Organised by St Paul’s and Centre for Sustainability (University of Otago). Sustainability has been one of the dominant issues of the election campaign in Dunedin. There have been two candidate forums dedicated to the issue, and at general candidate meetings the topic was prominent in questions being asked.
“There will be a screening of the movie “Inside Job”, followed by brief reactions from a specially invited panel including Mayor Dave Cull; the Dean of St Paul’s, the Very Rev Dr Trevor James; the Chief Executive of Methodist Mission, Laura Black; and representatives from business, law, the university and other community bodies in Dunedin.
The discussion will be hosted by Damian Newell of More FM.”
Why are there no representatives from the poor, the underclasses, occupy, beneficiaries, low income workers etc on that specially invited panel?
You should ask the organisers. This is what I’ve been told:
We are inviting a number of key people from Dunedin’s businesses, the voluntary sector, the University, churches, law and order agents, trades unions, the occupation, the media
The voluntary sector, trade unions, the occupation seems to cover some of it.
Coincidently, I got up early today and watched ‘Inside Job’. This documentary does indeed tackle a complex topic comprehensively in a format I believe conducive to a wide audience. Distressing and sobering, it could be enough to make one give up in despair, simply because it is still happening! While I had thought ‘ all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing’, even that doesn’t explain this situation. Some good people did speak out but were just ignored or trivialised. The global economic crisis was due to out and out orchestrated greed. Lobby groups specifically targeted and changed legislation to allow greed to further itself unhindered! ‘Inside Job’ did answer a lingering question of mine. What happened to the importance of ethics and morals being entwined with University and Business School degrees? Surely the power of knowledge is linked soundly to personal integrity and responsibility. Unfortunately corruption is shown to be present in educational institutions also.
If ever we needed to stand by those protesting for the 99% it is now, for good people are speaking out. Perhaps it just needs the momentum of many to overcome the power of money and corruption.
Good article on Stuff this morning with people involved in charities stating that increasingly people in NZ are struggling to pay for the basics. There’s a good sample of extracts from readers letters, a couple supporting the neolibreal aspirational line, but most opposed to it.
Charities say they have watched with concern as the gap between rich and poor grew over the past few years with no solution in sight.
[…]
City Missioner Susan Blaikie said she had previously worked in the corporate world where beneficiaries were seen as bludgers.
“But I don’t know anyone that actually wants to be on a benefit. The bigger the gap is between the richest and the poorest, the more likely there will be social problems and crime.”
The Reverend Blaikie had spent the last decade working with the church and said the issue was worse today than ever before.
She was concerned that no major party had produced a serious policy this close to the election.
The Salvation Army’s social services spokesman, Major Campbell Roberts, said he had seen the gap grow over his 40 years there and in recent times more people were worse off.
[…] Great Divide strikes chord with readers
“Hard work is a red herring. Let’s say hypothetically that everyone in NZ worked just as hard and were equally as motivated and as educated as everyone else. Even after all that, someone still has to clean the toilets, empty the septic tanks.” – Jim Kirk
“If you are mega-rich you are a wealth deprivator; you are impacting on people’s ordinary lives and aspirations more than any everyday criminal probably could. Graham Hart spending $85 million on a yacht made from money milked from the NZ economy … clearly over the boundaries and a man whose soul has become corrupted by his wealth. What’s he giving back?” – John Gower
“I do work hard – sometimes 11 hours a day, I have a degree which cost me huge amounts in student loans and didn’t help me get a job, and I have aspirations. To me the problem is not that there are rich and poor; this will always happen as it’s human nature. The problem is that more and more people in the same boat as myself are finding it hard to live due to the rising cost of food, petrol and rates.” – Catherine
Poverty is caused by everyone believing they can “get ahead”. Aspiration is the problem. It’s like the Griffins biscuit ad, “…just one more….ok?” Remove aspiration form the national psyche and the game will change entirely. No more hiding behind material wealth, no more toys to buy, no more plans to spend more on more things no one needs. Just life, facing who and what you are. Scarey as hell for some and they’ll run over anyone to avoid stopping to see themselves. It’s cowardice.
People are somewhat compelled to ‘get ahead’, Uturn. It’s built into the rules that if you don’t, then you’ll go under. And that can mean a lack of access to necessary material goods or services (healthcare, education, diet, housing etc) Aspiration isn’t the problem. Poverty is a symptom or result of production and distribution being dictated by the ‘winner takes all and the losers can go fuck themselves’ market economy.
I don’t think it’s fair to condemn people for wanting what’s best for themselves. Even in a democratic economy, people would want what was best; aspiration would remain. But since the rules ( the various incentives, punishments and rewards) inherent to a democratic economy are different to those of a market economy, the consequences from aspiring for what would be best wouldn’t be the destructive and misanthropic mess we create on both an individual and general level at present.
The solution is a lot easier than changing people’s minds in some radical way. We simply need to to change the nature of our economy (an external environment) and behaviours will adapt accordingly.
“The solution is a lot easier than changing people’s minds in some radical way. We simply need to to change the nature of our economy (an external environment) and behaviours will adapt accordingly.”
And how do we “change the nature of our economy” without “changing people’s minds in some radical way”?
The circumstances we find ourselves in in 2011 are generating an sustaining a significant network of movements which are kind of epitomised by the evolving ‘occupy’ movement. A counterculture which is, at the very least, sprinkling a few seeds of doubt in the wider communities.
But when the different threads try to work together, and it’s happening all over the place, they are confronted by problems which can only be positively resolved by individuals and groups ‘radically changing their minds’. External and internal environments can’t be simply decoupled.
It’s a process, is all I’m saying, and not necessarily one which is going succeed. At the moment I’m very pessimistic about our prospects.
Yup, it’s a kind of chicken and egg scenario. I’m not implying that external and internal environments are seperate and distinct….they are aspects of the one thing that reinforce one another to lend the totality a given ‘shape’. But put simply, if we are engaging in ‘a game’ with a particular set of rules that encourage some behaviours and discourage others, then it would seem obvious to focus on ‘the game’ and its rules if the intent is to alter behaviour.
We know we don’t like ‘the game’ that is this particular economy. And we know we don’t like the behaviours it endorses and encourages via it’s various reward mechanisms. But we can understand or percieve the dynamics of the economy and its effects; we can see how it works. Which means we can change things…we can incrementally withdraw our participation from ‘this game’ while similtaneously setting up a new one.
It can be done, has been done. And if a group of people (not even necessarily a huge number to begin with) are succesfully operating from a different, far more desirable economic premise that is not isolated from the dominant economic way of thinking and acting; and if they can find a way to promulgate it to the wider community/society, then hey, there’s your process.
Otherwise, are we not relying on some supernatural or mystical mechanism to affect change? It’s always been one of my bug bears with Marx, that he envisaged…even relied on or had faith invested in, some ‘spontaneous raising of consciousness’ on the part of workers. And to me, that’s no different to religion and no more likely to produce results.
Some of the misunderstanding is that I did not define aspiration. Aspiration is not a hungry person feeling like they need food to change their state to one of satisfaction. Aspiration is constantly living in the future, rather than facing today. Building a better TV is a form of aspiration. Wanting to be the world’s best wakeboarder, is aspiration. Wanting to rule your village is aspiration. Planning for your holiday is aspiration.
Anything that moves your mind forward from the present and creates an anxiety of what you imagine then not happening, is aspiration at work. Tackling real life problems as they happen is not aspiration. Aspiration is fueled by fear: what if we don’t have enough tomorrow? The line between fact and preparation and fear is very thin and aspiration is as dangerous as religion in the hands of those with child minds. It never comes with a warning. By the time a child is five they will know who Harvey Norman are, but not why they don’t need what those people sell.
It is not built into the rules that you must pile up the corpses just to eat, be healthy and participate in a society. That thinking is condescending. It shifts responsibility from the aggressor to the victim, using fear to force him to enter the culture of aspiration. It’s what politicians use: cultural violence. Nothing is easy. To stop aspiration, each individual must decide to stop, and that will come at a price. It takes courage.
I think it is hope and fear that are companions, not fear and aspiration. The anxiety of ‘what if tomorrow doesn’t pan out as hoped’ is an expression of fear rather than a result of aspiration.
Anyway, putting aside trivial yet highly destructive aspirations, what’s wrong with aspiring for a better world or a better whatever?
And whether you like it or not, it is the rules of our market economy that we ‘must pile up the corpses just to eat’, as you put it. The alternative is to be one of the corpses. It’s winners and losers with nothing inbetween. Social democracy has tried to create a space in the middle through creating various welfare provisions within core national economies. But the cost of that provisioning has been borne by those living in the peripheral national economies being subject, literally and routinely to famine and various other precarious situations. (Piling up the bodies)
The ‘civilised’ market economy flowed quite nicely and deliberately from the brutal, military backed plunderings of colonialism and ‘locked in’, albeit under a more civilised guise, the same dynamics of exploitation.
Aspiration is a positive rather than a negative. Aspiration is that quality of thinking that is transformative to the human condition, and defines our uniqueness as a species on Earth.
There is absolutely no point to having a large brain without some purpose to drive its engine – purpose is fueled by aspiration.
To me the problem is not that there are rich and poor; this will always happen as it’s human nature.
No, it’s not human nature. It’s the nature of psychopaths which only make up a small percentage of the population. So, why are we building and accepting a psychopathic society?
The early polls suggest Mr Key has not suffered, though insiders are divided. Some say National has sailed through unscathed, while others report internal polling recorded sharp dips on a couple of nights this week as the saga played out.
Good analysis of the issues from Vernon Small, including turning Key’s extreme News of the World, youth suicide arguments back on Key:
Since Mr Key has used the extreme, in the case of the rich couple and suicidal children, what if we apply the same logic here?
What if Mr Key and Mr Banks were plotting a major crime? An unconstitutional takeover? What about a mass defacing of Labour billboards? Or even, as has been hinted at, they were discussing a coup in ACT? In the end the boundary is a judgment call, but there is clearly a case for the public’s right to know in some cases.
