I realised this morning that I did not read or hear a single item re “PM Key says …..”. This is despite the momentous success of the marriage equality legislation on Tuesday night and the Labour/Green announcement on NZ Power yesterday.
But then I don’t watch the TV news etc or listen to radio other than RNZ National.
BUT I get suspicious/nervous when I don’t hear the usual ‘Mr Key says …’ even when he is overseas.
What was he up to yesterday? Where is he? Is Lord Ashcroft in town? Or Warner Bros? Or CT?
Key is dog tucker, thats why. The ponce is damaged goods – and the best National can do to try and stop the freefall is to get him out of the spotlight.
Interstingly, so many here have worried about Key versus Shearer in election debates. But think about Shearer versus Collins or Joyce. The dynamics change…. Sometimes politics is a long and slow game of chess..
Good point. There is something badly wrong for Key not to show, normally he would be all over this. My guess is that the DotCom situation is finally and messily unraveling. It is in court at present, so maybe the truth will out shortly… and the senior Nats know it. But without Key, Joyce et al are totally at sea.
Prime Minister John Key faced more questions yesterday over the July 2011 conversation in which he suggested his former childhood acquaintance should apply to become director of the Government Communications Security Bureau. …
Mr Key was asked to explain to Parliament how he had Mr Fletcher’s telephone number in Australia.
“No clue . . . I genuinely have no clue. I do not know how I got the number,” he said at first.
But pressed by Labour’s deputy leader, Grant Robertson, he replied: “I did not, at that point, have Ian Fletcher’s mobile phone number. To the best of my knowledge, I actually rang the directory service to get the Queensland number. I do not actually have his number.”
The service redirected the call to Mr Fletcher’s mobile, he said.
Afterwards he said he couldn’t be “100 per cent sure” if he or his secretary rang directory services.
He says he was given a landline number which redirected to Fletcher’s mobile.
Odd and very detailed recollections from someone who only moments earlier said he genuinely had no clue how he came by Fletcher’s number, and who had previously said he already had Fletcher’s number.
Key popped up on TV3 News tonight to say that the Labour-Green Power policy was barking mad. He was somewhere outdoors in a fairly rural area – looked quite haggard to me, though it might just have been the lighting.
Signs that ordinary NZ’ers are waking up to National Party greed and arrogance with that dip in the polls. And emphasized by their hysterical reaction to the power market reforms last evening.
Ironic to hear the word ‘Stalinist’ trotted out, when Key has proposed extending the powers of his spy agency, the K-GCSB, to become NZ’s Stasi. And retrospectively, of course, to get DotCom at the behest of the Americans.
A few other choice little items they may be pondering. Like the DoC cuts, then far more govt $’s being dumped into ‘high-end’ tourism. And the boost to subsidies for elite private religious schools, while state schools are struggling. And the attacks on environmental controls, along with the irrigation subsidies. Nice work if you can get it. 99% of NZ’ers can’t.
We are being asked to ‘trust’ this government on the TPP. This is being conducted in unprecedented secrecy, for the benefit of the US. We have a free trade agreement with China, openly arrived at, and kept our Pharmac too. So what’s with this ‘ally’?
The slickest PM for a long time is leading NZ up the garden path. And it will take more than bumbling David Shearer to get stuck in, and to motivate those non-voters to do the same.
So Pike River Coal (the company) has been found guilty by Judge Farish of causing the deaths of 29 men.
Did New Zealand hear that? The company caused the deaths of 29 men. The company, of course, is its owners in a wider sense. Chairman John Dow, directors such as Chch man Stuart Natrass, the top managers like Whittall. These men caused the deaths of these men.
and now that all just gets left to hang ……………………………………
If this (the mining) was done in a personal capacity the charges would have been against the individuals and there would be consequences. The fact that a limited liability company was used protects these men from their actions….. But this is not what the limited liability company is for. It is to limit capital liability. Yet here it is being relied on for something not originally intended to be lmited i.e. effectively criminal and corporate negligence leading to death.
Perhaps in light of 29 men being killed it is time to look at a stricter definition of the limited liability company. Limit it to capital only, as originally intended, and any other acts of a non-capital nature by a company are deemed conducted in various of personal capacities.
If that was implemented what do you think Dow and Nattrass and Whittal have done differently? I suspect shitloads.
..
Further, the Pike River guilty verdict nails home the final nail in the coffin of deregulation and free market forces left to run unhindered.
Freedom to act in a manner based on the self-inrterest of the individual, as promoted still today by dinosaurs like Joyce and Act, does not serve society. This is now proved beyond doubt.
29 dead men Joyce, 29 dead men. Caused by your philosophy on how business should work. You are a deadly failure and people should be very aware of trusting your ideas on society lest they end up dead.
Thanks for that, vto. Yes, among all the other stuff going on yesterday (especially the power announcement), this was covered in the media, but not as much as it should be.
We’re seeing a repeat with forestry, they’re just dying one by one so it doesn’t sound so bad each time. Since Helens last post on the subject I’ve read of one death and a serious injury.
