After learning of yet another rise to minimum wage I want to extend my congratulations to superannuitants on getting their base rate benefit drastically increased.
Please don't crow too loudly lest the severely disabled and their families (the ONLY group who do not benefit from increased wages via linked benefits, iwtc or actual wages) hear you and realise the injustice the system has delivered yet again.
Why is the fact that those with disabilities are not getting enough, linked with super?
The fact is, disability support should be raised, by taxing the wealthy more, not by buying into right wing memes, attacking our one remaining, successful universal benefit.
With the latest polls showing Hillary Clinton remains likely to win the election on Tuesday, Republicans are preparing for the possibility of a second Clinton White House by promising to make the next four years a living hell. Some lawmakers are talking openly about refusing to approve any Supreme Court nominees until a Republican is elected president, the F.B.I. is investigating both the Clinton Foundation and the former secretary of state’s use of a private e-mail server, and House Republicans have vowed to launch additional investigations of their own. Now, a growing number of conservatives are warning that there could be a “constitutional crisis” if Clinton is elected, and threatening her with impeachment.
Hold it over him, adding articles by the day. Sounds good.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking lawmaker in the House, said Wednesday that Democrats must discuss a last-ditch gambit to delay sending articles of impeachment to the Senate and prevent the Republican-controlled chamber from summarily discarding the case against President Donald Trump.
“Some think it’s a good idea. And we need to talk about it,” Hoyer said just as the House began debating articles of impeachment that charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
As expected from the house of murdoch…..look over there anywhere but what scomo's up to and that your country's becoming too hot in parts to sustain humanity.
He also said there was an important psychological element — that is, that the lack of legal accountability promotes a more lax safety culture.
“This is not always empirically measurable, but it’s pretty basic psychology. If you’re the owner of a business and you know you cannot be sued for negligent conduct, you may adopt a cavalier safety approach.”
Finally, he said it fails the economics test.
“No-fault schemes typically become financially unsustainable,” he said. “The ACC has moved from one financial crisis to the next since it was drawn up in the 1970s.”
He makes confident assertions that can be questioned. However he may be correct when he says, 'the lack of legal accountability promotes a more lax safety culture.'
Also the limitations of what ACC is able to assist with for tourists with long-term affects from their trauma has been a criticism from those disappointed at returning home with some bodily damage that no insurance covers. I can't give details, but remember a few past cases.
And the lawyers' chagrin would change to a grin if they could sue for those extravagant amounts that the USA allows. I remember in the Simpsons that Bart was trying to cash in on that, dashing out in front of slow-moving cars and pretending to get knocked down. Homer, I think came along and accepted a small payment in lieu of starting an expensive Court case. Which is as moral as the real thing when they go full hog there.
Since Royal Caribbean was part of the process of getting their passengers on the tours to White Island, they may end up getting sued in an American court.
Will be very interesting how far that goes. New Zealand is very popular with the international cruise operators because of our "no fault" laws. Less chance of getting sued. The cruise operator gets a very solid commission on the ashore activities their passengers undertake, likely making more profit out of them than the activity operators. Showing a separation of liability in court could be tricky.
The enquiry into the complaints of sexual harassment, bullying and a serious sexual assault in the Labour Party have all but disappeared from stuff, radio NZ and the herald. You have to go searching to find them.
this story stayed in the media for days when it first broke and I believe cost Jacinda and labour in the polls.
i take wekas point last night about rape culture. I also take the point that absence of evidence doesn’t mean something didn’t happen. However allegations of sexual assault are about as serious as it gets. And given that the complainants evidence of the night contained critical errors, that her messages on fb and text on the months around the alleged assault do not reflect her allegations, and that evidence doesn’t verify she sent an attachment to labour officials about the sexual assault, we need to give the accused the benefit of the doubt and assume it didn’t happen.
also the reports of bullying and sexual harassment weren’t substantiated either, although there was an admission by the alleged offender that he could be aggressive and he did make two sexiest remarks.
i am at a bit of a loss to know what’s is going on here. All I know is that there are multiple victims, and that Paula b used these young people to make political capital and it worked.
Just looked through Herald online and can find not a word re the report released yesterday. Considering the heavy handed accusations and innuendo levelled at Jacinda and the Labour Party you would expect a correction of some sort. Shame on you Herald.
On Morning Report this morning around 8:15am Jane Patterson gave her views on the report and its likely effect on the Labour Party. She believed the matter is now behind the Party and she didn't think the outcome would have any lasting impact on them. She went on to say that it is wrong for people to claim it was part of a pre-Xmas dump because it was only received a day or two ago and yesterday was the first opportunity to release it. She pointed out it was imperative for them to get it out of the way by Xmas and not hanging around into the new year.
All fair points imo.
I would link to the item but it hasn't appeared online.
The Jane Patterson – Corin Dann segment on Morning Report has been up online at RNZ's website for a couple of hours, Anne. It was exactly where I expected to find it on the Morning Report section for today’s programme. Here it is
Like you, I thought it was a well reasoned summary without some of the "heat" of some other commentary on the report etc including some of that here on TS on last night's Daily Review.
"we need to give the accused the benefit of the doubt and assume it didn’t happen."
I don't. I'm good with assuming I don't know what happened.
"However allegations of sexual assault are about as serious as it gets"
I rate being raped as more serious than being accused of rape.
It's a given that National are opportunistic dirty politicos.
What concerns me here is the tying of Labour's wellbeing to lines that the complainents lied. This is unnecessary, and also, Labour's wellbeing is tied to how they handle things when they go badly. I think Labour did relatively ok this time, I'm guessing argely thanks to JA, and I can see some areas where they still need to up their game.
This is ok though, because it's ok to make mistakes, it's what one does after the mistake that matters. This is the antidote to macho politics and it paves the way to unravel rape culture. A position that trades of sexual abuse survivors for political gain both enforces macho politics and perpetuates rape culture.
People will believe what they want to believe. I'm talking about how the situation gets framed and used politically. I think the higher priority here is to pushing back against rape culture.
I completely accept that is how you see it Weka. I think most of us will form an opinion about what happened and of course we will never know for sure. Just like the Christchurch Creche case in which I think there could be some similarities. Or the Bain family murders.
I believe Labour took a hit in the polls for this as did Jacinda.
We don’t know for sure how Labour handled it because the second report into that hasn’t come out. But getting the thorough report from Maria Dew was a good thing to do.
I note from her summary virtually none of the complaints were upheld other than some aggressive behaviour and I think two sexiest comments made by the alleged offender. He apologized for both. Is this o.k.? Of course not. But the claims of bullying were not found. I think it was five incidents over 13 months.
Aggression is never o.k., but I am inclined to think it is likely rampant in politics. this is not to condone it.
I got the feeling after a quick read of the report on the alleged sexual misconduct, that it was a personal matter of relationship discontent, and the spat had been elevated to a formal complaint as a retaliation and punishment because of the soured relationship.
Labour has to ensure that those that wish to join Young Labour are there for the good of the Party, and advancing the ideals of the politics of the left into practice, and not just to meet the opposite sex and interesting people doing something to pass the time.
"…it was a personal matter of relationship discontent, and the spat had been elevated to a formal complaint as a retaliation and punishment because of the soured relationship…."
I agree grey though we can only guess I guess. Still as the names are withheld there should be no real problem for the complainants even though they were the ones who created the publicity in the first place. Anyway I guess there it lies and fades into the distance.
The discussion yesterday about ongoing viability of class analysis is germaine in respect to the durable alliance between middle & lower class on the left side of politics, in western countries following WWII through social democracy then neoliberalism. But culture wars have rended that alliance in recent years, so I was interested to see this take on the Brexit election from Mike Treen on TDB:
"Unfortunately, this advance in electoral support was largely reversed in the recent election with a drop to 32.2%. This came about because the right and centre of the party locked Corbyn into a position of supporting a second referendum on Brexit – leaving the European Union. This was seen by many Labour supporters who supported Leave as an attempt to overturn the democratic decision already made. Many voted Tory for the first time in their lives to ensure the decision was respected." https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/12/19/for-a-green-new-deal-with-peoples-power/
This notion that the remainers (urban liberals) within Labour were so disrespectful to the verdict of the people that they wanted to overturn it via a second referendum rings true. His thesis seems to be that Labour's middle class retain sufficient influence in the party to hamstring Corbyn despite the Blairite exodus.
Makes sense if they do have the numbers (but only an insider would know). It explains the large defection and abstention of working class Labour voters. It raises the spectre of a tribal divide between the two classes within UK Labour.