What about lesser levels of public interest? Is there a right to know if the prime minister and Mr Banks say different things in private to in public? What about differences of style; that in private the carefully nurtured Brand Key drops and he is disparaging, even prone to the odd expletive?
Don’t we all do that; present a different face in public than in private; so is it fair to hold politicians to a different standard?
I agree with that.
And I also agree with Small when he suggests it was one of the stupidist tea parties ever – Key seemed to be a reluctant participant, it was a desperate attempt at camp[aign revival by Act, egged on a massive omelette scale by the media.
Truth be told, I dont really care what happens in this election as long as ACT doesnt get back in. “The good people of Epsom” have the best chance yet of voting for Goldsmith (even though he looks like a total smarmy jumped up tosser) and consigning ACT and its bunch of redneck social darwinists to the dustbin of history. I would rather National govern alone than in coalition with ACT. National only want to push you to the ground. ACT want to push you to the ground then put the boot in. I dont want the boot.
And I’m sorry, Mr George, but voters in Ohariu-Belmont also have the chance to get rid of Dunne as well, and consign that bunch of jelly fish to history (if Labour were Coke and National Pepsi, then UF would be that watered down budget cola that costs 99c a bottle)..
So if you are a left winger, who lives in Epsom, then vote Goldsmith. You have to do it. You have to ask yourself if we want Don “cut wages to catch up with Australia” Brash, John “Drink and drug crazed polynesian men are going to rape respectable white Epsom housewives” Banks, and Don “farmers can put what they like in the rivers because that’s how profits are made” Nicholson.
Agreed, I would derive great pleasure from seeing both of those pathetic parties gone, and the wretched sellout Maori party too, though that’s probably too much to ask. The best case scenario if the dubious polls are indeed right is that the Nats get the most votes but don’t have enough seats to pass asset sales legislation, mwahahahaha.
“Key seemed to be a reluctant participant, ”
Oh really? He just looked smug and enjoyed saying “Not today.” Egged on by the media? Key set the scene so is responsible for the outcome. And if he lost the smug look well and good.
The media weere pestering for a cup of tea story for a week up until it happened. Act may have been behind that, the way they promoted it at their “campaign launch” indicates theyb thought it was their saviour. But to me Key had seemed lukewarm.
I agree, the tea party was in response to media pressure. Key or Banks/Brash could have come out a couple of weeks earlier and said that they had no plans for any meet up at all, and when questioned could have later said “there are no plans” instead of his stupid “not today” answer.
In fact Key could have just given a long-form answer to a question that was effectively an endorsement for Banks without actually having to go through the stupid media stunt that it was. IMO that would have worked better as it would’ve been more genuine and less crass, and obviously in hindsight we wouldn’t have had this whole stupid tape problem.
Yes, Key could have dealt with this better from the start. He didn’t instigate the circus but enabled it. But that’s history now, he couldn’t have foreseen the eventual circumstances nor the eventual media obsession with stuff all.
The media are not running for parliament pete. It was a political stunt that backfired. If u actually believe the media wields undue influence you should have said something before – piping up now just makes you look like a NAct apologist – which you are of course.
It was a political and media stunt. That combo dominates the campaign.
How do you know what I have or haven’t said about media influence prior to this? It’s obvious the media wields significant influence and sometimes abuses that influence, this week being a prime example.
The collusion between TV3 and Winston Peters when they publicised non-sensational supposed contents of the recording – quite possibly illegally (knowing nothing coukld be done about it before the election) – waas disgraceful.
I’m not an ‘NAct’ apologist – that claim is just you with no argument so resorting to trying to smear.
I don’t think Act deserve any success this election, Brash/Banks are a disaster (Isaacs may be better). I support some National policies, positions and priorities, and disagree with others. Same for Labour and Greens.
I’ve openly supported some Green policies online and at candidate meetings. I have agreed with Clare Cullan and Michael Woodhouse and metiria Turei at candidates on some things, and I’ve also disagreed with them on other things.
“The collusion between TV3 and Winston Peters when they publicised non-sensational supposed contents of the recording – quite possibly illegally (knowing nothing coukld be done about it before the election) – waas disgraceful.”
What about the collusion of mediaworks and the Nats when they produced Shonkeys radio show ‘moonbeam at midday….’ quite possibly illegally (knowing nothing could be done about it before the election) – disgraceful too?
What is your/ united follicles policy position on foreign ownership/ regulation/ public service obligations in broadcasting and the media?
If you actually give a shit about the fourth estate how about committing to some non negotiable policy that will help it become again the conscience and defender of our democracy.
“But that’s history now, he couldn’t have foreseen the eventual circumstances nor the eventual media obsession with stuff all.”
All of a sudden the man with 137 odd spin doctors in his employ couldn’t predict what would happen when he walked out of a press conference and got the police involved in a spat with a journo? Now he is a hapless victim of circumstance?
“Don’t we all do that; present a different face in public than in private; so is it fair to hold politicians to a different standard?”
This highlights an important part of both the cause and manifestation of the malady we call the modern world. My answer is that we should hold everyone to that standard, politician and non-politician alike.
The split between the public and the private is a very recent phenomenon. The ‘private’ sphere itself is a late construction in history.
The very word ‘society’, in fact, arises with the courtly shenanigans in Europe (hence young belles ‘entering society’ in debutante balls). Interestingly, it arises in popular contemporary commentary (roughly, 16th and 17th C) at the same time as the concept of the ‘self’ (same reason; in the Royal Courts, presentation of self became an absolute obsession since it was the way to gain favour). Even more interestingly, it is coincidental with widespread commentary on ‘melancholia’.
The public/private split is one of the contours of our modern society that needs to be eroded. It encourages a lack of ‘integrity’ (literally, an integrated character – across time and situations).
Exactly right Ianmac.Could be seen on Campbell Live the other evening (Wed.orThurs) that someone was leaning around that opening just over John Key’s back . Key had to know he was there.
How on earth could the idiots think they could not be over heard and so could have private/secret conversation???? It defies belief that they felt they could be so indiscreet.
This meeting was just a stage managed set up so I thought. It would never have occurred to me that the idiots would use it to discuss serious private and duplicitous matters!! It was only a ten minute cuppa!
Is not jk head of NZSIS? The example he sets of intelligent behaviour in Epsom should score ‘well below average’ on his carefully thought out national standards.
Re Phil Goff not remembering figures when Duncan Garner demanded he produce them without reference to his notes was typical bully boy behaviour by man-child Garner.
It’s one thing to ‘not have costings prepared yet’ (so claimed at the press ‘debate’), it’s quite another to have them written on a piece of paper in front of you and not being allowed to read the number off.
How dare Garner say ‘no, don’t look them up’ to Phil Goff. It wasn’t a primary school mental arithemetic test for crying out loud.!!!!!!
He was the one that asked for the exact / projected (oxymoron?) figures. He had already been told by Goff that they would be lowish, like20-50million to start with, and then grow. If he wanted more accurate figures, Phil had the exact figures to hand to tell him. And yet Phil was told – ‘no, no don’t look” !?! Are you sure??
How rude,arrogant,priggish and ignorant the silly little Garner was. His childish behaviour was right up there with the ‘stupidest tea party’ ever this week..
I despair of New Zealand ‘s media when we have such pathetic journalists as ‘uriah heepish not-a-clue’ Duncan Garner doing his level best to back the duplicity and ghastly exploitation of our democratic principles as practised by johnkey and his national party.
Go and get a drink Duncan and look carefully at a future career in the used car trade- you’d be a sure fire winner there.Just your mental level, judging by your journalistic beheviour.
(And Rebecca Wright tried to do a hatchet job on Goff on 3News last night with this spin.Has she gone to the dark side now she is in the gallery or was she ‘guided’ into doing this story by her political editor?)
CV, Phil should have shut him down straight off and said, “I will refer to my notes – I don’t need your permission” and given Garner the steely stare I know he can.
Who the hell does that corpulent little toad think he is? He exists in a sea of unthinking, arse-licking hacks who would gladly serve as Key’s toilet paper for the rest of their lives.
seeker I know you were trying to be kind but I wouldn’t rate Garner worthy of a post even as a used car salesman.
Correct. Key had notes at the televised leaders debate. Goff did not
I look forward to him being asked to make his points “without looking John” from here on in
Ace idea Banter. Some one suggest this to John Campbell for Monday’s debate. If he’s not sure how to carry this out, he can always ask his tv3 colleague- the school exam invigilator himself Mr.Snape- Garner.
I agree that expecting any politician to remember every detail is unreasonable. Not much different to forgetting details of one of hundreds of personal conversations on the campaign trail.
But in the heat of their biggest ego event not all political mediapeople think reasonable.
Wasn’t it clever to dig up the footage from the debate. To bad they didn’t show Key reading from his notes.Paul Mcartney was wrong ($ 43 million ) can buy plenty of love.
A court prosecutor has offical deem
that an executive should stand trial
for the unlawful deaths of 29 men.
The local Mayor, still blithly makes
out he such a nice guy. Sorry, but
isn’t that the problem, nice guys
are often compensating (with niceness)
for not doing their jobs, alledgedly.
Has a she’ll be right mentality locked
NZ into periodic decline? Leading to
child poverty, young migration overseas,
managers who run a tight safety regime?
Begger thy neighbor attitude ever
presenting in the latest round of government
cutting. Key is a nice guy too.
Property is a tax, its a tax on everyone that
has lost their access to use the property, now
conveniently forgotten when talking about
tax cuts for those who own the most
property, not tax cuts for those who have
little in the way of property.
[…] John Key made time in his diary this week for a secretive meeting with the boss of an oil company that wants to undertake deep sea drilling off New Zealand’s coast. The company is controversial; it was party to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, one of the biggest environmental disasters in history. […]
Con mankey has aged considerably in the last week and it shows so much so that Next week he’ll be having a secret cup of tea with Winston who he will be needing to form a government.