I agree that employers should be held responsible but I do think it’s the job of Govt to make sure these deaths don’t occur in the first place. Pike River should have been a big wake up call and yet the forestry situation shows they’ve learnt nothing or if they have they’ve decided to ignore it.
I agree DH. Unfortunately this lot of kids in government will not see these things so the only way the change needed to stop men being killed dead is for a new government to come which regards lives as a priority.
Re Pike River and its directors Nattrass and Dow, manager Whittal and then the government men which changed the health & safety regime such as Bill Birch disgust me. They are pigs of people. Each one of them has at various times issued statements saying they do not accept responsibility, despite enquiries and courts stating time and time again that they and their actions were responsible.
As I say, Bill Birch, John Dow, Stuart Nattrass, Peter Whittal – pigs of people. The proof is all there.
Lynn, for the past day or so I’ve been getting lots ‘unresponsive script’ messages (from firefox, mac) when loading ts pages. It seems to happen near the end of the loading time, and it stops me from being able to scroll the page while it is loading.
Is that likely to be something at your end or mine?
I see the National party’s stooge in Epsom is going to be appearing in court to face an electoral dodginess charge. Shame it had to be a private prosecution, Banksie, but better than nothing!
thx TRP ..you just beat me to it … but if found guilty, does he not have to resign from the house ? and any idea of how long this prosecution might take to be in court ?
Pascal’s bookie beat both of us to it over on the Roy Morgan post; the house always wins!
I would expect 2-3 days for the case to be heard, and a reserved decision released a few weeks later. If convicted, I seem to recall that expulsion from the house depends on the gravity of the possible sentence, something like if its potentially jail, then a resignation must follow. So, if its regarded as serious as, say, Philip Field’s offences, then Banks is gone. However, if its on the order of Mallard’s frank and honest exchange of views with Tau Henare, then he may survive.
Reliable sources report that if he loses he will have to stand down, yes, unless the learned judge decides he deserves to be discharged without conviction.
thx .. so does the case come up immediately with this ruling ? many thx to the man who is pursuing this … this could disintegrate the wobbly pack of liars …
“The myth
‘Strivers versus skivers’ purports to sum up our welfare state, and why, therefore, the benefits system should be reformed.
“There are two distinct groups of people, one good and one bad; individuals choose to be in one group or the other. ‘Strivers’ work hard and put money into the economy while ‘skivers’ are just lay-abouts who take money out. Claiming benefits traps people in dependency, which is a social evil, passed from one generation to the next. People not in paid work contribute nothing of value to society.”
The myth divides people against each other and creates a scapegoat. If people are finding life a struggle they can blame the skivers rather than anything else. This story helps to justify what might otherwise be unpopular economic policies, like spending cuts and punitive welfare-to-work policies.”
———————————-
“The division between strivers and skivers is a false one. Increasingly, people are forced to shuttle between spells of unemployment and short-term, low-paid insecure jobs. All but a tiny minority of jobless people are out of work because they are disabled, have caring responsibilities or simply cannot find a job. Much more of the social security budget is used to subsidise low wages than to support jobseekers, and receipt of benefits tends not to cause long-term or intergenerational dependency. Some people’s work is unpaid, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable.
There is nothing disreputable about being dependent. We are all dependent on others at certain points in our lives – when we are young, sick and old, as well as when we find ourselves without enough to live on. This is a positive, defining characteristic of a flourishing society: that we all depend on and care for one another in different ways, as our needs and resources change over time. We need a benefits system that respects and supports this – not one that fosters division, competition and looking after ‘number one’.”
No longer able to effectively trot out the scripted official story that a white right-wing extremist has been apprehended, the perpetrators of the government false flag are now forced to shut down the original plan and formulate an alternative scenario.
The government now has new “persons of interest” – alternative patsies – and has ordered the corporate media to ignore the Plan A patsy. It has also issued instructions that the suspicious special ops military or private security contractor personnel photographed roaming around after the attack are to be ignored. The fallback plan will now be that the perpetrators are Arab, possibly al-Qaeda or some other shadowy Salafist group.
Indisputable evidence that the government has conducted a false flag designed to demonize and criminalize its political enemies is now out there for all to see. It is up to the people to act on the indisputable evidence we have provided and bring the real criminals to justice.
I wonder why the fallback plan was the Arab one. Seems like they should just reissue the first one again but call them a new splinter group rather than go all the way back and then up a new path towards the Arabs. That just doesn’t stack up imo. The “white right-wing extremist” angle was the “original plan” and it is way too early to change it and they wouldn’t, change it that is. These are the Governments “political enemies” remember – they want to get them and smear them and they wouldn’t stop at the first hurdle, they’d keep going until the smear was complete – they couldn’t afford to do anything different – too risky. Also if this was a false flag then they have surrendered just after starting – you don’t put all the effort into a genuine false flag to pull the plug just after zero hour. So I don’t agree with alex that he has forced them to shut down the original plan in fact this makes the water more murky not less which is just what those black ops crew love.
Graham McCready, Informant for New Zealand Private Prosecution Service Limited, has been successful.