I'm seeing sufficiently evidence of workers voting Tory. This analysis from Vox puts the shift around 6% in working class electorates…
"Educated urban professionals have drifted left and the working classes have tiled right, a shift that social scientists attribute to the rising importance of immigration and identity issues in European politics. In Britain, Brexit supercharged this long-running process, as highly educated city dwellers tended to oppose Brexit (making them more likely to vote Labour) while rural and less educated voters tended to support it (making them more likely to vote Conservative)."
"The 2019 election results reflected the post-Brexit realignment. Labour was absolutely devastated in its traditional working class constituencies (the UK equivalent to congressional districts), with the Conservatives — long caricatured as the parties of the rich — making historic inroads. “The resounding Conservative victory was driven by a dramatic swing of working-class support away from Labour,” as the Financial Times put it in a post-election data analysis."
“In seats with high shares of people in low-skilled jobs, the Conservative vote share increased by an average of six percentage points and the Labour share fell by 14 points. In seats with the lowest share of low-skilled jobs, the Tory vote share fell by four points and Labour’s fell by seven,” the FT said in its analysis. “The swing of working class areas from Labour to Conservative had the strongest statistical association of any explored by the FT.” https://www.vox.com/world/2019/12/13/21004755/uk-election-2019-jeremy-corbyn-labour-defeat
so Brexit…..although the reported widespread dislike of Corbyn (the personality) may have contributed. Will be interesting to see how the Labour party deal with such a fundamental conflict
Also worth considering: "How did Labour come to squander the promise of its unexpectedly good result in 2017? A central part of the explanation was dither and delay on Brexit, which meant that Labour lost ground with both leavers and remainers. Some early analysis from Datapraxis suggests that nearly half of the Labour seat losses could be attributed to losing more remainers to other parties than the size of the Tory majority in leave seats. By attempting to triangulate, Labour convinced leavers it was for remain and remainers that it was for leave. The party looked cynical and opportunistic, as if it were playing games on Brexit to secure electoral advantage, rather than sticking to its principles or standing up for the national interest." https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/16/labour-2017-2019-corbyn-brexit-election
This one is more explicit on the class divide within Labour, and provides historical context to document the trend: "This was not the first election in which more working class voters backed the Tories rather than Labour. They did so in 1983—the year of Margaret Thatcher’s landslide victory—and in 2017. But the gap was just two points in both elections. This time there was 15-point gulf: Conservative 48 per cent, Labour 33 per cent. The Tory lead among middle-class voters was less: 12 points."
"However, as with Labour’s heartland decline, last week’s election accelerated a long-term trend. In 1970, when Edward Heath led the Tories back to government, the Conservatives enjoyed a 45-point lead among middle-class voters, while Labour led by 22 per cent among working-class voters. Combining the two figures, the “class gap” was 67 points (45 plus 22). Nine years later, when Thatcher came to power, the class gap had fallen to 47 points: a middle class Con lead of 36 per cent, compared with a working-class Lab lead of 11 per cent. The class gap slipped to 28 points in Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide and 14 points when David Cameron secured his overall majority in 2015. Last week the class gap was minus three: it had gone into reverse."
Interesting that 1983 result…it will have been around the time of increased industrial action in UK. I am assuming that the unions functioned much the same in the UK as here in that period and there was always a significant proportion of National voting union members here,' shy Tories ' although some not so shy, and their numbers grow during protracted industrial action as the lack of income bites. It is one reason why compulsory union membership is not the panacea its often painted as.
As big Norm Kirk once put it, “paralysis by analysis”.
People are still dealing with the debris but the result is clear.
As many a losing general has done you assess the landscape post-battle, husband your resources, seek allies and opportunities, and strategise the next campaign.
"Voters didn’t defect from Labour because they felt the top 5% were paying enough tax, or because they thought our privately run railway system was a shining success, or because of their affection for sky-high tuition fees…. In January, YouGov asked why voters with previously favourable opinions of Corbyn had changed their mind. About three-quarters of the responses were linked to Brexit, which dominated all political discourse after 2017 and smothered discussion of Labour’s popular domestic policies. Labour was tortured about how to keep its 2017 coalition of remain and leave supporters together, and was paralysed as a result."
Brexit, the mendacious and continuous right-wing media attacks on Corbyn (especially the anti semitic rubbish) and a poorly focused campaign was why Labour lost.
Brexit was go in to happen, or be stopped by…. ..well Labour. So Corbyn decided to do nothing, instead of accepting the decision of the people and stopped fighting. That's just staggering in heinsight. Given he could of, after accepting half of his pro exit party decision, he then offered a referendum on full integration, drop the pound, to assuage his remainers. no, instead he vacilated and lost. He should of resigned but Labour just doesn't do leadership anymore.
"A friend of mine was standing as the Conservative candidate in Newcastle upon Tyne North, where the Labour incumbent won a 10,000 majority two years ago, and I knocked on a few doors for him last week. Every person I spoke to said they were going to vote Tory. In some cases, it was because they wanted to “get Brexit done,” which has been the Conservatives’ endlessly repeated campaign slogan over the past six weeks, but in others it was because of their visceral dislike for Labour’s leader.
“Most people I know who used to be staunch Labour are now saying no way Jeremy Corbyn,” said Steve Hurt, an engineer. “It’s not our party any more. Same label, different bottle.”
"According to the activist I was with, that had been the reaction wherever he went. He had knocked on 100 doors in a council estate earlier that day and all but three people he’d spoken to told him they intended to vote Conservative—and this in a city where 26 per cent of the population are among the most deprived in England. I asked why, if these electors disliked Corbyn, they didn’t simply abstain? Why were they planning to brave the elements on a cold day in December to vote for a party led by an old Etonian toff? “Because they hate Corbyn that much,” he said. “The biggest message they can send to him is to elect a Tory government.” It’s the same story across England—working class electors deserting Labour en masse."
Would you like me to change the other comment that you posted as Agora to the correct user name and e-mail address or shall I move it to the Trash folder?
Thank you for your efforts. You bring a lot of patience to your moderation, in fact the patience you display in consistently treating Paaparakauta/Agora/etc as though he weren't an obnoxious arsehole sets a standard I'd never have a chance of meeting.
My ‘philosophy’ is that we tend to see only the tip of the iceberg when people comment here in terms of their overall personality. By analogy, some people transform into frothing maniacs brimming with (road) rage when they crawl/climb behind the wheel.
I don't think this is right. There is certainly no appetite in the UK Labour party to go back to Blairism.
A new younger woman leader*, the end of the Brexit debate and more focussed communication of basically the same policies will see Labour sweep home in 5 years time after the public has found Boris out.
Do you mean that they will try to sweep up the debris of the broken UK? Perhaps they will develop some vitality and enjoyment of life and each other as in the Greeks dancing Zorba in the street and breaking plates. That debris represents all sorts of confusing feelings that probably match the confusing feelings that led to an outpouring of desire for change, any change and the cutting of ties to Europe was chosen.
Greeks breaking plates – It meant that the couple were throwing away their old life and embarking on a new life together. Smashing plates could fool the spirits. It was believed that breaking plates would keep the evil spirits at bay because they would believe the people involved were angry and upset—instead of celebrating. https://holidappy.com/party-planning/Why-do-Greeks-smash-plates-at-weddings
Back when his column got reproduced in the NZ Herald he was usually accurate. Hasn't lost that faculty: "the English turkeys marched bravely up to the chopping block, confident this would be a Christmas to remember."
"Boris Johnson’s big victory in Thursday’s “Brexit election” was achieved almost entirely with English votes. Only 20 of the 364 seats won by the Conservative Party were in the other three nations of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom will continue to be called that for several years, but this election has sounded its death knell. It was the votes of English nationalists who gave Johnson his victory, and they don’t really care if the U.K. survives. Just as well, because it won’t."
"More than half of Europeans believe the EU is likely to collapse within a generation, despite support for the bloc hitting heights not recorded in more than a quarter of a century.
In France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Greece, the Czech Republic and Poland, a majority of people surveyed thought EU disintegration was a “realistic possibility” in the next 10 to 20 years."
Yes good read-thanks. He is right about Johnson being a hard-right operator hidden under a buffoon act.
I think if Scotland and Northern Ireland leave, which as Dyer says is likely, the English will turn on the Tories for breaking up the union. Labour should be a shoe-in in 5 years time.