Just another broken promise [lie]par for the course .Any one with shares in race horses look for an increase in funding next year.200,00 children will have to miss out.
It is clear that the oil and gas industry tries to minimize negative public perception and financial liability by falsely reporting the amount of oil spilled. It is much the same with fracking, with continued spills showing that self regulation and weak administration has failed to ensure environmental safety…
The victims of pike river are in the same quandary after another broken promise by Nationals Brownoselee &manKey only one person has received the help all New Zealanders contributed to and now its 1st year anniversary for these grieving families.It shows the same level of concern that National had for the safety of the miners.SCF gets $1.6 billion straight away national voters mostly I bet!
I normally believe in polls, especially if they are all saying the same thing, but the latest roy morgan poll has the greens at 13%?????
FROM ROY MORGAN
The latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows Prime Minister John Key’s National Party set for a clear victory in next Saturday’s New Zealand election with National (53%, unchanged) increasing its lead over the Labour Party (24.5%, down 1.5%). Support for the Green Party (13%, up 1%) has continued to increase while New Zealand First (3%, down 1.5%), ACT NZ (1.5%, up 0.5%) and United Future ( > 0.5%, unchanged) will all struggle to win seats in the new Parliament.
Anyone heard a rumour that National will means test super and (possibly aggregate other superannuation that you might be drawing) – claiming the changed state of the economy as the reason – below the radar at the moment but using the similar argument as they did for GST? Seems to be plausible considering the way Key has dismissed Labour’s plans to make superannuation more affordable.
Remember Key’s remark during the CGT chat that the rich will just find other ways to hide assets.
And this will also fit as the very rich will find ways of hiding assets against Means Testing.
Wouldn’t it be great if National really followed Labour’s lead and got serious about finding ways to deal with those asset cheats or even legal ways of Avoidance..
Granted it’s Paul Holmes practically writing a National press release (think he gets paid twice for those pieces? Once by the tories and once by the paper) but still. A bomb?
Key ruined a very useful and accurate word when, in the minds of people, he associated dynamic with lying. It’s going to take some time to find a similar word that is readily understood. Thanks, Key: a knighthood for destructive services to the English language.
Actually I think Key has added a new word to the English lexicon – dinamic meaning to lie, as in “dinamic environment’ meaning an environment which facilitates lying or causes/allows one to lie. Princess Anne did a similar thing when she introduced the endearing word “naff” which can be used in the following ways: “‘John Key’s smile is so naff now,” or “John Key’s lies are naff .” or, “I wish John Key would naff off to Hawaii for good.”
Spinsters have quite a record with word destruction. During the nineties “passion” was chucked around quite a bit as a euphemism for greed. And “aspirational” has had its tedious run: since aspiration means breathing as well as wanting more money and prestige (in Keyspeak), I presume these aspirational people want all the oxygen as well.
“Fast forward another 10 years and I am sure the Google cache will still be bringing up stories on how – on the eve of a general election – police targeted New Zealand media on Key’s wishes.
Maybe police should have charged Key for wasting their time.”
Be interesting to see the format on Monday night TV 3 7-8:30, for the Leaders Debate chaired by John Campbell. Key V Goff.
For me I will watch Key’s body talk and at times try listening with eyes closed to check on the credibility away from the “boyish charm.”
Is there any chance at this late stage before the election that the media. or even the Standard for that matter, will get back to the election opening broadcasts – reflecting the various parties’ values and differences in terms of competence, honesty and commitment to a fairer society?
Well we know that the nats will sell off our power companies to multinationals if they get the numbers in the election. That’s the only issue of importance for me. So that’s why I’m giving my party vote to Winston Peters for the first time ever. He is totally opposed to asset sales and most importantly is most effective as an opposition mp.
Labour have been useless in opposition so for the first time ever they don’t get my party vote. I don’t care what other policies nz1 espouse, who gives a shit, I’m desperate. Asset sales is all I’m interested in and Peters unlike Labour knows how to speak to the public via the media and get a coherent message across. Perhaps with Peters’ example then Labour might realise what being opposition MPs actually means.
Interestingly my father has always been a national voter but he is adamantly opposed to asset sales and in a quandary about who to vote for. I would say there are a lot of older voters like him. I advised him to vote for Peters as a tactical move; he agrees.
And do you believe that Peters will remain unalligned to any party. Stick by HIS word ? Voting away from National to a “maybe”, is exactly what National want and a good way to ensure asset sales will go through. The cup a tea was the same strategy.
riding my motorbike down south I saw a hoarding for Maryanne Street as local Labour candidate. Who? I havent heard a word from her as an opposition mp in the past three years. Same with most of the rest of the high list ranking Labour mps. Im guessing Peters hates the nats due to their campaign against him prior to last election and opposes asset sales. Thats enough for me.
Some interesting twists by other National MP’s manipulating statistics this weekend in deceptive ways.
Judith Collins quoted her role as a “spectatular” success and not one piece of investigation into the “7% drop in crime” claim by Key also..So magically this election swinging issue has crime minimalised because Judiths on to it? Boot camp was a vote winner in 2008..?
2010/2011 Negligent acts endangering others up17.2%; SEXUALOFFENCES up 14.9% SEXUALASSAULT up12.3%;MANSLAUGHTER AND DRIVING CAUSING DEATH up 12.9%;ABDUCTION AND KIDNAPPING up 8.4%;DECEPTIVE BUSINESS/GOVERNMENT PRACTICES up 18.2%;
FRAUD AND DECEPTION OFFENCES up 3%; BREACH OF VIOLENCE AND NON-VIOLENCE RESTRAINING ORDERS up; COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRY/FINANCIAL REGULATION up 53.3 %. Biggest rise and more money ever to “white collar crime” at a cost to every citizen.
Public Sector cuts..CYFs struggling to cope with quote Ministers report over 2400 reports of child abuse EVERY WEEK..Police for all crime in this reported year had average of 65% resolution
Why are such misrepresentations unchallenged ?
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
In most states, you cannot register a car without a valid driver’s license. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule. Exceptions to the RuleIf you are under 18 years old: In some states, you can register a car in your name even if you do not ...
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 ...
Powering up and shutting down your ASUS laptop is an essential task for any laptop user. Locating the power button can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you’re new to ASUS laptops. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on where to find the power button on different ASUS laptop ...
Dell laptops are renowned for their reliability, performance, and versatility. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone who needs a reliable computing device, a Dell laptop can meet your needs. However, if you’re new to Dell laptops, you may be wondering how to get started. In this comprehensive ...
Two-thirds of the country think that “New Zealand’s economy is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful”. They also believe that “New Zealand needs a strong leader to take the country back from the rich and powerful”. These are just two of a handful of stunning new survey results released ...
In today’s digital world, screenshots have become an indispensable tool for communication and documentation. Whether you need to capture an important email, preserve a website page, or share an error message, screenshots allow you to quickly and easily preserve digital information. If you’re an Asus laptop user, there are several ...
A factory reset restores your Gateway laptop to its original factory settings, erasing all data, apps, and personalizations. This can be necessary to resolve software issues, remove viruses, or prepare your laptop for sale or transfer. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to factory reset your Gateway laptop: Method 1: ...
“You talking about me?”The neoliberal denigration of the past was nowhere more unrelenting than in its depiction of the public service. The Post Office and the Railways were held up as being both irremediably inefficient and scandalously over-manned. Playwright Roger Hall’s “Glide Time” caricatures were presented as accurate depictions of ...
Roger Partridge writes – When the Coalition Government took office last October, it inherited a country on a precipice. With persistent inflation, decades of insipid productivity growth and crises in healthcare, education, housing and law and order, it is no exaggeration to suggest New Zealand’s first-world status was ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – In 2022, the Curriculum Centre at the Ministry of Education employed 308 staff, according to an Official Information Request. Earlier this week it was announced 202 of those staff were being cut. When you look up “The New Zealand Curriculum” on the Ministry of ...
Chris Bishop’s bill has stirred up a hornets nest of opposition. Photo: Lynn Grieveson for The KākāTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate from the last day included:A crescendo of opposition to the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill is ...
Monday left me brokenTuesday, I was through with hopingWednesday, my empty arms were openThursday, waiting for love, waiting for loveThe end of another week that left many of us asking WTF? What on earth has NZ gotten itself into and how on earth could people have voluntarily signed up for ...
Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on the past week’s editions.State of humanity, 20242024, it feels, keeps presenting us with ever more challenges, ever more dismay.Do you give up yet? It seems to ask.No? How about this? Or this?How about this?Full story Share ...
Determining the hardest sport in the world is a subjective matter, as the difficulty level can vary depending on individual abilities, physical attributes, and experience. However, based on various factors including physical demands, technical skills, mental fortitude, and overall accomplishment, here is an exploration of some of the most challenging ...
The allure of sport transcends age, culture, and geographical boundaries. It captivates hearts, ignites passions, and provides unparalleled entertainment. Behind the spectacle, however, lies a fascinating world of financial investment and expenditure. Among the vast array of competitive pursuits, one question looms large: which sport carries the hefty title of ...
Introduction Pickleball, a rapidly growing paddle sport, has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions around the world. Its blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements has made it a favorite among players of all ages and skill levels. As the sport’s popularity continues to surge, the question on ...
Abstract: Soccer, the global phenomenon captivating millions worldwide, has a rich history that spans centuries. Its origins trace back to ancient civilizations, but the modern version we know and love emerged through a complex interplay of cultural influences and innovations. This article delves into the fascinating journey of soccer’s evolution, ...
Tinting car windows offers numerous benefits, including enhanced privacy, reduced glare, UV protection, and a more stylish look for your vehicle. However, the cost of window tinting can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article provides a comprehensive guide to help you understand how much you can expect to ...
The pungent smell of gasoline in your car can be an alarming and potentially dangerous problem. Not only is the odor unpleasant, but it can also indicate a serious issue with your vehicle’s fuel system. In this article, we will explore the various reasons why your car may smell like ...