Judge IG Mill has ordered that the Registrar of the Wellington District Court issue a summons for John Archibald Banks to appear in the Auckland District Court to answer to an indictable charge of knowingly transmitting a false electoral return as a candidate in the Auckland Super City City election in 2010.
What happens if there is a by-election in Epsom caused by John Banks leaving Parliament, when a lot of legislation is scraping through 61 votes to 60?
From the time Banks left Parliament until the time a new MP was elected – wouldn’t that leave National without that pivotal one ACT vote, for legislation which was not supported by the Maori Party – ie: 60 – 60?
PS: Judge Mill’s decision, explaining his reasons for issuing a summons for John Banks to attend the Auckland District Court, for a charge of alleged electoral fraud is available here:
National won’t even try to pass the real nasty policies for 6 weeks and then the new National MP will vote for it.
I’ll be happy to see John Banks out of politics but don’t think it will change the government because it won’t. If you want to do that then your best bet would be to get rid of Paula Bennett. IMO, that would return a Labour MP and destroy National’s majority possibly resulting in a snap election.
The Maritime Union and the Ports of Auckland are at loggerheads again, with their dispute being escalated straight to the Employment Court.
The union has accused the port company of not acting in good faith and has cited port actions going as far back as November 2011 when the company began planning to employ contractors rather than union-aligned workers.
Things have gone a bit quiet on Key’s proposals to change the GCSB legislation over the last few days, with everything else that has been going on.
So I am pleased to see an excellent opinion piece has now popped up on the Herald online by Gehan Gunasekara arguing against the proposed changes from the point of view of the dangers of ‘mission creep’ in the proposed new powers. Well worth reading.
Gehan Gunasekara is an associate professor in commercial law at the University of Auckland Business School, specialising in information privacy law.
This reminds me of an interview I read with an Admiral who had been part of the Brazilian military junta. He was asked why they never formally legalised torture. His reply was that they didn’t need to, because they knew that the cops and the intelligence guys would always go 50% past what was authorised. I suspect this is a pretty general rule, and it makes me wonder just how much further the K-GCSB will actually go.
In Christchurch you may recall there has been a precedent setting case between the O’Loughlins and the insurance company Tower.
The Oloughlins had a house that needed repairs only. The govt came along and zoned it Red which meant that they had to move and live elsewhere. They claimed that the insurance company needed to pay for full replacement rather than just repair because their house a write-off due to the earthquakes and their effect.
Tower claimed it had to only pay the cost of repair.
No resolution so off to court they want – all very high profile.
So, it turns out today that the parties have reached a settlement. A confidential settlement. This case was due to set a precedent in Chch with disputes with insrurance companies and now we will never know whether the insurance company was on the ropes.
If Tower assessed they were about to lose the case then it is in their very high interest to settle confidentially and out of court so that every other disputant in town does not latch onto the same or similar precedent.
Sneaky-arsed insurance companies – don’t want their customers to know what their true rights are.
The first, 62e, is about 40 percent larger than Earth. It might be warm and may experience flashes of lightning, said Borucki.
The second, 62f, is about 60 percent larger than our planet, and orbits its star every 267 days, close to Earth’s annual trajectory of 365 days.
The planet may have polar caps, significant land masses and liquid water, Borucki said.
Both are orbiting a seven-billion-year-old star some 1,200 light years from Earth in the constellation Lyra.
Yep, two of them orbiting the same star and it’s a couple of billion years older than our own sun. The next step is finding a way to detect life on these far distant planets.
Who knows, but if they have any WMDs I’m afraid we’ll be obliged to regime change their arses. Or at least send John Key at them to persuade them that selling their assets would be best for everyone.
Lake Brunner on the west coast is being “remediated” to basically clean up the shit that farming has dumped in it. It is being attended to by the local council and paid for by the ratepayers of the wider region and the taxpayers of NZ.
Question: If the local farmers made this mess then why aren’t they cleaning it up? or at the very minimum paying for it?
these coinkydinks are pretty Waco-schmacko;
-20th anniversary of Mt Carmel
-18th anniversary of Oklahama
-Fertilser
-in the town of West.
did you know, that the zoo-keeper killed by the elephant had not had a day off in two-and-a-half years due to financial constraints and lack of staff;
(can’t, or won’t, or is your man a jaffa?)
or, that regarding this hoovering up iron-sands that scientists have warned “we know very little about these ecosystems”. (90% of the sand is returned to the ocean floor; how efficient is that?).
or,
“that when China sneezes the rest of the world gets a cold”?
There are some good housing initiatives for Māori and one is underway in Tauranga but bob clarkson has spoken out because
But Mr Clarkson said it was not fair for one section of the community to be eligible for funds when many in the wider population also suffered.
The city council last year “shot down” his plan to provide 1000 affordable homes for $280,000 each. Everyone should be able to access affordable housing, no matter what colour their skin was, he said.
he did preface his comments with the old, “”It’s bloody lovely. I’ve got nothing against Maori but…” line but it doesn’t lesson his lowness.
It is a dedicated contestable fund for grants dimbob try moaning to the real people that make the decisions. I can’t stand the bitterness that uses Māori as a weapon when it isn’t even anything to do with them.
