Open mike 20/01/2021
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- 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #51
A listing of 25 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, December 15, 2024 thru Sat, December 21, 2024. Based on feedback we received, this week's roundup is the first one published soleley by category. We are still interested in ...6 hours ago - Dance Magic
Well, I've been there, sitting in that same chairWhispering that same prayer half a million timesIt's a lie, though buried in disciplesOne page of the Bible isn't worth a lifeThere's nothing wrong with youIt's true, it's trueThere's something wrong with the villageWith the villageSomething wrong with the villageSongwriters: Andrew Jackson ...18 hours ago - Government Forces Universities to Enforce “Free Speech” While Limiting Universities̵...
ACT would like to dictate what universities can and can’t say. We knew it was coming. It was outlined in the coalition agreement and has become part of Seymour’s strategy of “emphasising public funding” to prevent people from opposing him and his views—something he also uses to try and de-platform ...18 hours ago - Fact brief – Are we heading into an ‘ice age’?
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The Natural Choice: As a starter for ten percent of the Party Vote, “saving the planet” is a very respectable objective. Young voters, in particular, raised on the dire (if unheeded) warnings of climate scientists, and the irrefutable evidence of devastating weather events linked to global warming, vote Green. After ...2 days ago - Bernard’s last Saturday Soliloquy for 2024
The Government cancelled 60% of Kāinga Ora’s new builds next year, even though the land for them was already bought, the consents were consented and there are builders unemployed all over the place. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāMōrena. Long stories short, the six things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political ...2 days ago - Bernard’s Picks ‘n’ Mixes for Saturday, December 21
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The government published its first Biennial Transparency Report under the Paris Agreement yesterday, and the media has correctly noted that it is missing any plan to actually meet our target. While it hypes domestic emissions reductions so far - which have been good, but will likely get worse thanks to ...3 days ago
- Economic Bulletin December 2024
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- The baby-boomers’ last gasp
The Government can head off to the holidays, entitled to assure itself that it has done more or less what it said it would do. The campaign last year promised to “get New Zealand back on track.” When you look at the basic promises—to trim back Government expenditure, toughen up ...3 days ago - Skeptical Science New Research for Week #51 2024
Open access notables An intensification of surface Earth’s energy imbalance since the late 20th century, Li et al., Communications Earth & Environment: Tracking the energy balance of the Earth system is a key method for studying the contribution of human activities to climate change. However, accurately estimating the surface energy balance ...3 days ago
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“Like you said, I’m an unreconstructed socialist. Everybody deserves to get something for Christmas.”“ONE OF THOSE had better be for me!” Hannah grinned, fascinated, as Laurie made his way, gingerly, to the bar, his arms full of gift-wrapped packages.“Of course!”, beamed Laurie. Depositing his armful on the bar-top and selecting ...4 days ago
- GDP Figures No Christmas Present for New Zealand
Data released by Statistics New Zealand today showed a significant slowdown in the economy over the past six months, with GDP falling by 1% in September, and 1.1% in June said CTU Economist Craig Renney. “The data shows that the size of the economy in GDP terms is now smaller ...4 days ago
- Cheeseburgers and Stunt Monkeys
One last thing before I quitI never wanted any moreThan I could fit into my headI still remember every single word you saidAnd all the shit that somehow came along with itStill, there's one thing that comforts meSince I was always caged and now I'm freeSongwriters: David Grohl / Georg ...4 days ago - MSD rejecting 220 pleas for food grants each day
Sparse offerings outside a Te Kauwhata church. Meanwhile, the Government is cutting spending in ways that make thousands of hungry children even hungrier, while also cutting funding for the charities that help them. It’s also doing that while winding back new building of affordable housing that would allow parents to ...4 days ago
- The Wing Parties’ Economic Policies.