Tree sap can be a sticky, unsightly mess on your car’s exterior. It can be difficult to remove, but with the right techniques and products, you can restore your car to its former glory. Understanding Tree Sap Tree sap is a thick, viscous liquid produced by trees to seal wounds ...
The amount of paint needed to paint a car depends on a number of factors, including the size of the car, the number of coats you plan to apply, and the type of paint you are using. In general, you will need between 1 and 2 gallons of paint for ...
Jump-starting a car is a common task that can be performed even in adverse weather conditions like rain. However, safety precautions and proper techniques are crucial to avoid potential hazards. This comprehensive guide will provide detailed instructions on how to safely jump a car in the rain, ensuring both your ...
Graham Adams writes about the $55m media fund — When Patrick Gower was asked by Mike Hosking last week what he would say to the many Newstalk ZB callers who allege the Labour government bribed media with $55 million of taxpayers’ money via the Public Interest Journalism Fund — and ...
Note: this blog post has been put together over the course of the week I followed the happenings at the conference virtually. Should recordings of the Great Debates and possibly Union Symposia mentioned below, be released sometime after the conference ends, I'll include links to the ones I participated in. ...
The following was my submission made on the “Fast Track Approvals Bill”. This potential law will give three Ministers unchecked powers, un-paralled since the days of Robert Muldoon’s “Think Big” projects.The submission is written a bit tongue-in-cheek. But it’s irreverent because the FTAB is in itself not worthy of respect. ...
One Could Reduce Child Poverty At No Fiscal CostFollowing the Richardson/Shipley 1990 ‘redesign of the welfare state’ – which eliminated the universal Family Benefit and doubled the rate of child poverty – various income supplements for families have been added, the best known being ‘Working for Families’, introduced in 2005. ...
Buzz from the Beehive A few days ago, Point of Order suggested the media must be musing “on why Melissa is mute”. Our article reported that people working in the beleaguered media industry have cause to yearn for a minister as busy as Melissa Lee’s ministerial colleagues and we drew ...
1. What was The Curse of Jim Bolger?a. Winston Peters b. Soon after shaking his hand, world leaders would mysteriously lose office or shuffle off this mortal coilc. Could never shake off the Mother of All Budgetsd. Dandruff2. True or false? The Chairman of a Kiwi export business has asked the ...
Jack Vowles writes – New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. ...
Chris Trotter writes – MELISSA LEE should be deprived of her ministerial warrant. Her handling – or non-handling – of the crisis engulfing the New Zealand news media has been woeful. The fate of New Zealand’s two linear television networks, a question which the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications ...
TL;DR: The podcast above features co-hosts and , along with regular guests Robert Patman on Gaza and AUKUS II, and on climate change.The six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the ...
Policymakers rarely wish to make plain or visible their desire to dismantle environmental policy, least of all to the young. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above between Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent ...
I like to keep an eye on what’s happening in places like the UK, the US, and over the ditch with our good mates the Aussies. Let’s call them AUKUS, for want of a better collective term. More on that in a bit.It used to be, not long ago, that ...
TL;DR: The global economy will be one fifth smaller than it would have otherwise been in 2050 as a result of climate damage, according to a new study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and published in the journal Nature. (See more detail and analysis below, and ...
New Zealand is said to be suffering from ‘serious populist discontent’. An IPSOS MORI survey has reported that we have an increasing preference for strong leaders, think that the economy is rigged toward the rich and powerful, and political elites are ignoring ‘hard-working people’. The data is from February this ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is understood to be planning a major speech within the next fortnight to clear up the confusion over whether or not New Zealand might join the AUKUS submarine project. So far, there have been conflicting signals from the Government. RNZ reported the Prime Minister yesterday in ...
Life throws curveballs, and sometimes, those curveballs necessitate wiping your iPhone clean and starting anew. Whether you’re facing persistent software glitches, preparing to sell your device, or simply wanting a fresh start, knowing how to factory reset iPhone without a computer is a valuable skill. While using a computer with ...
Gone are the days when communication was limited to landline phones and physical proximity. Today, computers have become powerful tools for connecting with people across the globe through voice and video calls. But with a plethora of applications and methods available, how to call someone on a computer might seem ...
Open access notables Glacial isostatic adjustment reduces past and future Arctic subsea permafrost, Creel et al., Nature Communications:Sea-level rise submerges terrestrial permafrost in the Arctic, turning it into subsea permafrost. Subsea permafrost underlies ~ 1.8 million km2 of Arctic continental shelf, with thicknesses in places exceeding 700 m. Sea-level variations over glacial-interglacial cycles control ...
The operating system (OS) is the heart and soul of a computer, orchestrating every action and interaction between hardware and software. But have you ever wondered where on a computer is the operating system generally stored? The answer lies in the intricate dance between hardware and software components, particularly within ...
Laptops have become essential tools for work, entertainment, and communication, offering portability and functionality. However, with rising energy costs and growing environmental concerns, understanding a laptop’s power consumption is more important than ever. So, how many watts does a laptop use? The answer, unfortunately, isn’t straightforward. It depends on several ...
Screen recording has become an essential tool for various purposes, such as creating tutorials, capturing gameplay footage, recording online meetings, or sharing information with others. Fortunately, Dell laptops offer several built-in and external options for screen recording, catering to different needs and preferences. This guide will explore various methods on ...
A cracked or damaged laptop screen can be a frustrating experience, impacting productivity and enjoyment. Fortunately, laptop screen repair is a common service offered by various repair shops and technicians. However, the cost of fixing a laptop screen can vary significantly depending on several factors. This article delves into the ...
Gaming laptops represent a significant investment for passionate gamers, offering portability and powerful performance for immersive gaming experiences. However, a common concern among potential buyers is their lifespan. Unlike desktop PCs, which allow for easier component upgrades, gaming laptops have inherent limitations due to their compact and integrated design. This ...
The annual inventory report of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions has been released, showing that gross emissions have dropped for the third year in a row, to 78.4 million tons: All-told gross emissions have decreased by over 6 million tons since the Zero Carbon Act was passed in 2019. ...
Experiencing a locked computer can be frustrating, especially when you need access to your files and applications urgently. The methods to unlock your computer will vary depending on the specific situation and the type of lock you encounter. This guide will explore various scenarios and provide step-by-step instructions on how ...
While the world has largely transitioned to digital communication, faxing still holds relevance in certain industries and situations. Fortunately, gone are the days of bulky fax machines and dedicated phone lines. Today, you can easily send and receive faxes directly from your computer, offering a convenient and efficient way to ...
In our increasingly digital world, home computers have become essential tools for work, communication, entertainment, and more. However, this increased reliance on technology also exposes us to various cyber threats. Understanding these threats and taking proactive steps to protect your home computer is crucial for safeguarding your personal information, finances, ...
In the ever-evolving world of technology, server-based computing has emerged as a cornerstone of modern digital infrastructure. This article delves into the concept of server-based computing, exploring its various forms, benefits, challenges, and its impact on the way we work and interact with technology. Understanding Server-Based Computing: At its core, ...
The absolute brass neck of this guy.We want more medical doctors, not more spin doctors, Luxon was saying a couple of weeks ago, and now we’re told the guy has seven salaried adults on TikTok duty. Sorry, doing social media. The absolute brass neck of it. The irony that the ...
Buzz from the Beehive Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones relishes spatting and eagerly takes issue with environmentalists who criticise his enthusiasm for resource development. He relishes helping the fishing industry too. And so today, while the media are making much of the latest culling in the public service to ...
Having written, taught and worked for the US government on issues involving unconventional warfare and terrorism for 30-odd years, two things irritate me the most when the subject is discussed in public. The first is the Johnny-come-lately academics-turned-media commentators who … Continue reading → ...
Eric Crampton writes – Kainga Ora is the government’s house building agency. It’s been building a lot of social housing. Kainga Ora has its own (but independent) consenting authority, Consentium. It’s a neat idea. Rather than have to deal with building consents across each different territorial authority, Kainga Ora ...
Muriel Newman writes – The Coalition Government says it is moving with speed to deliver campaign promises and reverse the damage done by Labour. One of their key commitments is to “defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law.” To achieve this, they have pledged they “will not advance ...
Chris Trotter writes – The absence of anything resembling a fightback from the public servants currently losing their jobs is interesting. State-sector workers’ collective fatalism in the face of Coalition cutbacks indicates a surprisingly broad acceptance of impermanence in the workplace. Fifty years ago, lay-offs in the thousands ...
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. ...
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. ...
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. ...
The Government’s newly announced review of methane emissions reduction targets hints at its desire to delay Aotearoa New Zealand’s urgent transition to a climate safe future, the Green Party said. ...
The Government must commit to the Maitai School building project for students with high and complex needs, to ensure disabled students from the top of the South Island have somewhere to learn. ...
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey and his Government colleagues have made a meal of their mental health commitments, showing how flimsy their efforts to champion the issue truly are, says Labour Mental Health spokesperson Ingrid Leary. ...
Māori are yet to see anything from this Government except cuts, reversals and taking our people backwards, Māori Development spokesperson Willie Jackson said. ...
The Coalition Government’s refusal to commit to ongoing funding for social housing is seeing the sector pull back on developments and families watch their dreams of securing a home fade away, says Labour Housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty. ...
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 ...
Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson is speaking at the International Wool Textile Organisation Congress in Adelaide, promoting New Zealand wool, and outlining the coalition Government’s support for the revitalisation the sector. "New Zealand’s wool exports reached $400 million in the year to 30 June 2023, and the coalition Government ...
The Government is making legislative changes to make it easier for new early learning services to be established, and for existing services to operate, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says. The changes involve repealing the network approval provisions that apply when someone wants to establish a new early learning service, ...
Changes to the Resource Management Act will align consenting for coal mining to other forms of mining to reduce barriers that are holding back economic development, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The inconsistent treatment of coal mining compared with other extractive activities is burdensome red tape that fails to acknowledge ...