Watching the ageing of NZ and people who have been prominent; the cracks start and widen. Those who have concentrated on their personal projects without thinking about ethics and the affects on their own psyche, mental health and the goodness to society of their addictive focus may find eventually they can not slide away unnoticed.
As you know, Moderators draw attention to their moderation notes and to bans in particular. There is an obvious reason for this, which is that moderation, in general, aims to be instructional, to encourage self-moderation and self-correction, and to (slightly) change behaviour on this site. However, the onus is on the commenters to read all the replies to their comments and respond accordingly and appropriately.
One so greedy many states want a part of him. And the other caught with kiddy porn – not just any old kiddy porn (sick as that is) – but really violent kiddy porn.
You have to hope that in February the Court of Appeal (and then the Supreme Court?) upholds the High Court's decision on the Cullen Group. Though this pales into insignificance compared to the $114m tax plus penalties owed by Watson. (Unless this is also subject to appeal-anyone out there know?)
A very sad death to add to the toll. Help the helper.
Sheila Cheng was killed in a car accident in the Bay of Plenty on Saturday, and her husband is in Waikato Hospital…
The nurse's friend Amanda Lorin said it is every family's worst nightmare.
A Givealittle page she set up to raise funds for the family has raised over $2000.
…Sheila was an experienced intensive care nurse who had worked in Taiwan, training others, before coming to New Zealand more than two years ago.
…Shelia had just gained a doctorate in nursing and started work at Whakatāne Hospital two months ago."She knew exactly what she was doing and I think they saw her as an angel that was sent because she knew so much about these burns victims."
Most people determine whether or not an email has a file attached. Lawyers apparently prefer to differ. Opine on the balance of probabilities rather than report the fact. They must have learnt the utility of the Schrodinger's cat thought experiment from physicists. However physicists use equations to calculate probabilities, such as whether the cat is alive or dead. They don't just refer to some kind of subjective guess and call it a balance.
“There is no reference in Dew’s report to the email sent to the Labour panel on April 26 which seeks “an update on the investigation” and stresses: “Just adding the seriousness of the situation here, an accusation of sexual assault, manipulation, bullying and emotional abuse.””
“Nor is there any reference to another email, dated June 11, sent to the three members of the investigation panel, in which the complainant directs them to “attached … notes of testimony”. The attached document, as previously reported by The Spinoff, contains clear reference to her allegation: “SEXUAL ASSAULT occurred February 2018”.”
Why would anyone expect a QC to acknowledge evidence? Authority figures are appointed to announce personal opinion as verdict. So the Spinoff journalists saw the file attached to the email, but the QC couldn’t care less. And folks wonder why the justice system is in disrepute…
As a fallback plan that's an idea, but I was still thinking more like "dolt supporters don't hate me because I'm not partisan, so I can beat the orange one".
But I reckon you might be more correct, the way she called the impeachment "partisan".
I can't believe she's so deluded she thinks there's a viable route to the White House. Looks to me like she's keenly aware of who her audience is and is playing them consciously and expertly.
But she must be aware the sum total of convergence moonbats, second-option bias fantasists, alt-lefties etc is tiny. The alt-righters, middle-finger voters, David Dukes and other deplorables aren't going to vote for her while they've still got the waddling spray-tan warning label to vote for. Nor will the tribal Repugs whose only voting criteria is what's got an (R) next to its name, even if it's the mouldering three-weeks-dead corpse of a brothel-keeper.
Nobody is expecting the outcome to be the departure of the Combover Con.
But impeachment still serves a bunch of purposes.
First, if trying to extort a foreign country by withholding congress approved taxpayer funded aid to pressure that foreign country into smearing a domestic political opponent isn't so unacceptable to merit impeaching, then where's the line?
Next, it further helps clarify what a bunch of spineless craven toadies the current crop of Repug senators really are.
For the sake of those on phones that don't want to deal with a massive comment I'll leave it there …
My favourite is if they keep investigating everything, any mismatch between his financial transactions and his tax returns will be made public. And while the repugs can protect him from federal crimes, their reach at a state level varies wildly.
I'm sure NY will be very interested, for example. I really like the idea of him defending completely legitimate fraud charges to his grave.
There's already enough stuff in public that would have buried any other pollie. Like the differences in property valuations he told his lenders and what he told local authorities. I'd be astonished if there weren't already things in progress on those issues. But they won't do anything to constrain his behaviour while he remains in office.
Arthur Allan Thomas, the man pardoned of the infamous 1970 Crewe murders, has been charged with historical sexual offending.
The 81-year-old's case was called today in the Manukau District Court where Judge Charles Blackie ordered his interim name suppression to lapse.
Thomas faces four charges of indecent assault and one count of rape….
The allegations are historical in nature and relate to two complainants, who have automatic name suppression, and recently came forward to police.
Extensive suppression orders, however, remain and prevent the Herald from publishing further details, such as the date and place of the alleged offending.
But Thomas' name is not suppressed. The women have been stewing about this for years and can apparently make a case. But there must be a limit. The justice and rightness together need to be carefully looked at.
It is different about institutions. With institutions, and Catholic or other priests, the institution is also on trial along with its procedures. Has it known and there been a hush-hush acceptance, which needs examination and its lack of responsibility to those under its care.
That 27 year old who has held a woman by the neck for heightened sexual effect, he is still not named is he. And he definitely killed that silly woman, and he is responsible for the force that she died from. Why isn't his name openly available, or has NZ suddenly become too dainty to cope with sexuality? We are a farming nation, and live by procreation. Strange attitudes.
Probably could have worded that better … deliberately murdering someone isn't sexuality.
But there is so much wrong with Grey's post – Psycho Milt and others spell out some of them. I don't think Greywarshark thinks of women as actual people.
Grey I can't believe it. are you really referring Grace Millane as "that silly woman" or I have misunderstood what you are saying? Surely I have misunderstood. If not I think the moderators here need to take a look at this.
The police have taken a case against Thomas based on the evidence the complainants presented. The Crown lawyers must feel there is a case to answer.
Is there no end to this hysterical, historical sexual accusation witchhunt thing?
The women have been stewing about this for years and can apparently make a case. But there must be a limit.
No there isn't, and nor should there be, but interesting why you would rape apologise your comment with the use of 'hysterical' and 'witch hunt' to describe sexual assaults and rape.
That 27 year old who has held a woman by the neck for heightened sexual effect, he is still not named is he. And he definitely killed that silly woman, and he is responsible for the force that she died from. Why isn't his name openly available, or has NZ suddenly become too dainty to cope with sexuality? We are a farming nation, and live by procreation. Strange attitudes.
Oh, strange fucking attitudes alright. That is the strangest I've seen for a while.
1. He didn't "hold a woman by the neck," he strangled a woman to death.
2. The heightened sexual effect was for him. What she wanted or didn't want can't be known.
3. Calling his victim "that silly woman" is seriously fucked up.
4. His name isn't openly available because he appealed the dropping of name suppression and NZ has rule of law, not because NZ is "too dainty to cope with sexuality."
5. Murdering someone isn't "sexuality"
6. Murdering someone isn't "procreation," in fact it's kind of the opposite.
As incredulous as posts like that are, and as much as I detest reading bullshit rape culture apologist nonsense, they do at least serve a purpose in letting us know who walks among us.
Job done, but probably not in the way the Nelson nibbler expected.
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Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
Our trust in our political institutions is fast eroding, according to a Maxim Institute discussion paper, Shaky Foundations: Why our democracy needs trust. The paper – released today – raises concerns about declining trust in New Zealand’s political institutions and democratic processes, and the role that the overuse of Parliamentary urgency ...
This article was prepared for publication yesterday. More ministerial announcements have been posted on the government’s official website since it was written. We will report on these later today …. Buzz from the BeehiveThere we were, thinking the environment is in trouble, when along came Jones. Shane Jones. ...
New Zealand now has the fourth most depressed construction sector in the world behind China, Qatar and Hong Kong. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 8:46am on Thursday, May 2:The Lead: ...
Hi,I am just going to state something very obvious: American police are fucking crazy.That was a photo gracing the New York Times this morning, showing New York City police “entering Columbia University last night after receiving a request from the school.”Apparently in America, protesting the deaths of tens of thousands ...
Winston Peters’ much anticipated foreign policy speech last night was a work of two halves. Much of it was a standard “boilerplate” Foreign Ministry overview of the state of the world. There was some hardening up of rhetoric with talk of “benign” becoming “malign” and old truths giving way to ...