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Mazda, a Japanese automotive manufacturer with a rich history of innovation and engineering excellence, has emerged as a formidable player in the global car market. Known for its reputation of producing high-quality, fuel-efficient, and driver-oriented vehicles, Mazda has consistently garnered praise from industry experts and consumers alike. In this article, ...
Struts are an essential part of a car’s suspension system. They are responsible for supporting the weight of the car and damping the oscillations of the springs. Struts are typically made of steel or aluminum and are filled with hydraulic fluid. How Do Struts Work? Struts work by transferring the ...
Car registration is a mandatory process that all vehicle owners must complete annually. This process involves registering your car with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and paying an associated fee. The registration process ensures that your vehicle is properly licensed and insured, and helps law enforcement and other authorities ...
Zoom is a video conferencing service that allows you to share your screen, webcam, and audio with other participants. In addition to sharing your own audio, you can also share the audio from your computer with other participants. This can be useful for playing music, sharing presentations with audio, or ...
Building your own computer can be a rewarding and cost-effective way to get a high-performance machine tailored to your specific needs. However, it also requires careful planning and execution, and one of the most important factors to consider is the time it will take. The exact time it takes to ...
Sleep mode is a power-saving state that allows your computer to quickly resume operation without having to boot up from scratch. This can be useful if you need to step away from your computer for a short period of time but don’t want to shut it down completely. There are ...
Introduction Computer-Assisted Translation (CAT) has revolutionized the field of translation by harnessing the power of technology to assist human translators in their work. This innovative approach combines specialized software with human expertise to improve the efficiency, accuracy, and consistency of translations. In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the ...
In today’s digital age, mobile devices have become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Among the vast array of portable computing options available, iPads and tablet computers stand out as two prominent contenders. While both offer similar functionalities, there are subtle yet significant differences between these two devices. This ...
A computer is an electronic device that can be programmed to carry out a set of instructions. The basic components of a computer are the processor, memory, storage, input devices, and output devices. The Processor The processor, also known as the central processing unit (CPU), is the brain of the ...
Voice Memos is a convenient app on your iPhone that allows you to quickly record and store audio snippets. These recordings can be useful for a variety of purposes, such as taking notes, capturing ideas, or recording interviews. While you can listen to your voice memos on your iPhone, you ...
Laptop screens are essential for interacting with our devices and accessing information. However, when lines appear on the screen, it can be frustrating and disrupt productivity. Understanding the underlying causes of these lines is crucial for finding effective solutions. Types of Screen Lines Horizontal lines: Also known as scan ...
Right-clicking is a common and essential computer operation that allows users to access additional options and settings. While most desktop computers have dedicated right-click buttons on their mice, laptops often do not have these buttons due to space limitations. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on how to right-click ...
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 ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Today’s advice from the Climate Change Commission paints a sobering reality of the challenge we face in combating climate change, especially in light of recent Government policy announcements. ...
Minister for Disability Issues Penny Simmonds appears to have delayed a report back to Cabinet on the progress New Zealand is making against international obligations for disabled New Zealanders. ...
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 ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
Today’s announcement that inflation is down to 4 per cent is encouraging news for Kiwis, but there is more work to be done - underlining the importance of the Government’s plan to get the economy back on track, acting Finance Minister Chris Bishop says. “Inflation is now at 4 per ...
Refreshed health guidance released today will help parents and schools make informed decisions about whether their child needs to be in school, addressing one of the key issues affecting school attendance, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. In recent years, consistently across all school terms, short-term illness or medical reasons ...
Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is streamlining high-level oceans management while maintaining a focus on supporting the sector’s role in the export-led recovery of the economy. “I am working to realise the untapped potential of our fishing and aquaculture sector. To achieve that we need to be smarter with ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
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 The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
The sector says it’s hopeful her replacement Paul Goldsmith will be able to throw it a lifeline, after six months with a minister deemed missing in action, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign ...
The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
Nearly everyone has experienced the frustration of something you use breaking and being difficult or expensive to fix. Proposed legislation could change that. It’s been raining on and off all Sunday afternoon but people are lining up outside a building in a corner of Gribblehirst Park in Sandringham, Auckland. In ...
What does a forever relationship look like when you don’t believe in marriage? And how do you celebrate it? This essay is part of our Sunday Essay series, made possible thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand.I’m going to do it, right now. I’m going to say ...
The Prime Minister has committed to resuming direct flights to Thailand. But it’s not a promise he will be able to deliver on anytime soon. The post Prime Minister jumps the gun in Thailand appeared first on Newsroom. ...
It’s not that long ago Eliza McCartney was seriously wondering if the Paris Olympics would be her pole vaulting swansong. After years of being hounded by injury after injury, the Rio Olympics bronze medallist was still confident she would compete at her second Olympics in Paris in July, unless something ...
FICTION 1 Take Two by Danielle Hawkins (Allen & Unwin, $36.99) There’s commercial fiction, like this book, and then there’s quality fiction, quality writers, quality literature; the forthcoming Auckland Writers Festival is full of quality, and ReadingRoom has two tickets to give away to the following events: Paul Lynch (Dublin ...