Trade, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Todd McClay has concluded productive discussions with ministerial counterparts in Beijing today, in support of the New Zealand-China trade and economic relationship. “My meeting with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao reaffirmed the complementary nature of the bilateral trade relationship, with our Free Trade Agreement at its ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today paid tribute to Singapore’s outgoing Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Meeting in Singapore today immediately before Prime Minister Lee announced he was stepping down, Prime Minister Luxon warmly acknowledged his counterpart’s almost twenty years as leader, and the enduring legacy he has left for Singapore and South East ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. While in Singapore as part of his visit to South East Asia this week, Prime Minister Luxon also met with Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has made further appointments to the Board of Antarctica New Zealand as part of a continued effort to ensure the Scott Base Redevelopment project is delivered in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The Minister has appointed Neville Harris as a new member of the Board. Mr ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis will travel to the United States on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Five Finance Ministers group, with counterparts from Australia, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. “I am looking forward to meeting with our Five Finance partners on how we can work ...
The coalition Government has today announced purrfect and pawsitive changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to give tenants with pets greater choice when looking for a rental property, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Pets are important members of many Kiwi families. It’s estimated that around 64 per cent of New ...
State Highway 1 (SH1) through Wellington City is heavily congested at peak times and while planning continues on the duplicate Mt Victoria Tunnel and Basin Reserve project, the Government has also asked NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to consider and provide advice on a Long Tunnel option, Transport Minister Simeon Brown ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have condemned Iran’s shocking and illegal strikes against Israel. “These attacks are a major challenge to peace and stability in a region already under enormous pressure," Mr Luxon says. "We are deeply concerned that miscalculation on any side could ...
Hundreds of people in little over a week have turned out in Northland to hear Regional Development Minister Shane Jones speak about plans for boosting the regional economy through infrastructure. About 200 people from the infrastructure and associated sectors attended an event headlined by Mr Jones in Whangarei today. Last ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has today thanked outgoing Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora Chair Dame Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board. “Dame Karen tendered her resignation as Chair and as a member of the Board today,” says Dr Reti. “I have asked her to ...
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has signalled their proposed delivery approach for the Government’s 15 Roads of National Significance (RoNS), with the release of the State Highway Investment Proposal (SHIP) today, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Boosting economic growth and productivity is a key part of the Government’s plan to ...
New Zealand is renewing its connections with a world facing urgent challenges by pursuing an active, energetic foreign policy, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “Our country faces the most unstable global environment in decades,” Mr Peters says at the conclusion of two weeks of engagements in Egypt, Europe and the United States. “We cannot afford to sit back in splendid ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced the Australian Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley and his wife Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley, will make a State visit to New Zealand from Tuesday 16 April to Thursday 18 April. The visit reciprocates the State visit of former Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy ...
Associate Health Minister David Seymour has announced that Medsafe has approved 11 cold and flu medicines containing pseudoephedrine. Pharmaceutical suppliers have indicated they may be able to supply the first products in June. “This is much earlier than the original expectation of medicines being available by 2025. The Government recognised ...
New Zealand and the United States have recommitted to their strategic partnership in Washington DC today, pledging to work ever more closely together in support of shared values and interests, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The strategic environment that New Zealand and the United States face is considerably more ...
April 11, 2024 Joint Declaration by United States Secretary of State the Honorable Antony J. Blinken and New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs the Right Honourable Winston Peters We met today in Washington, D.C. to recommit to the historic partnership between our two countries and the principles that underpin it—rule ...
By Koroi Hawkins, RNZ Pacific editor in Honiara Solomon Islands’ incumbent prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has been re-elected in the East Choiseul constituency. It is the opening move in the political chess match to form the country’s next government. Returning officer Christopher Makoni made the declaration late last night after ...
Headline: The moment of friction. – 36th Parallel Assessments In strategic studies “friction” is a term that it is used to describe the moment when military action encounters adversary resistance. “Friction” is one of four (along with an unofficial fifth) “F’s” in military strategy, which includes force (kinetic mass), ...
The Fast-track Bill, if passed, would allow three Ministers, unchallenged and unchecked, to approve the immediate extraction and exhaustion of one-off resources. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne iamharin/Shutterstock For many people, the term “bulk billed” refers to a GP visit they don’t have to pay ...
Emmas Hislop, Sidnam and Wehipeihana discuss what’s in a name. Emma Sidnam: Hello Emmas! Thank you so much for agreeing to do this with me. My first question for you is related to what’s been on my mind for a while. It’s very important. You see we’ve recently had some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Sievers, Research Fellow, Global Wetlands Project, Australia Rivers Institute, Griffith University Chris Brown Humans love the coast. But we love it to death, so much so we’ve destroyed valuable coastal habitat – in the case of some types of habitat, ...
Josh Thomson on the 80s milk ad jingle he can’t stop singing, the beauty of The Simpsons, why Jersey Shore is as good as Shakespeare and more. For someone who spends a lot of time on our screens, popping up in everything from 7 Days to Taskmaster, Educators to Good ...
In apparent defiance of the Biden administration, the Netanyahu government has now initiated missile strikes against Iran. Last Saturday night (Sunday morning in New Zealand) Iran launched more than 300 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets. With the assistance of US, UK and possibly French forces, ...
Māori representation brings a perspective that encompasses not only the interests of Māori communities but also a broader, holistic approach to environmental stewardship and community well-being, principles deeply embedded in Te Ao Māori (the Māori ...
This week in Auckland, a group of young people took over the microphone at a ministerial press conference, to explain why they oppose the Fast-Track Approvals Bill. One young woman said, ‘We’re here because we love Aotearoa New Zealand. We want to raise our children in an environment that’s thriving, ...
The summer was wonderful. Evie was wonderful, too; finally a teenager, finally worthy of long, hot days. She shaved her legs for the first time and bought cut-off shorts from the op-shop that made them look long. She got a Warehouse singlet so tight on her new shape that her ...
When Thomas James was on his solo camp as part of Outward Bound, the keen outdoorsman didn’t find it too challenging, as others often do. In what might just be the perfect illustration of his character, he saw it as a great opportunity to solve a few problems. “I thought, ...
From the unstable and drippy to the hi-tech and pretty, here’s our ranking of all the tunnels you can drive through in this country. The first tunnel seems to have been built in 2200BC in Babylonia, kicking off a global phenomenon for digging holes in order to get places more ...
Lucinda Bennett on the art of being greedy but resourceful. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. When I picture the market, it is always this time of year. Crisp air, dripping nose, counting coins with cold fingers. Sunlight pale, filtered through specks of dew still ...
Zoë Colling’s favourite piece in the ‘That’s So Last Century’ collection is a lubrication chart for a sewing machine from the ’60s. It’s about the size of a postcard, and carefully maintained. “I like it that this piece of ephemera highlights that manual and technical side of the skill involved ...
Kia Ora Gaza A passionate haka reverberated through Auckland International Airport as a medical team of three New Zealand doctors received an emotional farewell from a big crowd of supporters before flying to Turkey to join the international Freedom Flotilla to Gaza. The doctors, who left Auckland yesterday, hope to ...
With submissions closing today, Macassey-Pickard says groups around the country have been supporting a huge range of people to make their submissions. ...
Our response to the new legislation is informed by targeted conversations with practitioners working in the system and through an implementation lens. ...
The new ‘Fast-track Approvals Bill’ would give just three Ministers the power to approve or deny development projects. They would avoid the usual checks and balances that are in place to protect rivers, land, the ocean, and communities. ...
COMMENTARY:By Eugene Doyle Helen Clark, how I miss you. The former New Zealand Prime Minister — the safest pair of hands this country has had in living memory — gave a masterclass on the importance of maintaining an independent foreign policy when she spoke at an AUKUS symposium held ...
The government's released the list of organisations provided with information on how to apply - just hours before public submissions on the bill close. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milton Speer, Visiting Fellow, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney Before climate change really got going, eastern Australia’s flash floods tended to concentrate on our coastal regions, east of the Great Dividing Range. But that’s changing. Now ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Finkel, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, La Trobe University Sia Duff / South Australian Museum In February, the South Australian Museum “re-imagined” itself. In the face of rising costs and inadequate government funds, CEO David Gaimster, who took the reins last June, declared ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Pearce, Professor, School of Allied Heath, Human Services & Sport, La Trobe University, La Trobe University This week, Collingwood AFL player Nathan Murphy announced his retirement, brought on by his concussion history and ongoing issues. The 24-year-old’s seemingly sudden retirement, ...
The Mental Health Foundation provides support and resources for those facing the loss of their job, so it’s wrong in the very week the Government adds another 1000 jobs to its tally of cuts, that this is happening. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Howard, Senior Lecturer, Discipline of English and Writing, University of Sydney Daniel Boud/Sydney Theatre Company Decay, terror, revulsion. These are three of the central themes of Thomas Bernhard’s rarely performed play The President. The Austrian is one of the greatest ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ye In (Jane) Hwang, Postdoctoral Research Associate at School of Population Health, UNSW Sydney Shutterstock You’d be hard pressed to find any aspect of daily life that doesn’t require some form of digital literacy. We need only to look back ten ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says threats by ministers Shane Jones and David Seymour to reform or close down the Waitangi Tribunal were “ill-considered”, as legal experts say the ministers may have breached Cabinet Manual conventions. “I think those comments are ill-considered and we expect all ministers to actually exercise good ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Newton, Professor of Exercise Medicine, Edith Cowan University Pexels/RDNE stock project You’re not in your 20s or 30s anymore and you know regular health checks are important. So you go to your GP. During the appointment they measure your waist. ...
A new poem by Evangeline Riddiford Graham. Mitochondrial Problem I. It was long drive to Kansas for the man and his dog but you have to understand he said She doesn’t fly. Which calls to mind not carsick shitting barking or whining but a dog who chooses not to as ...
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)Hot off the press, this debut ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Laura Wajnryb McDonald, PhD candidate in Criminology, University of Sydney Less than 24 hours after Ashlee Good was murdered in Bondi Junction, her family released a statement requesting the media take down photographs they had reproduced of Ashlee and her family without ...