Graham Adams assesses the fallout of the Cass Review — The press release last Thursday from the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls didn’t make the mainstream news in New Zealand but it really should have. The startling title of Reem Alsalem’s statement — “Implementation of ‘Cass ...
This open-for-business, under-new-management cliché-pockmarked government of Christopher Luxon is not the thing of beauty he imagines it to be. It is not the powerful expression of the will of the people that he asserts it to be. It is not a soaring eagle, it is a malodorous vulture. This newest poll should make ...
The latest labour market statistics, showing a rise in unemployment. There are now 134,000 unemployed - 14,000 more than when the National government took office. Which is I guess what happens when the Reserve Bank causes a recession in an effort to Keep Wages Low. The previous government saw a ...
Three opinion polls have been released in the last two days, all showing that the new government is failing to hold their popular support. The usual honeymoon experienced during the first year of a first term government is entirely absent. The political mood is still gloomy and discontented, mainly due ...
National's Finance Minister once met a poor person.A scornful interview with National's finance guru who knows next to nothing about economics or people.There might have been something a bit familiar if that was the headline I’d gone with today. It would of course have been in tribute to the article ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Throughout the pandemic, the new Vice-Chancellor-of-Otago-University-on-$629,000 per annum-Can-you-believe-it-and-Former-Finance-Minister Grant Robertson repeated the mantra over and over that he saved “lives and livelihoods”.As we update how this claim is faring over the course of time, the facts are increasingly speaking differently. NZ ...
Chris Trotter writes – IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in acknowledgement of electoral victory: “We’ll govern for all New Zealanders.” On the face of it, the pledge is a strange one. Why would any political leader govern in ways that advantaged the huge ...
Bryce Edwards writes – The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill ...
TL;DR: These are the six things that stood out to me in news and commentary on Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 10:06am on Wednesday, May 1:The Lead: Business confidence fell across the board in April, falling in some areas to levels last seen during the lockdowns because of a collapse in ...
Over the past 36 hours, Christopher Luxon has been dong his best to portray the centre-right’s plummeting poll numbers as a mark of virtue. Allegedly, the negative verdicts are the result of hard economic times, and of a government bravely set out on a perilous rescue mission from which not ...
Auckland Transport have started rolling out new HOP card readers around the network and over the next three months, all of them on buses, at train stations and ferry wharves will be replaced. The change itself is not that remarkable, with the new readers looking similar to what is already ...
Completed reads for April: The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling Carnival of Saints, by George Herman The Snow Spider, by Jenny Nimmo Emlyn’s Moon, by Jenny Nimmo The Chestnut Soldier, by Jenny Nimmo Death Comes As the End, by Agatha Christie Lord of the Flies, by ...
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 ...
Have a story to share about St Paul’s, but today just picturesPopular novels written at this desk by a young man who managed to bootstrap himself out of father’s imprisonment and his own young life in a workhouse Read more ...
The list of former National Party Ministers being given plum and important roles got longer this week with the appointment of former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett as the chair of Pharmac. The Christopher Luxon-led Government has now made key appointments to Bill English, Simon Bridges, Steven Joyce, Roger Sowry, ...
Newsroom has a story today about National's (fortunately failed) effort to disestablish the newly-created Inspector-General of Defence. The creation of this agency was the key recommendation of the Inquiry into Operation Burnham, and a vital means of restoring credibility and social licence to an agency which had been caught lying ...
Holding On To The Present:The moment a political movement arises that attacks the whole idea of social progress, and announces its intention to wind back the hands of History’s clock, then democracy, along with its unwritten rules, is in mortal danger.IT’S A COMMONPLACE of political speeches, especially those delivered in ...
Stuck In The Middle With You:As Christopher Luxon feels the hot breath of Act’s and NZ First’s extremists on the back of his neck and, as he reckons with the damage their policies are already inflicting upon a country he’s described as “fragile”, is there not some merit in reaching out ...
The unpopular coalition government is currently rushing to repeal section 7AA of the Oranga Tamariki Act. The clause is Oranga Tamariki's Treaty clause, and was inserted after its systematic stealing of Māori children became a public scandal and resulted in physical resistance to further abductions. The clause created clear obligations ...
Buzz from the Beehive The government’s official website – which Point of Order monitors daily – not for the first time has nothing much to say today about political happenings that are grabbing media headlines. It makes no mention of the latest 1News-Verian poll, for example. This shows National down ...
It Takes A Train To Cry:Surely, there is nothing lonelier in all this world than the long wail of a distant steam locomotive on a cold Winter’s night.AS A CHILD, I would lie awake in my grandfather’s house and listen to the traffic. The big wooden house was only a ...
Packing A Punch: The election of the present government, including in its ranks politicians dedicated to reasserting the rights of the legislature in shaping and determining the future of Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand, should have alerted the judiciary – including its anomalous appendage, the Waitangi Tribunal – that its ...
Dead Woman Walking: New Zealand’s media industry had been moving steadily towards disaster for all the years Melissa Lee had been National’s media and communications policy spokesperson, and yet, when the crisis finally broke, on her watch, she had nothing intelligent to offer. Christopher Luxon is a patient man - but he’s not ...
Chris Trotter writes – New Zealand politics is remarkably easy-going: dangerously so, one might even say. With the notable exception of John Key’s flat ruling-out of the NZ First Party in 2008, all parties capable of clearing MMP’s five-percent threshold, or winning one or more electorate seats, tend ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay heads overseas today for high-level trade talks in the Gulf region, and a key OECD meeting in Paris. Mr McClay will travel to Riyadh to meet with counterparts from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). “New Zealand’s goods and services exports to the Gulf region ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford has outlined six education priorities to deliver a world-leading education system that sets Kiwi kids up for future success. “I’m putting ambition, achievement and outcomes at the heart of our education system. I want every child to be inspired and engaged in their learning so they ...
The new NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) App is a secure ‘one stop shop’ to provide the services drivers need, Transport Minister Simeon Brown and Digitising Government Minister Judith Collins say. “The NZTA App will enable an easier way for Kiwis to pay for Vehicle Registration and Road User Charges (RUC). ...
Whānau with tamariki growing up in emergency housing motels will be prioritised for social housing starting this week, says Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka. “Giving these whānau a better opportunity to build healthy stable lives for themselves and future generations is an essential part of the Government’s goal of reducing ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has paid tribute to an icon of the industry with the recent passing of Dave O’Sullivan (OBE). “Our sympathies are with the O’Sullivan family with the sad news of Dave O’Sullivan’s recent passing,” Mr Peters says. “His contribution to racing, initially as a jockey and then ...
Assalaamu alaikum, greetings to you all. Eid Mubarak, everyone! I want to extend my warmest wishes to you and everyone celebrating this joyous occasion. It is a pleasure to be here. I have enjoyed Eid celebrations at Parliament before, but this is my first time joining you as the Minister ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced Pharmac’s largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, fixing a $1.774 billion fiscal cliff. “Access to medicines is a crucial part of many Kiwis’ lives. We’ve committed to a budget allocation of $1.774 billion over four years so Kiwis are ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Wansolwara The news media’s crucial role in climate change and environment journalism was the focus of The University of the South Pacific’s Journalism Programme 2024 World Press Freedom Day celebrations. The European Union Ambassador to the Pacific, Barbara Plinkert, and Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna were the chief ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Adams, Professor of Corporate Law & Academic Director of UNE Sydney campus, University of New England Last August, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched legal proceedings against Qantas. The consumer watchdog accused the airline of selling thousands of tickets ...
This episode of A View From Afar was recorded LIVE on May 6, 2024 (NZST) which is Sunday evening, May 5, 2024 at 8:30pm (USEST). In an analytical essay titled ‘A moment of friction’ political scientist Dr Paul Buchanan wrote how we are living within a decisive moment ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Taylor, Assistant Professor, Bond University Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures At the crux of the critical response to Luca Guadagnino’s new movie Challengers is one word: “sexy”. The film charts a love triangle between three up-and-coming tennis players: Tashi (Zendaya), ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Stewart, Professor of Public Policy, ADFA Canberra, UNSW Sydney For years, First Nations people have been telling governments they want to be listened to. In particular, they want more ownership of the programs and services that are supposed to help them. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Why do trees have bark? Julien, age 6, Melbourne. This is a great question, Julien. We are so familiar with bark on trees, that most of us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anthony Nasser, Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of Technology Sydney PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is an important ligament in the knee. It runs from the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia) and helps stabilise ...