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You can’t have missed the Gallipoli story as the movies, documentaries, essays and books capture what it was like for New Zealand troops in their eight-month campaign on the Peninsula. But this Anzac Day the Auckland War Memorial Museum has published a book that sheds light on a little-known aspect of the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra In the free-for-all between the Australian government and Big Tech boss Elon Musk this week, the government had to be on a winner. Most people would have little sympathy with Musk’s vociferous opposition to ...
Asia Pacific Report Chief Mandla Mandela, a member of the National Assembly of South Africa and Nelson Mandela’s grandson, has joined the Freedom Flotilla in istanbul as the ships prepare to sail for Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. Mandela is also the ambassador for the Global Campaign to Return to ...
Pacific Media Watch Journalists who report on environmental issues are encountering growing difficulties in many parts of the world, reports Reporters Without Borders. According to the tally kept by RSF, 200 journalists have been subjected to threats and physical violence, including murder, in the past 10 years because they were ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has surprised everyone with his ruthlessness in sacking two of his ministers from their crucial portfolios. Removing ministers for poor performance after only five months in the job just doesn’t normally happen in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Hawkins, Senior Lecturer, Canberra School of Politics, Economics and Society, University of Canberra BagzhanSadvakassov/Upsplash, CC BY-SA Australia’s inflation rate has fallen for the fifth successive quarter, and it’s now less than half of what it was back in late 2022. ...
ACT's Rural Communities and Veterans spokesman Mark Cameron responds to cancellations and protests of ANZAC Day commemorations in Wellington. He says, "These pitiful attempts to detract from ANZAC Day are not at all indicative of the feelings of mainstream ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Meighen McCrae, Associate Professor of Strategic & Defence Studies, Australian National University American and Australian stretcher bearers working together near the front line during the Battle of Hamel in 1918.Australian War Memorial While the AUKUS alliance is new, the Australian-American partnership ...
Did I miss something yesterday?
I realised this morning that I did not read or hear a single item re “PM Key says …..”. This is despite the momentous success of the marriage equality legislation on Tuesday night and the Labour/Green announcement on NZ Power yesterday.
But then I don’t watch the TV news etc or listen to radio other than RNZ National.
BUT I get suspicious/nervous when I don’t hear the usual ‘Mr Key says …’ even when he is overseas.
What was he up to yesterday? Where is he? Is Lord Ashcroft in town? Or Warner Bros? Or CT?
Key is dog tucker, thats why. The ponce is damaged goods – and the best National can do to try and stop the freefall is to get him out of the spotlight.
Interstingly, so many here have worried about Key versus Shearer in election debates. But think about Shearer versus Collins or Joyce. The dynamics change…. Sometimes politics is a long and slow game of chess..
Good point. There is something badly wrong for Key not to show, normally he would be all over this. My guess is that the DotCom situation is finally and messily unraveling. It is in court at present, so maybe the truth will out shortly… and the senior Nats know it. But without Key, Joyce et al are totally at sea.
Yes, very good point. The last seen of Key in the MSM is this:
I thought that had been further corrected that Directory Service does not give out Mobile numbers?
He says he was given a landline number which redirected to Fletcher’s mobile.
Odd and very detailed recollections from someone who only moments earlier said he genuinely had no clue how he came by Fletcher’s number, and who had previously said he already had Fletcher’s number.
Key popped up on TV3 News tonight to say that the Labour-Green Power policy was barking mad. He was somewhere outdoors in a fairly rural area – looked quite haggard to me, though it might just have been the lighting.
Signs that ordinary NZ’ers are waking up to National Party greed and arrogance with that dip in the polls. And emphasized by their hysterical reaction to the power market reforms last evening.
Ironic to hear the word ‘Stalinist’ trotted out, when Key has proposed extending the powers of his spy agency, the K-GCSB, to become NZ’s Stasi. And retrospectively, of course, to get DotCom at the behest of the Americans.
A few other choice little items they may be pondering. Like the DoC cuts, then far more govt $’s being dumped into ‘high-end’ tourism. And the boost to subsidies for elite private religious schools, while state schools are struggling. And the attacks on environmental controls, along with the irrigation subsidies. Nice work if you can get it. 99% of NZ’ers can’t.
We are being asked to ‘trust’ this government on the TPP. This is being conducted in unprecedented secrecy, for the benefit of the US. We have a free trade agreement with China, openly arrived at, and kept our Pharmac too. So what’s with this ‘ally’?
The slickest PM for a long time is leading NZ up the garden path. And it will take more than bumbling David Shearer to get stuck in, and to motivate those non-voters to do the same.
“The slickest PM for a long time is leading NZ up the garden path”
It’s what’s at the end of that path that worries me.
Shearer’s deliveries are improving.
So Pike River Coal (the company) has been found guilty by Judge Farish of causing the deaths of 29 men.