Chief executive Shaun Robinson said it has not had any government funding cut, but government-funded contracts have not kept pace with rising costs. ...
The Ministry of Health has delayed the release of its evidence brief on the safety, reversibility and mental health and wellbeing outcomes for puberty blockers. While we wait, Julia de Bres speaks to those with firsthand experience. Best practice gender-affirming healthcare is based on trans people’s self-determination and agency. The ...
Barcelona’s city streets have gone from traffic-clogged to pedestrian-friendly. How? Superblocks. Ellen Rykers explains. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week I read a great interview with renowned urbanist Janette Sadik-Khan by The Spinoff’s Wellington editor Joel MacManus: “You can reimagine streets, ...
Student groups ‘Climate Action VUW’, Schools Strike 4 Climate and VUWSA will be on the street in Wellington today, the last day for submissions on the Fast-track Approvals Bill, with a message that the fight against the Government’s ‘War on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sofia Ammassari, Research Fellow, Griffith University Since 2014, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity has grown exponentially – and so has the formidable organisational machine of his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). These two factors will be key to delivering the BJP a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendon Hyndman, Associate Professor of Education (Adjunct) & Senior Manager (BCE), Charles Sturt University During COVID almost all Australian students and their families experienced online learning. But while schools have long since gone back to in-person teaching, online learning has not gone ...
Yes, they’re better for the environment. No, that’s not a good enough reason for me to use them. Once every 26 days or so, my period arrives, and if struck by an act of God, I am caught red-crotched without products. How, after 17 years of this, do I still ...
“It will cause significant harm to our environment and communities. It is completely at odds with New Zealanders’ relationship with nature and our need for a low-carbon, sustainable economic future." ...
The Chair of the National Maori Authority, Matthew Tukaki, has warned a Parliamentary Select Committee that fast-tracking legislation is a perilous practice that undermines the core tenets of democracy, transparency, and accountability. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Tenbensel, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Getty Images Since coming into power, the coalition government has adopted a simple but shrewd see-how-fast-we-can-move political strategy. However, in the health sector this need for speed entails ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney Darya Sannikova/Pexels Whether you’re watching TV, attending a footy game, or eating a meal at your local pub, gambling is hard to escape. Although the rise of gambling is not unique to Australia, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Wong, Forrest Fellow, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Have you ever wondered if there are more insects out at night than during the day? We set out to answer this question by combing through the scientific ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carol T Kulik, Research Professor, University of South Australia IR Stone/Shutterstock In Australia, it’s not the done thing to know – let alone ask – what our colleagues are paid. Yet, it’s easy to see how pay transparency can make pay ...
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is sounding a warning to migrants, that running foul of the law may see them leaving the country prematurely. ...
The government’s plan to get 50,000 people off jobseeker support by 2030 has had a rocky start, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Beneficiary numbers are up – and so are ...
Raglan Roast is a staple of Wellington coffee culture. But with five branches across the capital, which one is the best? I am a die-hard Raglan Roast fan. It’s consistently the most affordable cafe in Wellington, and one of the only places you can get a coffee after 3pm. So, ...
Residents of University of Auckland halls are being urged to withhold their accommodation fees from May 1, in a bid to force the university to take student concerns over rent hikes seriously.The University of Auckland is facing a strike from students over the cost of on-campus accommodation. The Students ...
Opinion: The famed American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham once said, “Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood!” Burnham wouldn’t have been referring to the transport plans in Aotearoa New Zealand over the past five years; projects so big they hadn’t the credibility to ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 19 April appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: With maths understanding at 42 percent for Year 8 students, there’s no doubt something has to be done. But how? The post Financial literacy should be on all of us appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Hineaupounamu ‘Missy’ Nuku has been scaling mountains in Canada for her college basketball team, the Lakeland Rustlers. Alberta is currently home for the 20-year-old point guard, who is in her first year of a scholarship at Lakeland College, where she is studying for a business degree. She has certainly made ...
A public forum in Dunedin today to look at a movie and also to look at the Octagon and Occupy in relation to the global financial problems.
Saturday 17 November, 3.30 pm – 6.30 pm, St Paul’s Cathedral (Octagon, Dunedin)
More details: Special public forum on the Octagon .
Organised by St Paul’s and Centre for Sustainability (University of Otago). Sustainability has been one of the dominant issues of the election campaign in Dunedin. There have been two candidate forums dedicated to the issue, and at general candidate meetings the topic was prominent in questions being asked.
“There will be a screening of the movie “Inside Job”, followed by brief reactions from a specially invited panel including Mayor Dave Cull; the Dean of St Paul’s, the Very Rev Dr Trevor James; the Chief Executive of Methodist Mission, Laura Black; and representatives from business, law, the university and other community bodies in Dunedin.
The discussion will be hosted by Damian Newell of More FM.”
Why are there no representatives from the poor, the underclasses, occupy, beneficiaries, low income workers etc on that specially invited panel?
thats so true, why not? as there are a large number of them here in dunedin. great movie though.
You should ask the organisers. This is what I’ve been told:
The voluntary sector, trade unions, the occupation seems to cover some of it.
It is a public forum, anyone who wants to can go.
I wasn’t talking about who could go, I was talking about who is on the specially invited panel.
Coincidently, I got up early today and watched ‘Inside Job’. This documentary does indeed tackle a complex topic comprehensively in a format I believe conducive to a wide audience. Distressing and sobering, it could be enough to make one give up in despair, simply because it is still happening! While I had thought ‘ all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing’, even that doesn’t explain this situation. Some good people did speak out but were just ignored or trivialised. The global economic crisis was due to out and out orchestrated greed. Lobby groups specifically targeted and changed legislation to allow greed to further itself unhindered! ‘Inside Job’ did answer a lingering question of mine. What happened to the importance of ethics and morals being entwined with University and Business School degrees? Surely the power of knowledge is linked soundly to personal integrity and responsibility. Unfortunately corruption is shown to be present in educational institutions also.
If ever we needed to stand by those protesting for the 99% it is now, for good people are speaking out. Perhaps it just needs the momentum of many to overcome the power of money and corruption.
Good article on Stuff this morning with people involved in charities stating that increasingly people in NZ are struggling to pay for the basics. There’s a good sample of extracts from readers letters, a couple supporting the neolibreal aspirational line, but most opposed to it.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5996449/Growing-wealth-gap-alarms-charities
Poverty is caused by everyone believing they can “get ahead”. Aspiration is the problem. It’s like the Griffins biscuit ad, “…just one more….ok?” Remove aspiration form the national psyche and the game will change entirely. No more hiding behind material wealth, no more toys to buy, no more plans to spend more on more things no one needs. Just life, facing who and what you are. Scarey as hell for some and they’ll run over anyone to avoid stopping to see themselves. It’s cowardice.
People are somewhat compelled to ‘get ahead’, Uturn. It’s built into the rules that if you don’t, then you’ll go under. And that can mean a lack of access to necessary material goods or services (healthcare, education, diet, housing etc) Aspiration isn’t the problem. Poverty is a symptom or result of production and distribution being dictated by the ‘winner takes all and the losers can go fuck themselves’ market economy.
I don’t think it’s fair to condemn people for wanting what’s best for themselves. Even in a democratic economy, people would want what was best; aspiration would remain. But since the rules ( the various incentives, punishments and rewards) inherent to a democratic economy are different to those of a market economy, the consequences from aspiring for what would be best wouldn’t be the destructive and misanthropic mess we create on both an individual and general level at present.
The solution is a lot easier than changing people’s minds in some radical way. We simply need to to change the nature of our economy (an external environment) and behaviours will adapt accordingly.
“The solution is a lot easier than changing people’s minds in some radical way. We simply need to to change the nature of our economy (an external environment) and behaviours will adapt accordingly.”
And how do we “change the nature of our economy” without “changing people’s minds in some radical way”?
The circumstances we find ourselves in in 2011 are generating an sustaining a significant network of movements which are kind of epitomised by the evolving ‘occupy’ movement. A counterculture which is, at the very least, sprinkling a few seeds of doubt in the wider communities.
But when the different threads try to work together, and it’s happening all over the place, they are confronted by problems which can only be positively resolved by individuals and groups ‘radically changing their minds’. External and internal environments can’t be simply decoupled.
It’s a process, is all I’m saying, and not necessarily one which is going succeed. At the moment I’m very pessimistic about our prospects.
Yup, it’s a kind of chicken and egg scenario. I’m not implying that external and internal environments are seperate and distinct….they are aspects of the one thing that reinforce one another to lend the totality a given ‘shape’. But put simply, if we are engaging in ‘a game’ with a particular set of rules that encourage some behaviours and discourage others, then it would seem obvious to focus on ‘the game’ and its rules if the intent is to alter behaviour.
We know we don’t like ‘the game’ that is this particular economy. And we know we don’t like the behaviours it endorses and encourages via it’s various reward mechanisms. But we can understand or percieve the dynamics of the economy and its effects; we can see how it works. Which means we can change things…we can incrementally withdraw our participation from ‘this game’ while similtaneously setting up a new one.
It can be done, has been done. And if a group of people (not even necessarily a huge number to begin with) are succesfully operating from a different, far more desirable economic premise that is not isolated from the dominant economic way of thinking and acting; and if they can find a way to promulgate it to the wider community/society, then hey, there’s your process.
Otherwise, are we not relying on some supernatural or mystical mechanism to affect change? It’s always been one of my bug bears with Marx, that he envisaged…even relied on or had faith invested in, some ‘spontaneous raising of consciousness’ on the part of workers. And to me, that’s no different to religion and no more likely to produce results.
Some of the misunderstanding is that I did not define aspiration. Aspiration is not a hungry person feeling like they need food to change their state to one of satisfaction. Aspiration is constantly living in the future, rather than facing today. Building a better TV is a form of aspiration. Wanting to be the world’s best wakeboarder, is aspiration. Wanting to rule your village is aspiration. Planning for your holiday is aspiration.