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 I covered the May 2 United Kingdom local government elections for The Poll Bludger. The Blackpool South parliamentary byelection was also held, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deanna Grant-Smith, Professor of Management, University of the Sunshine Coast The federal government has announced a “Commonwealth Prac Payment” to support selected groups of students doing mandatory work placements. Those who are studying to be a teacher, nurse, midwife or social ...
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you love a dark comedy: Bodkin (Netflix, May 9)An English podcaster, an Irish podcaster and American podcaster walk into a pub and…make a TV show? ...
By Eleisha Foon, RNZ Pacific senior journalist A Pacific regionalism academic has called out New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for withholding information from the public on AUKUS and says the security deal “raises serious questions for the Pacific region”. Auckland University of Technology academic Dr Marco de Jong ...
How worried should we be about the cloud? This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. I currently have a few thousand unread emails languishing in my inbox, mostly old marketing newsletters and piles of unread science journal press releases. I have a similar number ...
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After learning of yet another rise to minimum wage I want to extend my congratulations to superannuitants on getting their base rate benefit drastically increased.
Please don't crow too loudly lest the severely disabled and their families (the ONLY group who do not benefit from increased wages via linked benefits, iwtc or actual wages) hear you and realise the injustice the system has delivered yet again.
Oh, hey look…good work. I still expect super to remain the superior benefit and have no faith at all that the gap between benefits will be bridged.
The part of the article that talks about yearly increases is incorrect as CPI linked increases were never that big.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/budget/113093347/budget-nz-2019-benefits-will-follow-wage-growth-in-historic-change
Why is the fact that those with disabilities are not getting enough, linked with super?
The fact is, disability support should be raised, by taxing the wealthy more, not by buying into right wing memes, attacking our one remaining, successful universal benefit.
All eyes on the white house, it's going to be a massive day. The debate has begun and should finish in around 6 hours time.
Live stream link here…
No no Cinny, I've got too much to do today. Oh well, I'll just watch a teensy weensy bit. 😡
Hehehehe, work was quiet today so I was lucky enough to be able to listen/watch a good chunk of it. Found it absolutely fascinating.
Partisan hypocrites.
https://twitter.com/ABCWorldNews/status/1207371985606434816
With the latest polls showing Hillary Clinton remains likely to win the election on Tuesday, Republicans are preparing for the possibility of a second Clinton White House by promising to make the next four years a living hell. Some lawmakers are talking openly about refusing to approve any Supreme Court nominees until a Republican is elected president, the F.B.I. is investigating both the Clinton Foundation and the former secretary of state’s use of a private e-mail server, and House Republicans have vowed to launch additional investigations of their own. Now, a growing number of conservatives are warning that there could be a “constitutional crisis” if Clinton is elected, and threatening her with impeachment.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/11/republicans-are-already-talking-about-impeaching-clinton
'Murica, where a corrupt, racist, lying, serial rapist is just like the Rabbi Yeshua
https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/1207378548337598464
edit:
https://twitter.com/rutiregan/status/1207379842582372353
Then-and-nows of every single Repug that had a public profile in 1998 and now are just as stark.
There's always an old tweet or interview …
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/12/donald-trump-impeachment-nancy-pelosi-bush-interview.html
https://twitter.com/wolfblitzer/status/1207375509698596867
One moment a Messiah, the next, a fucking military base
https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1207386979744116736
Hold it over him, adding articles by the day. Sounds good.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, the second-ranking lawmaker in the House, said Wednesday that Democrats must discuss a last-ditch gambit to delay sending articles of impeachment to the Senate and prevent the Republican-controlled chamber from summarily discarding the case against President Donald Trump.
“Some think it’s a good idea. And we need to talk about it,” Hoyer said just as the House began debating articles of impeachment that charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/18/trump-impeachment-trial-steny-hoyer-087319
Cheers for posting all of those awesome links Joe
Pictures speaking words. Govt TV welcomes Chump: https://www.thedailybeast.com/russias-state-tv-calls-trump-their-agent
Headline in Aussie news: A law unique to New Zealand means the surviving White Island victims and their families will not receive proper compensation, legal experts say.
Suing lawyer complains NZ legal system unfairly discriminates against
suing lawyerspeople who sue.What a wretched excuse of an article that is.
Where 'proper' compensation means lawyers making out like bandits.
As expected from the house of murdoch…..look over there anywhere but what scomo's up to and that your country's becoming too hot in parts to sustain humanity.
Lump of coal anybody ? Piece of the reef maybe ?
Part of the linked article –
He also said there was an important psychological element — that is, that the lack of legal accountability promotes a more lax safety culture.
“This is not always empirically measurable, but it’s pretty basic psychology. If you’re the owner of a business and you know you cannot be sued for negligent conduct, you may adopt a cavalier safety approach.”
Finally, he said it fails the economics test.
“No-fault schemes typically become financially unsustainable,” he said. “The ACC has moved from one financial crisis to the next since it was drawn up in the 1970s.”
He makes confident assertions that can be questioned. However he may be correct when he says, 'the lack of legal accountability promotes a more lax safety culture.'
Also the limitations of what ACC is able to assist with for tourists with long-term affects from their trauma has been a criticism from those disappointed at returning home with some bodily damage that no insurance covers. I can't give details, but remember a few past cases.
And the lawyers' chagrin would change to a grin if they could sue for those extravagant amounts that the USA allows. I remember in the Simpsons that Bart was trying to cash in on that, dashing out in front of slow-moving cars and pretending to get knocked down. Homer, I think came along and accepted a small payment in lieu of starting an expensive Court case. Which is as moral as the real thing when they go full hog there.
What he forgets/omits is that suing is not the only form of legal accountability.
The OSH outcome on this is going to be pretty severe, I suspect.
Yes there are big holes in his argument. Comes from a self-interest POV. Needs more learning, that young fellow.
Workers on the ground, are pretty motivated to make sure they come home safe.
Since Royal Caribbean was part of the process of getting their passengers on the tours to White Island, they may end up getting sued in an American court.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2019/12/white-island-eruption-us-lawyer-considers-legal-action-against-royal-caribbean-cruises.html
Will be very interesting how far that goes. New Zealand is very popular with the international cruise operators because of our "no fault" laws. Less chance of getting sued. The cruise operator gets a very solid commission on the ashore activities their passengers undertake, likely making more profit out of them than the activity operators. Showing a separation of liability in court could be tricky.
The enquiry into the complaints of sexual harassment, bullying and a serious sexual assault in the Labour Party have all but disappeared from stuff, radio NZ and the herald. You have to go searching to find them.
this story stayed in the media for days when it first broke and I believe cost Jacinda and labour in the polls.
i take wekas point last night about rape culture. I also take the point that absence of evidence doesn’t mean something didn’t happen. However allegations of sexual assault are about as serious as it gets. And given that the complainants evidence of the night contained critical errors, that her messages on fb and text on the months around the alleged assault do not reflect her allegations, and that evidence doesn’t verify she sent an attachment to labour officials about the sexual assault, we need to give the accused the benefit of the doubt and assume it didn’t happen.
also the reports of bullying and sexual harassment weren’t substantiated either, although there was an admission by the alleged offender that he could be aggressive and he did make two sexiest remarks.
i am at a bit of a loss to know what’s is going on here. All I know is that there are multiple victims, and that Paula b used these young people to make political capital and it worked.
Just looked through Herald online and can find not a word re the report released yesterday. Considering the heavy handed accusations and innuendo levelled at Jacinda and the Labour Party you would expect a correction of some sort. Shame on you Herald.
On Morning Report this morning around 8:15am Jane Patterson gave her views on the report and its likely effect on the Labour Party. She believed the matter is now behind the Party and she didn't think the outcome would have any lasting impact on them. She went on to say that it is wrong for people to claim it was part of a pre-Xmas dump because it was only received a day or two ago and yesterday was the first opportunity to release it. She pointed out it was imperative for them to get it out of the way by Xmas and not hanging around into the new year.
All fair points imo.
I would link to the item but it hasn't appeared online.
Edit: two items under politics ianmac.
Thanks Anne. True the articles were somewhat buried well down the page on the Herald.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/oceania/ardern-staffer-abuse-claims-thrown-out-20191218-p53l4v.html
Here's what the Sydney Morning Herald had to say. Very different to the local press who IMO gave it a very different slant.