Did New Zealand hear that? The company caused the deaths of 29 men. The company, of course, is its owners in a wider sense. Chairman John Dow, directors such as Chch man Stuart Natrass, the top managers like Whittall. These men caused the deaths of these men.
and now that all just gets left to hang ……………………………………
If this (the mining) was done in a personal capacity the charges would have been against the individuals and there would be consequences. The fact that a limited liability company was used protects these men from their actions….. But this is not what the limited liability company is for. It is to limit capital liability. Yet here it is being relied on for something not originally intended to be lmited i.e. effectively criminal and corporate negligence leading to death.
Perhaps in light of 29 men being killed it is time to look at a stricter definition of the limited liability company. Limit it to capital only, as originally intended, and any other acts of a non-capital nature by a company are deemed conducted in various of personal capacities.
If that was implemented what do you think Dow and Nattrass and Whittal have done differently? I suspect shitloads.
..
Further, the Pike River guilty verdict nails home the final nail in the coffin of deregulation and free market forces left to run unhindered.
Freedom to act in a manner based on the self-inrterest of the individual, as promoted still today by dinosaurs like Joyce and Act, does not serve society. This is now proved beyond doubt.
29 dead men Joyce, 29 dead men. Caused by your philosophy on how business should work. You are a deadly failure and people should be very aware of trusting your ideas on society lest they end up dead.
Thanks for that, vto. Yes, among all the other stuff going on yesterday (especially the power announcement), this was covered in the media, but not as much as it should be.
Yep, Helen Kelly spoke well about this on RNZ this morning.
Word v.
Every word.
Corporate manslaughter legislation.
If only….
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/americas/8195483/US-coal-mine-manager-jailed-over-explosion
http://www.desmogblog.com/2013/03/08/don-blankenship-dark-lord-coal-country-implicated-upper-big-branch-mine-explosion-deaths
We’re seeing a repeat with forestry, they’re just dying one by one so it doesn’t sound so bad each time. Since Helens last post on the subject I’ve read of one death and a serious injury.
I agree that employers should be held responsible but I do think it’s the job of Govt to make sure these deaths don’t occur in the first place. Pike River should have been a big wake up call and yet the forestry situation shows they’ve learnt nothing or if they have they’ve decided to ignore it.
I agree DH. Unfortunately this lot of kids in government will not see these things so the only way the change needed to stop men being killed dead is for a new government to come which regards lives as a priority.
Re Pike River and its directors Nattrass and Dow, manager Whittal and then the government men which changed the health & safety regime such as Bill Birch disgust me. They are pigs of people. Each one of them has at various times issued statements saying they do not accept responsibility, despite enquiries and courts stating time and time again that they and their actions were responsible.
As I say, Bill Birch, John Dow, Stuart Nattrass, Peter Whittal – pigs of people. The proof is all there.
Lynn, for the past day or so I’ve been getting lots ‘unresponsive script’ messages (from firefox, mac) when loading ts pages. It seems to happen near the end of the loading time, and it stops me from being able to scroll the page while it is loading.
Is that likely to be something at your end or mine?
Your end would be my bet. The only time it ever usually happens from the “server” side is for the ads. But that is rare.
Usually I suggest that people try another browser to see if it shows up there. But that is 3 hours later.
Just been testing it across a range of browsers and it isn’t showing on any of them.
Hmm, does seem to be related to firefox.
Script: http://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/flexie/1.0.0/flexie.min.js:18
What is that for? I have the choice of disabling the message. Is it a problem for the script of be slow or unresponsive?
cold better?
I see the National party’s stooge in Epsom is going to be appearing in court to face an electoral dodginess charge. Shame it had to be a private prosecution, Banksie, but better than nothing!
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10878452
He really should release that Police statement he’s been keeping under wraps. Better now than on the stand.
thx TRP ..you just beat me to it … but if found guilty, does he not have to resign from the house ? and any idea of how long this prosecution might take to be in court ?
Pascal’s bookie beat both of us to it over on the Roy Morgan post; the house always wins!
I would expect 2-3 days for the case to be heard, and a reserved decision released a few weeks later. If convicted, I seem to recall that expulsion from the house depends on the gravity of the possible sentence, something like if its potentially jail, then a resignation must follow. So, if its regarded as serious as, say, Philip Field’s offences, then Banks is gone. However, if its on the order of Mallard’s frank and honest exchange of views with Tau Henare, then he may survive.
Reliable sources report that if he loses he will have to stand down, yes, unless the learned judge decides he deserves to be discharged without conviction.
thx .. so does the case come up immediately with this ruling ? many thx to the man who is pursuing this … this could disintegrate the wobbly pack of liars …
“The myth
‘Strivers versus skivers’ purports to sum up our welfare state, and why, therefore, the benefits system should be reformed.
“There are two distinct groups of people, one good and one bad; individuals choose to be in one group or the other. ‘Strivers’ work hard and put money into the economy while ‘skivers’ are just lay-abouts who take money out. Claiming benefits traps people in dependency, which is a social evil, passed from one generation to the next. People not in paid work contribute nothing of value to society.”
The myth divides people against each other and creates a scapegoat. If people are finding life a struggle they can blame the skivers rather than anything else. This story helps to justify what might otherwise be unpopular economic policies, like spending cuts and punitive welfare-to-work policies.”
