to be outraged about…
https://www.dailydot.com/irl/wren-eleanor-exploitation-tiktok/
The latest cover of Victoria University's student magazine: Salient.
https://twitter.com/kiriceilidh/status/1549199730206724096?s=20&t=rdkSE9dg_-USWgfa-ZOvbw
I went online to see the article, and website is articles predominantly promotion of gender ideology, and queer theory. Fair enough, I thought. Must be the rainbow community magazine for students, but no, it is the student magazine for all students.
Housing issues, courses, course fees, impact of Covid, etc. not apparent at first glance.
https://www.salient.org.nz/
"Annual" edition should be a clue when you stop clutching those pearls.
Thanks for pointing out the obvious, completely missed that. Make sense now!
(However, I still find it disturbing to see young women undergo cosmetic mastectomies, even though it is celebrated as autonomy. I know you feel differently.)
I mean, call me a bit thick, but if it's UniQ Victoria's official account and they literally say it's their "annual collaboration with Salient", doesn't that clearly indicate it's a once a year special issue for the rainbow student community at Vic? Because I'm pretty sure Salient regularly runs stories on "housing issues, courses, course fees, impact of Covid, etc" the rest of the year. So either there is something terribly wrong with my literacy skills or you're building a straw man that's just missing Dorothy, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion for the full Wizard of Oz.
Thanks for pointing that out. Sacha made the same point above.
Something I had completely missed in my comment.
OMG…do these people get to vote?
Yes they get to vote – it is not their franchise that has been removed ……
Perhaps I should try and get my two cats on to the electoral role.
Your cats are probably neutered …… so surely qualify
Maybe don't take every little bit of fringe eccentricity amplified by social media algorithms as being indicative of larger social trends? That's how you get Covid conspiracies.
De furries! De furries!
https://twitter.com/jonnykip21/status/1508491958662090764
https://twitter.com/HeartlandSignal/status/1519716100367429639
Luckily, we have more than social media to explain these identities.
Dedicated websites and research programmes. As one such site, FurScience.com says:
Probably of more relevance to this thread is the About Us page:
https://furscience.com/who-we-are/
A less academic take on furries can be found here: (1) Jesus Fox Forgives Your Yiffs | Facebook
Must be fun dreaming this shit up.
https://twitter.com/woot_master/status/1549180860183613440
The Bronies are something else – had a bunch of them in our Astroempires guild. Quirky – but waaay too fond of rape jokes.
What she is demonstrating is not rare, the thinking involved and the boundary issues is common enough for me to want to post it here on a political blog. Maybe don't knee jerk dismiss something that you are unaware of, that's how we dumb down politics.
I'm not certain the furries are a unitary community – they have been a presence at scifi & fantasy events for decades, as cosplayers. These ones at least are typically fond of the movie Zootopia.
I wasn't thinking of furries as a community or sub culture so much as the boundary issues that are in many of the online subcultures now. Like I said, I'm not bothered by the cat role play. Having watched it again, it's just as likely to be a piss take.
I am aware of furries though. They're been around for decades and are about as concerning as, oh, I dunno, trekkies, larpers or any other kind of cosplayer. Why do you feel the need to gatekeep boundary issues anyway? How does it affect you at all?
Certain things have been happening in the pop culture realm as of late thats leading me to believe the pendulum is starting to move back towards the centre
The failure of movies like Thor (amongst others), the success of Top Gun: Maverick, the rise of TV series like Terminal List and Reacher shows that there is a disconnect between what the people want and what the media corporations are giving us
I haven't spoken much about comics because (I'm guessing) most people here don't read them but as bad as I say movies and TV are comics are even worse
Basically Manga is outselling American comics, in America.
There are some theories why and one of them is that Manga is not beholden to "The Message" like American comics are, ie:
https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-pop-culture/12-superheroes-came-2021-rcna3599
However this opens the doors for others. Here is a list of the biggest comic kickstarters from 2021:
https://www.gamesradar.com/comics-kickstarter/
The number one comic raised just under 1.5 million and stars and co-written by Keanu Reeves and in total the top ten raised 6.9 million
Well theres a new player on the block, Eric July and he is singlehandedly changing the industry:
https://rippaverse.com/product/isom-1-campaign/
As of the time of writing hes got just under 2.6 million with 66 days to go.
https://nypost.com/2022/07/15/anti-woke-comic-book-defies-cancel-culture-earns-1-7m-in-four-days/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU4qqGY1CTo
You sound like one of those alt right hacks on YouTube who thinks they're owning the libs by complaining about Western pop culture being too woke while apparently ignoring that manga and anime is full of queer themes.
Despite all the work women have done to be heard on the harms of surgical mesh, implants are back on the rise in the UK.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11025933/Are-Britains-sexist-surgeons.html
Having a close friend who was severely injured by this here in NZ, some of the surgeons comments are familiar.
You sound like one of those alt right hacks on YouTube who thinks they're owning the libs by complaining about Western pop culture being too woke while apparently ignoring that manga and anime is full of queer themes.
Gay doesn't mean woke but retconning previously strait characters for the sake of diversity is woke and, given the drop in sales, its not what the readership want
Hence why Eric July is smashing it, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up making more money than the last top ten made together
Sure, because new things erase old things from ever having existed or something.