The Jane Patterson – Corin Dann segment on Morning Report has been up online at RNZ's website for a couple of hours, Anne. It was exactly where I expected to find it on the Morning Report section for today’s programme. Here it is
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018727629/labour-party-alleged-assault-victim-reportedly-stands-by-her-version-of-events
Like you, I thought it was a well reasoned summary without some of the "heat" of some other commentary on the report etc including some of that here on TS on last night's Daily Review.
Thanks vv. They took their time putting the item online. It wasn't there around 9:30. Looked in MR of course.
Some slightly dubious semantics in play last night on this site. 🙂
"we need to give the accused the benefit of the doubt and assume it didn’t happen."
I don't. I'm good with assuming I don't know what happened.
"However allegations of sexual assault are about as serious as it gets"
I rate being raped as more serious than being accused of rape.
It's a given that National are opportunistic dirty politicos.
What concerns me here is the tying of Labour's wellbeing to lines that the complainents lied. This is unnecessary, and also, Labour's wellbeing is tied to how they handle things when they go badly. I think Labour did relatively ok this time, I'm guessing argely thanks to JA, and I can see some areas where they still need to up their game.
This is ok though, because it's ok to make mistakes, it's what one does after the mistake that matters. This is the antidote to macho politics and it paves the way to unravel rape culture. A position that trades of sexual abuse survivors for political gain both enforces macho politics and perpetuates rape culture.
People will believe what they want to believe. I'm talking about how the situation gets framed and used politically. I think the higher priority here is to pushing back against rape culture.
I completely accept that is how you see it Weka. I think most of us will form an opinion about what happened and of course we will never know for sure. Just like the Christchurch Creche case in which I think there could be some similarities. Or the Bain family murders.
I believe Labour took a hit in the polls for this as did Jacinda.
We don’t know for sure how Labour handled it because the second report into that hasn’t come out. But getting the thorough report from Maria Dew was a good thing to do.
I note from her summary virtually none of the complaints were upheld other than some aggressive behaviour and I think two sexiest comments made by the alleged offender. He apologized for both. Is this o.k.? Of course not. But the claims of bullying were not found. I think it was five incidents over 13 months.
Aggression is never o.k., but I am inclined to think it is likely rampant in politics. this is not to condone it.
I got the feeling after a quick read of the report on the alleged sexual misconduct, that it was a personal matter of relationship discontent, and the spat had been elevated to a formal complaint as a retaliation and punishment because of the soured relationship.
Labour has to ensure that those that wish to join Young Labour are there for the good of the Party, and advancing the ideals of the politics of the left into practice, and not just to meet the opposite sex and interesting people doing something to pass the time.
"…it was a personal matter of relationship discontent, and the spat had been elevated to a formal complaint as a retaliation and punishment because of the soured relationship…."
I agree grey though we can only guess I guess. Still as the names are withheld there should be no real problem for the complainants even though they were the ones who created the publicity in the first place. Anyway I guess there it lies and fades into the distance.
Old scandals never die, they just lie and fester?
The discussion yesterday about ongoing viability of class analysis is germaine in respect to the durable alliance between middle & lower class on the left side of politics, in western countries following WWII through social democracy then neoliberalism. But culture wars have rended that alliance in recent years, so I was interested to see this take on the Brexit election from Mike Treen on TDB:
"Unfortunately, this advance in electoral support was largely reversed in the recent election with a drop to 32.2%. This came about because the right and centre of the party locked Corbyn into a position of supporting a second referendum on Brexit – leaving the European Union. This was seen by many Labour supporters who supported Leave as an attempt to overturn the democratic decision already made. Many voted Tory for the first time in their lives to ensure the decision was respected." https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/12/19/for-a-green-new-deal-with-peoples-power/
This notion that the remainers (urban liberals) within Labour were so disrespectful to the verdict of the people that they wanted to overturn it via a second referendum rings true. His thesis seems to be that Labour's middle class retain sufficient influence in the party to hamstring Corbyn despite the Blairite exodus.
Makes sense if they do have the numbers (but only an insider would know). It explains the large defection and abstention of working class Labour voters. It raises the spectre of a tribal divide between the two classes within UK Labour.
That theory might be correct if Labour supporters had voted Tory rather than stayed at home. They didn't.
I'm seeing sufficiently evidence of workers voting Tory. This analysis from Vox puts the shift around 6% in working class electorates…
"Educated urban professionals have drifted left and the working classes have tiled right, a shift that social scientists attribute to the rising importance of immigration and identity issues in European politics. In Britain, Brexit supercharged this long-running process, as highly educated city dwellers tended to oppose Brexit (making them more likely to vote Labour) while rural and less educated voters tended to support it (making them more likely to vote Conservative)."
"The 2019 election results reflected the post-Brexit realignment. Labour was absolutely devastated in its traditional working class constituencies (the UK equivalent to congressional districts), with the Conservatives — long caricatured as the parties of the rich — making historic inroads. “The resounding Conservative victory was driven by a dramatic swing of working-class support away from Labour,” as the Financial Times put it in a post-election data analysis."
“In seats with high shares of people in low-skilled jobs, the Conservative vote share increased by an average of six percentage points and the Labour share fell by 14 points. In seats with the lowest share of low-skilled jobs, the Tory vote share fell by four points and Labour’s fell by seven,” the FT said in its analysis. “The swing of working class areas from Labour to Conservative had the strongest statistical association of any explored by the FT.” https://www.vox.com/world/2019/12/13/21004755/uk-election-2019-jeremy-corbyn-labour-defeat
so Brexit…..although the reported widespread dislike of Corbyn (the personality) may have contributed. Will be interesting to see how the Labour party deal with such a fundamental conflict
Interesting, thanks. Wasn't the overall swing higher than 6%?
"General election results 2019 – national swing
Labour to Conservative: 4.70%
Conservative to Lib Dem: 1.36%
Labour to Lib Dem: 6.06%"
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/who-won-general-election-2019-21067495
The 6% who deserted Labour for the LibDems are presumably remainers…
Also worth considering: "How did Labour come to squander the promise of its unexpectedly good result in 2017? A central part of the explanation was dither and delay on Brexit, which meant that Labour lost ground with both leavers and remainers. Some early analysis from Datapraxis suggests that nearly half of the Labour seat losses could be attributed to losing more remainers to other parties than the size of the Tory majority in leave seats. By attempting to triangulate, Labour convinced leavers it was for remain and remainers that it was for leave. The party looked cynical and opportunistic, as if it were playing games on Brexit to secure electoral advantage, rather than sticking to its principles or standing up for the national interest." https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/16/labour-2017-2019-corbyn-brexit-election
This one is more explicit on the class divide within Labour, and provides historical context to document the trend: "This was not the first election in which more working class voters backed the Tories rather than Labour. They did so in 1983—the year of Margaret Thatcher’s landslide victory—and in 2017. But the gap was just two points in both elections. This time there was 15-point gulf: Conservative 48 per cent, Labour 33 per cent. The Tory lead among middle-class voters was less: 12 points."
"However, as with Labour’s heartland decline, last week’s election accelerated a long-term trend. In 1970, when Edward Heath led the Tories back to government, the Conservatives enjoyed a 45-point lead among middle-class voters, while Labour led by 22 per cent among working-class voters. Combining the two figures, the “class gap” was 67 points (45 plus 22). Nine years later, when Thatcher came to power, the class gap had fallen to 47 points: a middle class Con lead of 36 per cent, compared with a working-class Lab lead of 11 per cent. The class gap slipped to 28 points in Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide and 14 points when David Cameron secured his overall majority in 2015. Last week the class gap was minus three: it had gone into reverse."
https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/five-crucially-important-but-frequently-ignored-facts-about-the-2019-election-labour-conservatives-brexit-corbyn-johnson
Interesting that 1983 result…it will have been around the time of increased industrial action in UK. I am assuming that the unions functioned much the same in the UK as here in that period and there was always a significant proportion of National voting union members here,' shy Tories ' although some not so shy, and their numbers grow during protracted industrial action as the lack of income bites. It is one reason why compulsory union membership is not the panacea its often painted as.
As big Norm Kirk once put it, “paralysis by analysis”.
People are still dealing with the debris but the result is clear.