———————————-
“The division between strivers and skivers is a false one. Increasingly, people are forced to shuttle between spells of unemployment and short-term, low-paid insecure jobs. All but a tiny minority of jobless people are out of work because they are disabled, have caring responsibilities or simply cannot find a job. Much more of the social security budget is used to subsidise low wages than to support jobseekers, and receipt of benefits tends not to cause long-term or intergenerational dependency. Some people’s work is unpaid, but that doesn’t make it any less valuable.
There is nothing disreputable about being dependent. We are all dependent on others at certain points in our lives – when we are young, sick and old, as well as when we find ourselves without enough to live on. This is a positive, defining characteristic of a flourishing society: that we all depend on and care for one another in different ways, as our needs and resources change over time. We need a benefits system that respects and supports this – not one that fosters division, competition and looking after ‘number one’.”
http://www.resilience.org/stories/2013-04-18/mythbusters-strivers-versus-skivers
This will blow your mind.
http://deadspin.com/the-boston-bombing-witch-hunt-bags-another-innocent-kid-476001019
Whether you hate him or love him Alex Jones is chronicling the collapse of the official Boston terrorist narrative!
What is the “Official Boston terrorist narrative”?
The woodwork squeaks and out come the freaks.
I wonder why the fallback plan was the Arab one. Seems like they should just reissue the first one again but call them a new splinter group rather than go all the way back and then up a new path towards the Arabs. That just doesn’t stack up imo. The “white right-wing extremist” angle was the “original plan” and it is way too early to change it and they wouldn’t, change it that is. These are the Governments “political enemies” remember – they want to get them and smear them and they wouldn’t stop at the first hurdle, they’d keep going until the smear was complete – they couldn’t afford to do anything different – too risky. Also if this was a false flag then they have surrendered just after starting – you don’t put all the effort into a genuine false flag to pull the plug just after zero hour. So I don’t agree with alex that he has forced them to shut down the original plan in fact this makes the water more murky not less which is just what those black ops crew love.
http://www.infowars.com/government-caught-in-boston-bombing-false-flag-cover-up/
Hmmm
Sources:
Hannity.
Glenn Beck.
lol
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10878452
Graham McCready, Informant for New Zealand Private Prosecution Service Limited, has been successful.
Judge IG Mill has ordered that the Registrar of the Wellington District Court issue a summons for John Archibald Banks to appear in the Auckland District Court to answer to an indictable charge of knowingly transmitting a false electoral return as a candidate in the Auckland Super City City election in 2010.
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=6186600&da=y
What is this going to do for National’s wafer-thin majority?
Has Prime Minister John Key stood down John Banks as a Minister yet?
If not – why not?
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation’ campaigner
2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
Absolutely nothing unless the good people of Epson decide to vote in Labour’s candidate.
What happens if there is a by-election in Epsom caused by John Banks leaving Parliament, when a lot of legislation is scraping through 61 votes to 60?
From the time Banks left Parliament until the time a new MP was elected – wouldn’t that leave National without that pivotal one ACT vote, for legislation which was not supported by the Maori Party – ie: 60 – 60?
What then?
Penny Bright
‘Anti-corruption / anti-privatisation’ campaigner
2013 Auckland Mayoral candidate
PS: Judge Mill’s decision, explaining his reasons for issuing a summons for John Banks to attend the Auckland District Court, for a charge of alleged electoral fraud is available here:
http://www.dodgyjohnhasgone.com/
National won’t even try to pass the real nasty policies for 6 weeks and then the new National MP will vote for it.
I’ll be happy to see John Banks out of politics but don’t think it will change the government because it won’t. If you want to do that then your best bet would be to get rid of Paula Bennett. IMO, that would return a Labour MP and destroy National’s majority possibly resulting in a snap election.
The Ports of Auckland-MUNZ dispute has re-ignited.
Things have gone a bit quiet on Key’s proposals to change the GCSB legislation over the last few days, with everything else that has been going on.
So I am pleased to see an excellent opinion piece has now popped up on the Herald online by Gehan Gunasekara arguing against the proposed changes from the point of view of the dangers of ‘mission creep’ in the proposed new powers. Well worth reading.
Gehan Gunasekara is an associate professor in commercial law at the University of Auckland Business School, specialising in information privacy law.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10878343
This reminds me of an interview I read with an Admiral who had been part of the Brazilian military junta. He was asked why they never formally legalised torture. His reply was that they didn’t need to, because they knew that the cops and the intelligence guys would always go 50% past what was authorised. I suspect this is a pretty general rule, and it makes me wonder just how much further the K-GCSB will actually go.
In Christchurch you may recall there has been a precedent setting case between the O’Loughlins and the insurance company Tower.
The Oloughlins had a house that needed repairs only. The govt came along and zoned it Red which meant that they had to move and live elsewhere. They claimed that the insurance company needed to pay for full replacement rather than just repair because their house a write-off due to the earthquakes and their effect.
Tower claimed it had to only pay the cost of repair.
No resolution so off to court they want – all very high profile.
So, it turns out today that the parties have reached a settlement. A confidential settlement. This case was due to set a precedent in Chch with disputes with insrurance companies and now we will never know whether the insurance company was on the ropes.