Anything that moves your mind forward from the present and creates an anxiety of what you imagine then not happening, is aspiration at work. Tackling real life problems as they happen is not aspiration. Aspiration is fueled by fear: what if we don’t have enough tomorrow? The line between fact and preparation and fear is very thin and aspiration is as dangerous as religion in the hands of those with child minds. It never comes with a warning. By the time a child is five they will know who Harvey Norman are, but not why they don’t need what those people sell.
It is not built into the rules that you must pile up the corpses just to eat, be healthy and participate in a society. That thinking is condescending. It shifts responsibility from the aggressor to the victim, using fear to force him to enter the culture of aspiration. It’s what politicians use: cultural violence. Nothing is easy. To stop aspiration, each individual must decide to stop, and that will come at a price. It takes courage.
I think it is hope and fear that are companions, not fear and aspiration. The anxiety of ‘what if tomorrow doesn’t pan out as hoped’ is an expression of fear rather than a result of aspiration.
Anyway, putting aside trivial yet highly destructive aspirations, what’s wrong with aspiring for a better world or a better whatever?
And whether you like it or not, it is the rules of our market economy that we ‘must pile up the corpses just to eat’, as you put it. The alternative is to be one of the corpses. It’s winners and losers with nothing inbetween. Social democracy has tried to create a space in the middle through creating various welfare provisions within core national economies. But the cost of that provisioning has been borne by those living in the peripheral national economies being subject, literally and routinely to famine and various other precarious situations. (Piling up the bodies)
The ‘civilised’ market economy flowed quite nicely and deliberately from the brutal, military backed plunderings of colonialism and ‘locked in’, albeit under a more civilised guise, the same dynamics of exploitation.
Aspiration is a positive rather than a negative. Aspiration is that quality of thinking that is transformative to the human condition, and defines our uniqueness as a species on Earth.
There is absolutely no point to having a large brain without some purpose to drive its engine – purpose is fueled by aspiration.
No, it’s not human nature. It’s the nature of psychopaths which only make up a small percentage of the population. So, why are we building and accepting a psychopathic society?
Vernon Small states that he’s heard claims that Nats polling this week did show some dips in support in the middle of the last week:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion
Good analysis of the issues from Vernon Small, including turning Key’s extreme News of the World, youth suicide arguments back on Key:
It’s worth nmoting what Small wrote aftyer that:
I agree with that.
And I also agree with Small when he suggests it was one of the stupidist tea parties ever – Key seemed to be a reluctant participant, it was a desperate attempt at camp[aign revival by Act, egged on a massive omelette scale by the media.
Truth be told, I dont really care what happens in this election as long as ACT doesnt get back in. “The good people of Epsom” have the best chance yet of voting for Goldsmith (even though he looks like a total smarmy jumped up tosser) and consigning ACT and its bunch of redneck social darwinists to the dustbin of history. I would rather National govern alone than in coalition with ACT. National only want to push you to the ground. ACT want to push you to the ground then put the boot in. I dont want the boot.
And I’m sorry, Mr George, but voters in Ohariu-Belmont also have the chance to get rid of Dunne as well, and consign that bunch of jelly fish to history (if Labour were Coke and National Pepsi, then UF would be that watered down budget cola that costs 99c a bottle)..
So if you are a left winger, who lives in Epsom, then vote Goldsmith. You have to do it. You have to ask yourself if we want Don “cut wages to catch up with Australia” Brash, John “Drink and drug crazed polynesian men are going to rape respectable white Epsom housewives” Banks, and Don “farmers can put what they like in the rivers because that’s how profits are made” Nicholson.
Agreed, I would derive great pleasure from seeing both of those pathetic parties gone, and the wretched sellout Maori party too, though that’s probably too much to ask. The best case scenario if the dubious polls are indeed right is that the Nats get the most votes but don’t have enough seats to pass asset sales legislation, mwahahahaha.
“Key seemed to be a reluctant participant, ”
Oh really? He just looked smug and enjoyed saying “Not today.” Egged on by the media? Key set the scene so is responsible for the outcome. And if he lost the smug look well and good.
+1
The media weere pestering for a cup of tea story for a week up until it happened. Act may have been behind that, the way they promoted it at their “campaign launch” indicates theyb thought it was their saviour. But to me Key had seemed lukewarm.
It was a media event, strongly promoted by media.
I agree, the tea party was in response to media pressure. Key or Banks/Brash could have come out a couple of weeks earlier and said that they had no plans for any meet up at all, and when questioned could have later said “there are no plans” instead of his stupid “not today” answer.
In fact Key could have just given a long-form answer to a question that was effectively an endorsement for Banks without actually having to go through the stupid media stunt that it was. IMO that would have worked better as it would’ve been more genuine and less crass, and obviously in hindsight we wouldn’t have had this whole stupid tape problem.
Yes, Key could have dealt with this better from the start. He didn’t instigate the circus but enabled it. But that’s history now, he couldn’t have foreseen the eventual circumstances nor the eventual media obsession with stuff all.
Purile Git git over it Conman Key has been found out
Jinxs every
The media are not running for parliament pete. It was a political stunt that backfired. If u actually believe the media wields undue influence you should have said something before – piping up now just makes you look like a NAct apologist – which you are of course.
It was a political and media stunt. That combo dominates the campaign.
How do you know what I have or haven’t said about media influence prior to this? It’s obvious the media wields significant influence and sometimes abuses that influence, this week being a prime example.
The collusion between TV3 and Winston Peters when they publicised non-sensational supposed contents of the recording – quite possibly illegally (knowing nothing coukld be done about it before the election) – waas disgraceful.
I’m not an ‘NAct’ apologist – that claim is just you with no argument so resorting to trying to smear.
I don’t think Act deserve any success this election, Brash/Banks are a disaster (Isaacs may be better). I support some National policies, positions and priorities, and disagree with others. Same for Labour and Greens.
I’ve openly supported some Green policies online and at candidate meetings. I have agreed with Clare Cullan and Michael Woodhouse and metiria Turei at candidates on some things, and I’ve also disagreed with them on other things.
“The collusion between TV3 and Winston Peters when they publicised non-sensational supposed contents of the recording – quite possibly illegally (knowing nothing coukld be done about it before the election) – waas disgraceful.”
What about the collusion of mediaworks and the Nats when they produced Shonkeys radio show ‘moonbeam at midday….’ quite possibly illegally (knowing nothing could be done about it before the election) – disgraceful too?
What is your/ united follicles policy position on foreign ownership/ regulation/ public service obligations in broadcasting and the media?
If you actually give a shit about the fourth estate how about committing to some non negotiable policy that will help it become again the conscience and defender of our democracy.
“But that’s history now, he couldn’t have foreseen the eventual circumstances nor the eventual media obsession with stuff all.”
All of a sudden the man with 137 odd spin doctors in his employ couldn’t predict what would happen when he walked out of a press conference and got the police involved in a spat with a journo? Now he is a hapless victim of circumstance?
Whatever.
Yes there is because it shows that they’re lying.
You would but then you seem all for keeping the status quo, the secrecy and unaccountability that is presently within our political system.
“Don’t we all do that; present a different face in public than in private; so is it fair to hold politicians to a different standard?”
This highlights an important part of both the cause and manifestation of the malady we call the modern world. My answer is that we should hold everyone to that standard, politician and non-politician alike.
The split between the public and the private is a very recent phenomenon. The ‘private’ sphere itself is a late construction in history.
The very word ‘society’, in fact, arises with the courtly shenanigans in Europe (hence young belles ‘entering society’ in debutante balls). Interestingly, it arises in popular contemporary commentary (roughly, 16th and 17th C) at the same time as the concept of the ‘self’ (same reason; in the Royal Courts, presentation of self became an absolute obsession since it was the way to gain favour). Even more interestingly, it is coincidental with widespread commentary on ‘melancholia’.
The public/private split is one of the contours of our modern society that needs to be eroded. It encourages a lack of ‘integrity’ (literally, an integrated character – across time and situations).
he also has this piece with Kate Chapman.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/fairfax-media-poll/5996629/Tape-talk-private-say-voters
Funny how he neglects to mention how RNZ gave them a platform to talk policy from
and National ‘declined to respond’
on the private/public debate, this photo simply shuts the door on any suggestions this was a private situation
http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webcontent/image/jpg/201147/SCCZEN_A_121111NZLDWKEY01_460x230.JPG
Note the opening where there is no soundproof glass to the right of Key. Private? Never!
Exactly right Ianmac.Could be seen on Campbell Live the other evening (Wed.orThurs) that someone was leaning around that opening just over John Key’s back . Key had to know he was there.
How on earth could the idiots think they could not be over heard and so could have private/secret conversation???? It defies belief that they felt they could be so indiscreet.
This meeting was just a stage managed set up so I thought. It would never have occurred to me that the idiots would use it to discuss serious private and duplicitous matters!! It was only a ten minute cuppa!
Is not jk head of NZSIS? The example he sets of intelligent behaviour in Epsom should score ‘well below average’ on his carefully thought out national standards.
Re Phil Goff not remembering figures when Duncan Garner demanded he produce them without reference to his notes was typical bully boy behaviour by man-child Garner.
I think most people will see through it.
It’s one thing to ‘not have costings prepared yet’ (so claimed at the press ‘debate’), it’s quite another to have them written on a piece of paper in front of you and not being allowed to read the number off.
Key never has that problem of needing a crib sheet because he never fronts up for serious interviews and therefore needs to give no answers.
Aye, and any answers he does give are subject to change from day to day anyway, due to the dinimic environment.
How dare Garner say ‘no, don’t look them up’ to Phil Goff. It wasn’t a primary school mental arithemetic test for crying out loud.!!!!!!
He was the one that asked for the exact / projected (oxymoron?) figures. He had already been told by Goff that they would be lowish, like20-50million to start with, and then grow. If he wanted more accurate figures, Phil had the exact figures to hand to tell him. And yet Phil was told – ‘no, no don’t look” !?! Are you sure??