As many a losing general has done you assess the landscape post-battle, husband your resources, seek allies and opportunities, and strategise the next campaign.
https://duckduckgo.com/l/?kh=-1&uddg=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.historynet.com%2Fsecond-punic-war-hannibals-war-in-italy.htm
[With the assumed understanding and agreement of the commenter, I have changed the user name and e-mail to the ones we had settled on (I thought); https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-19-12-2019/#comment-1674546 – Incognito]
Owen Jones in the Guardian gets it right:
"Voters didn’t defect from Labour because they felt the top 5% were paying enough tax, or because they thought our privately run railway system was a shining success, or because of their affection for sky-high tuition fees…. In January, YouGov asked why voters with previously favourable opinions of Corbyn had changed their mind. About three-quarters of the responses were linked to Brexit, which dominated all political discourse after 2017 and smothered discussion of Labour’s popular domestic policies. Labour was tortured about how to keep its 2017 coalition of remain and leave supporters together, and was paralysed as a result."
Brexit, the mendacious and continuous right-wing media attacks on Corbyn (especially the anti semitic rubbish) and a poorly focused campaign was why Labour lost.
IMO it's as much about the qaulity of their advisers and strategists then the front person who often doesn't get to set the agenda.
Tories were laser focused, labour all over the place with JC tasked to deliver it.
Yep-the Tories seem to have got the nice simple message and back room strategy together better than Labour.
This must be the case because, as Gwynne Dyer says, the Labour Red Wall seats were turkeys voting for xmas.
Brexit was go in to happen, or be stopped by…. ..well Labour. So Corbyn decided to do nothing, instead of accepting the decision of the people and stopped fighting. That's just staggering in heinsight. Given he could of, after accepting half of his pro exit party decision, he then offered a referendum on full integration, drop the pound, to assuage his remainers. no, instead he vacilated and lost. He should of resigned but Labour just doesn't do leadership anymore.
There's a good in-depth analysis here: https://quillette.com/2019/12/13/britains-labour-party-got-woke-and-now-its-broke/
"A friend of mine was standing as the Conservative candidate in Newcastle upon Tyne North, where the Labour incumbent won a 10,000 majority two years ago, and I knocked on a few doors for him last week. Every person I spoke to said they were going to vote Tory. In some cases, it was because they wanted to “get Brexit done,” which has been the Conservatives’ endlessly repeated campaign slogan over the past six weeks, but in others it was because of their visceral dislike for Labour’s leader.
“Most people I know who used to be staunch Labour are now saying no way Jeremy Corbyn,” said Steve Hurt, an engineer. “It’s not our party any more. Same label, different bottle.”
"According to the activist I was with, that had been the reaction wherever he went. He had knocked on 100 doors in a council estate earlier that day and all but three people he’d spoken to told him they intended to vote Conservative—and this in a city where 26 per cent of the population are among the most deprived in England. I asked why, if these electors disliked Corbyn, they didn’t simply abstain? Why were they planning to brave the elements on a cold day in December to vote for a party led by an old Etonian toff? “Because they hate Corbyn that much,” he said. “The biggest message they can send to him is to elect a Tory government.” It’s the same story across England—working class electors deserting Labour en masse."
I recommend First Dog On The Moon's awards if you have a spare moment – sorry can't link from this wretched device.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/18/the-greta-thunberg-lovely-award-for-driving-bitter-old-white-men-apoplectic-goes-to-
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/11/theres-an-unprecedented-environment-catastrophe-and-the-greens-still-cant-get-votes
😎
Tnx
Read it Stuart-thanks for the tip. Excellent.
Post-campaign analysis from Lord Ashcroft's Conservative Home.
"Labour’s civil war is set to get worse before it gets better."
https://www.conservativehome.com/leftwatch/2019/12/labours-civil-war-is-set-to-get-worse-before-it-gets-better.html
Would you like me to change the other comment that you posted as Agora to the correct user name and e-mail address or shall I move it to the Trash folder?
I'm glad to see you are in good form. I was worried you may be some kind of AI or bot. Please go ahead.
Which option do you prefer? I’m doing this as a service to the site.
Thanks Incognito – did I wish you Merry Christmas? If already, then feel free to have double.
I’m doing this as a service to the site.
Thank you for your efforts. You bring a lot of patience to your moderation, in fact the patience you display in consistently treating Paaparakauta/Agora/etc as though he weren't an obnoxious arsehole sets a standard I'd never have a chance of meeting.
Thank you 🙂
My ‘philosophy’ is that we tend to see only the tip of the iceberg when people comment here in terms of their overall personality. By analogy, some people transform into frothing maniacs brimming with (road) rage when they crawl/climb behind the wheel.
I don't think this is right. There is certainly no appetite in the UK Labour party to go back to Blairism.
A new younger woman leader*, the end of the Brexit debate and more focussed communication of basically the same policies will see Labour sweep home in 5 years time after the public has found Boris out.
*though Kier Starmer is very good. Deputy leader?
Do you mean that they will try to sweep up the debris of the broken UK? Perhaps they will develop some vitality and enjoyment of life and each other as in the Greeks dancing Zorba in the street and breaking plates. That debris represents all sorts of confusing feelings that probably match the confusing feelings that led to an outpouring of desire for change, any change and the cutting of ties to Europe was chosen.
Greeks breaking plates – It meant that the couple were throwing away their old life and embarking on a new life together. Smashing plates could fool the spirits. It was believed that breaking plates would keep the evil spirits at bay because they would believe the people involved were angry and upset—instead of celebrating. https://holidappy.com/party-planning/Why-do-Greeks-smash-plates-at-weddings
Gwynne Dyer writing from the UK casts a bright light on the doings and faintings there. https://lfpress.com/opinion/columnists/dyer-english-turkeys-vote-for-christmas-with-brexit-election
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwynne_Dyer – Good read!
Back when his column got reproduced in the NZ Herald he was usually accurate. Hasn't lost that faculty: "the English turkeys marched bravely up to the chopping block, confident this would be a Christmas to remember."
"Boris Johnson’s big victory in Thursday’s “Brexit election” was achieved almost entirely with English votes. Only 20 of the 364 seats won by the Conservative Party were in the other three nations of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom will continue to be called that for several years, but this election has sounded its death knell. It was the votes of English nationalists who gave Johnson his victory, and they don’t really care if the U.K. survives. Just as well, because it won’t."
For a while Swordfish came to mind. Both show an addiction to studying the figures for accuracy and truth – crystal balls not allowed.
"More than half of Europeans believe the EU is likely to collapse within a generation, despite support for the bloc hitting heights not recorded in more than a quarter of a century.
In France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Greece, the Czech Republic and Poland, a majority of people surveyed thought EU disintegration was a “realistic possibility” in the next 10 to 20 years."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/15/majority-of-europeans-expect-end-of-eu-within-20-years
Yes good read-thanks. He is right about Johnson being a hard-right operator hidden under a buffoon act.
I think if Scotland and Northern Ireland leave, which as Dyer says is likely, the English will turn on the Tories for breaking up the union. Labour should be a shoe-in in 5 years time.
Watching the ageing of NZ and people who have been prominent; the cracks start and widen. Those who have concentrated on their personal projects without thinking about ethics and the affects on their own psyche, mental health and the goodness to society of their addictive focus may find eventually they can not slide away unnoticed.
Sir Ron Brierley – arrested. About – https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018727628/brierley-biographer-not-surprised-by-child-porn-arrest
In NZ Herald today – Gloriavale's shame: Second senior member convicted of child sex offending
Eric Watson's Cullen Group in liquidation https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12295218
* Eric Watson's Cullen Group has been moved into liquidation by court order, meaning it might no longer fight a $112 million tax judgment against it….
* Eric Watson loses appeal, can't avoid interest on £43 million payment to Sir Owen Glenn
https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/search-results?q=Brierley
Attention: The Chairman
As you know, Moderators draw attention to their moderation notes and to bans in particular. There is an obvious reason for this, which is that moderation, in general, aims to be instructional, to encourage self-moderation and self-correction, and to (slightly) change behaviour on this site. However, the onus is on the commenters to read all the replies to their comments and respond accordingly and appropriately.
FYI, you were informed on 8th Dec: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-30-11-2019/#comment-1671692 and you can see the reasons here: https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-30-11-2019/#comment-1669902
Sir Ron Brierley and Eric Watson.
Two of our worst capitalists, ruined.
Great end to 2019 in 1% land.
Shows how corrupting capitalism is in excess.
One so greedy many states want a part of him. And the other caught with kiddy porn – not just any old kiddy porn (sick as that is) – but really violent kiddy porn.
Couldn't agree more.
You have to hope that in February the Court of Appeal (and then the Supreme Court?) upholds the High Court's decision on the Cullen Group. Though this pales into insignificance compared to the $114m tax plus penalties owed by Watson. (Unless this is also subject to appeal-anyone out there know?)