If Tower assessed they were about to lose the case then it is in their very high interest to settle confidentially and out of court so that every other disputant in town does not latch onto the same or similar precedent.
Sneaky-arsed insurance companies – don’t want their customers to know what their true rights are.
The wearying war continues.
Astronomers find most Earth-like planets yet
Yep, two of them orbiting the same star and it’s a couple of billion years older than our own sun. The next step is finding a way to detect life on these far distant planets.
Now that is exciting, especially that they live in the constellation of lycra. Always wondered where that stuff came from.
more interested in where it disappears to 😀
drop them a line D.
Is it anywhere near Planet Key? If so, can we just beam him home?
I read that article earlier. I’m not really much into space reality, preferring space fiction, and the reality of life on earth.
But I was intrigued by that article- if advanced life there, what would it be like?
Neither of them can be Planet Key.
They are both too similar to Earth.
I’ve always envisaged Planet Key as being a small, harsh, and dense planet covered with a brutal and storm-ridden atmosphere of corrosive gas.
the deserts of the real!
I said near to, not one of the planets.
ah, my apologies 🙂
Do you think it might be closer to the hot hell of a star, or much farther out in the lifeless chill of the eternal void?
“if advanced life there, what would it be like?”
Who knows, but if they have any WMDs I’m afraid we’ll be obliged to regime change their arses. Or at least send John Key at them to persuade them that selling their assets would be best for everyone.
😆
“The next step is finding a way to detect life on these far distant planets.”
Shouldn’t we concentrate on confirming intelligent life on this one first?
“the constellation of lycra. Always wondered where that stuff came from.”
“more interested in where it disappears to”
It’s a bit of a stretch, but from my observations, it’s mostly Uranus.
Lake Brunner on the west coast is being “remediated” to basically clean up the shit that farming has dumped in it. It is being attended to by the local council and paid for by the ratepayers of the wider region and the taxpayers of NZ.
Question: If the local farmers made this mess then why aren’t they cleaning it up? or at the very minimum paying for it?
Any farmers out there like to comment?
The FedFarmers version:
“It’s my land, I can do what I want”
“making my farm profitable is the most important thing”
“farming is the backbone of this country, so stop your whining”
“we’ve stacked the Regional Council with our mates, so you should just give up now”
“nothing wrong with a bit of pollution anyway, it’s the natural order of things”
“there is no such thing as manmade climate change”
(apologies to all the NZ farmers who do give a shit)
paragraph 5 by the scurrying weka paragraph 5
these coinkydinks are pretty Waco-schmacko;
-20th anniversary of Mt Carmel
-18th anniversary of Oklahama
-Fertilser
-in the town of West.
did you know, that the zoo-keeper killed by the elephant had not had a day off in two-and-a-half years due to financial constraints and lack of staff;
(can’t, or won’t, or is your man a jaffa?)
or, that regarding this hoovering up iron-sands that scientists have warned “we know very little about these ecosystems”. (90% of the sand is returned to the ocean floor; how efficient is that?).
or,
“that when China sneezes the rest of the world gets a cold”?
from The Boy With The Tape on His Face
amidst The Infinite Sadness
GOD
is (not)
Dead
because the gospels according to John tell us so : The King is Dead : Long Live The King
David Shearer’s press secretary quits
*Crosses fingers and chants:”Please don’t be a Pagani. Please don’t be a Pagani. Please don’t be a Pagani.”*
It’s actually not the press secretary that should be replaced.
LIARS OF OUR TIME
No. 1: Barack Hussein Obama
“Margaret Thatcher was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty’.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/apr/08/margaret-thatcher-dies-tributes-obama
just to re-iterate Mossy, I enjoy some of your tales; very comfortable sometimes.
Thanks for your kind words, ghostrider. I enjoy your posts, too.
“Margaret Thatcher was one of the great champions of freedom and liberty’.
That’s not how you spell “cretins of fascism and larceny”
Good one, felix.
There are some good housing initiatives for Māori and one is underway in Tauranga but bob clarkson has spoken out because
he did preface his comments with the old, “”It’s bloody lovely. I’ve got nothing against Maori but…” line but it doesn’t lesson his lowness.
It is a dedicated contestable fund for grants dimbob try moaning to the real people that make the decisions. I can’t stand the bitterness that uses Māori as a weapon when it isn’t even anything to do with them.
http://www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz/news/anger-over-homes-for-maori/1836297/
http://mars2earth.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/bitter-bob.html
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/private-schools-could-receive-taxpayer-funding-increase-5411270
T_T
Once more National’s engaging in welfare for friends, helping to prop up private schools that really should just tighten their belts.
It’s all kicking off near Boston. One suspect captured, according to CBS, the other on the run. Lots of gunfire and some use of explosives.
Here’s the Guardian’s live update thingy
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/19/boston-mit-police-dead-watertown
Wow, now we all know why the authorities were searching frantically for Sunil Tripathi.
http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981864024
or maybe not
So 12 new posts today, including Weekend Social and Open Mic. Is that a new record?
Chechnya? That’s weird and unexpected