How rude,arrogant,priggish and ignorant the silly little Garner was. His childish behaviour was right up there with the ‘stupidest tea party’ ever this week..
I despair of New Zealand ‘s media when we have such pathetic journalists as ‘uriah heepish not-a-clue’ Duncan Garner doing his level best to back the duplicity and ghastly exploitation of our democratic principles as practised by johnkey and his national party.
Go and get a drink Duncan and look carefully at a future career in the used car trade- you’d be a sure fire winner there.Just your mental level, judging by your journalistic beheviour.
(And Rebecca Wright tried to do a hatchet job on Goff on 3News last night with this spin.Has she gone to the dark side now she is in the gallery or was she ‘guided’ into doing this story by her political editor?)
Goff should have said – hey Duncan, why don’t you conduct the rest of your interview without any notes mate and so will I.
CV, Phil should have shut him down straight off and said, “I will refer to my notes – I don’t need your permission” and given Garner the steely stare I know he can.
Who the hell does that corpulent little toad think he is? He exists in a sea of unthinking, arse-licking hacks who would gladly serve as Key’s toilet paper for the rest of their lives.
seeker I know you were trying to be kind but I wouldn’t rate Garner worthy of a post even as a used car salesman.
Actually, I thought Key had to use notes when he is giving speeches or in a debate, but Goff generally doesn’t seem to.
Correct. Key had notes at the televised leaders debate. Goff did not
I look forward to him being asked to make his points “without looking John” from here on in
Ace idea Banter. Some one suggest this to John Campbell for Monday’s debate. If he’s not sure how to carry this out, he can always ask his tv3 colleague- the school exam invigilator himself Mr.Snape- Garner.
I agree that expecting any politician to remember every detail is unreasonable. Not much different to forgetting details of one of hundreds of personal conversations on the campaign trail.
But in the heat of their biggest ego event not all political mediapeople think reasonable.
Wasn’t it clever to dig up the footage from the debate. To bad they didn’t show Key reading from his notes.Paul Mcartney was wrong ($ 43 million ) can buy plenty of love.
A court prosecutor has offical deem
that an executive should stand trial
for the unlawful deaths of 29 men.
The local Mayor, still blithly makes
out he such a nice guy. Sorry, but
isn’t that the problem, nice guys
are often compensating (with niceness)
for not doing their jobs, alledgedly.
Has a she’ll be right mentality locked
NZ into periodic decline? Leading to
child poverty, young migration overseas,
managers who run a tight safety regime?
Begger thy neighbor attitude ever
presenting in the latest round of government
cutting. Key is a nice guy too.
Property is a tax, its a tax on everyone that
has lost their access to use the property, now
conveniently forgotten when talking about
tax cuts for those who own the most
property, not tax cuts for those who have
little in the way of property.
Local mayor Cockshaun wants more mining loves the Jinxed Conman Key
I had a dream…but it started as a nightmare.
A nightmare of bickering and bull, where egos and ideologies over ruled…
check your link
Not sure what happened there, have another go…
http://www.3news.co.nz/Key-keeps-meeting-with-Anadarko-boss-quiet/tabid/1160/articleID/233099/Default.aspx
[…] John Key made time in his diary this week for a secretive meeting with the boss of an oil company that wants to undertake deep sea drilling off New Zealand’s coast. The company is controversial; it was party to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico, one of the biggest environmental disasters in history. […]
Con mankey has aged considerably in the last week and it shows so much so that Next week he’ll be having a secret cup of tea with Winston who he will be needing to form a government.
Just another broken promise [lie]par for the course .Any one with shares in race horses look for an increase in funding next year.200,00 children will have to miss out.
mik e. kweewee is a jinx allright.
if he gets another term then the whole weight of bad luck will come down on new zealand.
Spilling outright lies
It is clear that the oil and gas industry tries to minimize negative public perception and financial liability by falsely reporting the amount of oil spilled. It is much the same with fracking, with continued spills showing that self regulation and weak administration has failed to ensure environmental safety…
The victims of the Exxon Valdez have yet to receive one cent in compensation . Exxon just keeps tying it up in litigation.
The victims of pike river are in the same quandary after another broken promise by Nationals Brownoselee &manKey only one person has received the help all New Zealanders contributed to and now its 1st year anniversary for these grieving families.It shows the same level of concern that National had for the safety of the miners.SCF gets $1.6 billion straight away national voters mostly I bet!
I normally believe in polls, especially if they are all saying the same thing, but the latest roy morgan poll has the greens at 13%?????
FROM ROY MORGAN
The latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows Prime Minister John Key’s National Party set for a clear victory in next Saturday’s New Zealand election with National (53%, unchanged) increasing its lead over the Labour Party (24.5%, down 1.5%). Support for the Green Party (13%, up 1%) has continued to increase while New Zealand First (3%, down 1.5%), ACT NZ (1.5%, up 0.5%) and United Future ( > 0.5%, unchanged) will all struggle to win seats in the new Parliament.
Anyone heard a rumour that National will means test super and (possibly aggregate other superannuation that you might be drawing) – claiming the changed state of the economy as the reason – below the radar at the moment but using the similar argument as they did for GST? Seems to be plausible considering the way Key has dismissed Labour’s plans to make superannuation more affordable.
Remember Key’s remark during the CGT chat that the rich will just find other ways to hide assets.
And this will also fit as the very rich will find ways of hiding assets against Means Testing.
Wouldn’t it be great if National really followed Labour’s lead and got serious about finding ways to deal with those asset cheats or even legal ways of Avoidance..
Possibly the best yet, the recording of Key and Banks having a public conversation is as bad as…a bomb! Yes, a bomb, that thing that blows up buildings and makes people explode…
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10767070
Granted it’s Paul Holmes practically writing a National press release (think he gets paid twice for those pieces? Once by the tories and once by the paper) but still. A bomb?
Key ruined a very useful and accurate word when, in the minds of people, he associated dynamic with lying. It’s going to take some time to find a similar word that is readily understood. Thanks, Key: a knighthood for destructive services to the English language.
keep using the word properly. The Left is too keen to cede languaging to the Right. Key is an asshole.
Actually I think Key has added a new word to the English lexicon – dinamic meaning to lie, as in “dinamic environment’ meaning an environment which facilitates lying or causes/allows one to lie. Princess Anne did a similar thing when she introduced the endearing word “naff” which can be used in the following ways: “‘John Key’s smile is so naff now,” or “John Key’s lies are naff .” or, “I wish John Key would naff off to Hawaii for good.”
Spinsters have quite a record with word destruction. During the nineties “passion” was chucked around quite a bit as a euphemism for greed. And “aspirational” has had its tedious run: since aspiration means breathing as well as wanting more money and prestige (in Keyspeak), I presume these aspirational people want all the oxygen as well.
Fran Wild nails Key, tells him to “harden up”
“Fast forward another 10 years and I am sure the Google cache will still be bringing up stories on how – on the eve of a general election – police targeted New Zealand media on Key’s wishes.
Maybe police should have charged Key for wasting their time.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10767130
Be interesting to see the format on Monday night TV 3 7-8:30, for the Leaders Debate chaired by John Campbell. Key V Goff.
For me I will watch Key’s body talk and at times try listening with eyes closed to check on the credibility away from the “boyish charm.”
Ah yes thanks, I wasn’t sure when that was on.
Is there any chance at this late stage before the election that the media. or even the Standard for that matter, will get back to the election opening broadcasts – reflecting the various parties’ values and differences in terms of competence, honesty and commitment to a fairer society?
Well we know that the nats will sell off our power companies to multinationals if they get the numbers in the election. That’s the only issue of importance for me. So that’s why I’m giving my party vote to Winston Peters for the first time ever. He is totally opposed to asset sales and most importantly is most effective as an opposition mp.
Labour have been useless in opposition so for the first time ever they don’t get my party vote. I don’t care what other policies nz1 espouse, who gives a shit, I’m desperate. Asset sales is all I’m interested in and Peters unlike Labour knows how to speak to the public via the media and get a coherent message across. Perhaps with Peters’ example then Labour might realise what being opposition MPs actually means.
Interestingly my father has always been a national voter but he is adamantly opposed to asset sales and in a quandary about who to vote for. I would say there are a lot of older voters like him. I advised him to vote for Peters as a tactical move; he agrees.
And do you believe that Peters will remain unalligned to any party. Stick by HIS word ? Voting away from National to a “maybe”, is exactly what National want and a good way to ensure asset sales will go through. The cup a tea was the same strategy.
riding my motorbike down south I saw a hoarding for Maryanne Street as local Labour candidate. Who? I havent heard a word from her as an opposition mp in the past three years. Same with most of the rest of the high list ranking Labour mps. Im guessing Peters hates the nats due to their campaign against him prior to last election and opposes asset sales. Thats enough for me.
Some interesting twists by other National MP’s manipulating statistics this weekend in deceptive ways.
Judith Collins quoted her role as a “spectatular” success and not one piece of investigation into the “7% drop in crime” claim by Key also..So magically this election swinging issue has crime minimalised because Judiths on to it? Boot camp was a vote winner in 2008..?
2010/2011 Negligent acts endangering others up17.2%; SEXUALOFFENCES up 14.9% SEXUALASSAULT up12.3%;MANSLAUGHTER AND DRIVING CAUSING DEATH up 12.9%;ABDUCTION AND KIDNAPPING up 8.4%;DECEPTIVE BUSINESS/GOVERNMENT PRACTICES up 18.2%;
FRAUD AND DECEPTION OFFENCES up 3%; BREACH OF VIOLENCE AND NON-VIOLENCE RESTRAINING ORDERS up; COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRY/FINANCIAL REGULATION up 53.3 %. Biggest rise and more money ever to “white collar crime” at a cost to every citizen.
Public Sector cuts..CYFs struggling to cope with quote Ministers report over 2400 reports of child abuse EVERY WEEK..Police for all crime in this reported year had average of 65% resolution
Why are such misrepresentations unchallenged ?