The rich are often (nearly always) not the best of us.
So granting them supreme power isn't a great plan.
Peaches – The Presidents of the United States of America (Music Video)
We can do something to help a previous helper who nursed burns victims from Whakaari Island.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/Whakaari-White-Island/405750/whaakari-white-island-nurse-who-helped-victims-sheila-cheng-killed-in-car-crash
A very sad death to add to the toll. Help the helper.
Sheila Cheng was killed in a car accident in the Bay of Plenty on Saturday, and her husband is in Waikato Hospital…
The nurse's friend Amanda Lorin said it is every family's worst nightmare.
A Givealittle page she set up to raise funds for the family has raised over $2000.
…Sheila was an experienced intensive care nurse who had worked in Taiwan, training others, before coming to New Zealand more than two years ago.
…Shelia had just gained a doctorate in nursing and started work at Whakatāne Hospital two months ago."She knew exactly what she was doing and I think they saw her as an angel that was sent because she knew so much about these burns victims."
A Xmas present for the left? Or, at least, the promise of one.
In his speech to parliament yesterday Winstone said NZ First has 'new information' on National Party fundraising and "we're coming for you."
Here's hoping. At around the ten minute mark.
https://www.parliament.nz/en/watch-parliament/ondemand?itemId=210859
What happened with NZF irregularities? Have we forgotten about that now?
It stopped being relevant to National so it got dropped by the media?
Update: "The report determines that “on the balance of probabilities, the emails … did not contain any attached document detailing her allegation of sexual assault by the respondent.” https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/18-12-2019/worst-nightmare-labour-staffer-complainants-respond-to-dew-report/
Most people determine whether or not an email has a file attached. Lawyers apparently prefer to differ. Opine on the balance of probabilities rather than report the fact. They must have learnt the utility of the Schrodinger's cat thought experiment from physicists. However physicists use equations to calculate probabilities, such as whether the cat is alive or dead. They don't just refer to some kind of subjective guess and call it a balance.
“There is no reference in Dew’s report to the email sent to the Labour panel on April 26 which seeks “an update on the investigation” and stresses: “Just adding the seriousness of the situation here, an accusation of sexual assault, manipulation, bullying and emotional abuse.””
“Nor is there any reference to another email, dated June 11, sent to the three members of the investigation panel, in which the complainant directs them to “attached … notes of testimony”. The attached document, as previously reported by The Spinoff, contains clear reference to her allegation: “SEXUAL ASSAULT occurred February 2018”.”
Why would anyone expect a QC to acknowledge evidence? Authority figures are appointed to announce personal opinion as verdict. So the Spinoff journalists saw the file attached to the email, but the QC couldn’t care less. And folks wonder why the justice system is in disrepute…
🍑 on both counts: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Interesting play from Gabbard; voting present instead of yes or no.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/president-donald-trump-impeached_n_5df97044e4b08083dc5b1802
230 – 197 on abuse of power, two Dems voted with all the Repugs, they're from districts Tangerine Tantrump solidly won in 2016.
229 – 198 on obstruction of Congress; the splitter was Jared Golden of Maine 2nd district (heavily rural and solidly for Genghis Don in 2016).
Justin Amash (independent, formerly Repug from Michigan) voted to impeach on both counts.
Gives her a unique selling point for the dems to select on, I guess.
Angling for a talking head gig at Fox or One America News Network?
As a fallback plan that's an idea, but I was still thinking more like "dolt supporters don't hate me because I'm not partisan, so I can beat the orange one".
But I reckon you might be more correct, the way she called the impeachment "partisan".
I can't believe she's so deluded she thinks there's a viable route to the White House. Looks to me like she's keenly aware of who her audience is and is playing them consciously and expertly.
But she must be aware the sum total of convergence moonbats, second-option bias fantasists, alt-lefties etc is tiny. The alt-righters, middle-finger voters, David Dukes and other deplorables aren't going to vote for her while they've still got the waddling spray-tan warning label to vote for. Nor will the tribal Repugs whose only voting criteria is what's got an (R) next to its name, even if it's the mouldering three-weeks-dead corpse of a brothel-keeper.
Interesting times if they expect the badly behaved tenant to depart as instructed.
Nobody is expecting the outcome to be the departure of the Combover Con.
But impeachment still serves a bunch of purposes.
First, if trying to extort a foreign country by withholding congress approved taxpayer funded aid to pressure that foreign country into smearing a domestic political opponent isn't so unacceptable to merit impeaching, then where's the line?
Next, it further helps clarify what a bunch of spineless craven toadies the current crop of Repug senators really are.
For the sake of those on phones that don't want to deal with a massive comment I'll leave it there …
My favourite is if they keep investigating everything, any mismatch between his financial transactions and his tax returns will be made public. And while the repugs can protect him from federal crimes, their reach at a state level varies wildly.
I'm sure NY will be very interested, for example. I really like the idea of him defending completely legitimate fraud charges to his grave.
There's already enough stuff in public that would have buried any other pollie. Like the differences in property valuations he told his lenders and what he told local authorities. I'd be astonished if there weren't already things in progress on those issues. But they won't do anything to constrain his behaviour while he remains in office.
Sad but true.
He's getting worse.
Is there no end to this hysterical, historical sexual accusation witchhunt thing?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12295303
Arthur Allan Thomas, the man pardoned of the infamous 1970 Crewe murders, has been charged with historical sexual offending.
The 81-year-old's case was called today in the Manukau District Court where Judge Charles Blackie ordered his interim name suppression to lapse.
Thomas faces four charges of indecent assault and one count of rape….
The allegations are historical in nature and relate to two complainants, who have automatic name suppression, and recently came forward to police.
Extensive suppression orders, however, remain and prevent the Herald from publishing further details, such as the date and place of the alleged offending.
But Thomas' name is not suppressed. The women have been stewing about this for years and can apparently make a case. But there must be a limit. The justice and rightness together need to be carefully looked at.
It is different about institutions. With institutions, and Catholic or other priests, the institution is also on trial along with its procedures. Has it known and there been a hush-hush acceptance, which needs examination and its lack of responsibility to those under its care.
That 27 year old who has held a woman by the neck for heightened sexual effect, he is still not named is he. And he definitely killed that silly woman, and he is responsible for the force that she died from. Why isn't his name openly available, or has NZ suddenly become too dainty to cope with sexuality? We are a farming nation, and live by procreation. Strange attitudes.
Murdering somebody by forcefully strangling them for at least 5 minutes isn't anything to do with sexuality.
Probably could have worded that better … deliberately murdering someone isn't sexuality.
But there is so much wrong with Grey's post – Psycho Milt and others spell out some of them. I don't think Greywarshark thinks of women as actual people.
Grey I can't believe it. are you really referring Grace Millane as "that silly woman" or I have misunderstood what you are saying? Surely I have misunderstood. If not I think the moderators here need to take a look at this.
The police have taken a case against Thomas based on the evidence the complainants presented. The Crown lawyers must feel there is a case to answer.
No, you haven't misread it. This moran just called an innocent murder victim "that silly woman" 🙄
Moderator please.
No there isn't, and nor should there be, but interesting why you would rape apologise your comment with the use of 'hysterical' and 'witch hunt' to describe sexual assaults and rape.
That 27 year old who has held a woman by the neck for heightened sexual effect, he is still not named is he. And he definitely killed that silly woman, and he is responsible for the force that she died from. Why isn't his name openly available, or has NZ suddenly become too dainty to cope with sexuality? We are a farming nation, and live by procreation. Strange attitudes.
Oh, strange fucking attitudes alright. That is the strangest I've seen for a while.
1. He didn't "hold a woman by the neck," he strangled a woman to death.
2. The heightened sexual effect was for him. What she wanted or didn't want can't be known.
3. Calling his victim "that silly woman" is seriously fucked up.
4. His name isn't openly available because he appealed the dropping of name suppression and NZ has rule of law, not because NZ is "too dainty to cope with sexuality."
5. Murdering someone isn't "sexuality"
6. Murdering someone isn't "procreation," in fact it's kind of the opposite.
As incredulous as posts like that are, and as much as I detest reading bullshit rape culture apologist nonsense, they do at least serve a purpose in letting us know who walks among us.
Job done, but probably not in the way the Nelson nibbler expected.
psycho Milt 100%
"Silly woman" wtf???
Disgraceful comment.
I think its quite neat that you can imPEACH a NUT!