It is difficult to make sense of the Luxon Coalition Government’s economic management.This end-of-year review about the state of economic management – the state of the economy was last week – is not going to cover the National Party contribution. Frankly, like every other careful observer, I cannot make up ...4 days ago - Back on Track
This morning I awoke to the lovely news that we are firmly back on track, that is if the scale was reversed.NZ ranks low in global economic comparisonsNew Zealand's economy has been ranked 33rd out of 37 in an international comparison of which have done best in 2024.Economies were ranked ...4 days ago - Book Review: How Big Things Get Done
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Remember those silent movies where the heroine is tied to the railway tracks or going over the waterfall in a barrel? Finance Minister Nicola Willis seems intent on portraying herself as that damsel in distress. According to Willis, this country’s current economic problems have all been caused by the spending ...4 days ago - Dragging our way towards the finish line, the end of this year can’t come soon enough for many…
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Dear Nicola Willis, thank you for letting us know in so many words that the swingeing austerity hasn't worked.By in so many words I mean the bit where you said, Here is a sea of red ink in which we are drowning after twelve months of savage cost cutting and ...4 days ago - Open Government: The joke ends
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This is a must watch, and puts on brilliant and practical display the implications and mechanics of fast-track law corruption and weakness.CLICK HERE: LINK TO WATCH VIDEOOur news media as it is set up is simply not equipped to deal with the brazen disinformation and corruption under this right wing ...5 days ago - NZCTU: Minister needs to listen to the evidence on engineered stone ban
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- Wednesday 18 December
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Hi there! I’ve been overseas recently, looking after a situation with a family member. So apologies if there any less than focused posts! Vanuatu has just had a significant 7.3 earthquake. Two MFAT staff are unaccounted for with local fatalities.It’s always sad to hear of such things happening.I think of ...5 days ago - Member’s morning
Today is a special member's morning, scheduled to make up for the government's theft of member's days throughout the year. First up was the first reading of Greg Fleming's Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill, which was passed unanimously. Currently the House is debating the third reading of ...5 days ago
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- December-24 AT Board Meeting
Today the Auckland Transport board meet for the last time this year. For those interested (and with time to spare), you can follow along via this MS Teams link from 10am. I’ve taken a quick look through the agenda items to see what I think the most interesting aspects are. ...5 days ago
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Probably about the only consolation available from yesterday’s unveiling of the Half-Yearly Economic and Fiscal Update (HYEFU) is that it could have been worse. Though Finance Minister Nicola Willis has tightened the screws on future government spending, she has resisted the calls from hard-line academics, fiscal purists and fiscal hawks ...5 days ago
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Long story short: the Government’s austerity policy has driven the economy into a deeper and longer recession that means it will have to borrow $20 billion more over the next four years than it expected just six months ago. Treasury’s latest forecasts show the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s fiscal strategy of ...5 days ago
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Some years ago, I found myself pondering the power of literature to endure. Or at least the power of some of it to endure, while the rest vanishes in mere decades: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2019/08/07/look-on-my-works-ye-mighty-and-despair-the-literary-future/. I have similarly had fun with the subject in some of my short stories, such as Another Alexandria ...5 days ago - Corrections is torturing prisoners again
In 1998, in the wake of the Paremoremo Prison riot, the Department of Corrections established the "Behaviour Management Regime". Prisoners were locked in their cells for 22 or 23 hours a day, with no fresh air, no exercise, no social contact, no entertainment, and in some cases no clothes and ...6 days ago
- HYEFU and BPS data shows New Zealand is way off track
New data released by the Treasury shows that the economic policies of this Government have made things worse in the year since they took office, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney. “Our fiscal indicators are all heading in the wrong direction – with higher levels of debt, a higher deficit, and ...6 days ago
- “Better economic management”
At the 2023 election, National basically ran on a platform of being better economic managers. So how'd that turn out for us? In just one year, they've fucked us for two full political terms: The government's books are set to remain deeply in the red for the near term ...6 days ago
- Shameless, clueless
AUSTERITYText within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedMy spreadsheet insists This pain leads straight to glory (File not found) Read more ...6 days ago - Minimum wage ‘increase’ is an effective cut
The NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi are saying that the Government should do the right thing and deliver minimum wage increases that don’t see workers fall further behind, in response to today’s announcement that the minimum wage will only be increased by 1.5%, well short of forecast inflation. “With inflation forecast ...6 days ago
- Crazy ’bout a Sharp-dressed Man
Oh, I weptFor daysFilled my eyesWith silly tearsOh, yeaBut I don'tCare no moreI don't care ifMy eyes get soreSongwriters: Paul Rodgers / Paul Kossoff. Read more ...6 days ago - How much should you worry about a collapse of the Atlantic conveyor belt?
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Bob Henson In this aerial view, fingers of meltwater flow from the melting Isunnguata Sermia glacier descending from the Greenland Ice Sheet on July 11, 2024, near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland. According to the Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet (PROMICE), the ...6 days ago
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In August, I wrote an article about David Seymour1 with a video of his testimony, to warn that there were grave dangers to his Ministry of Regulation:David Seymour's Ministry of Slush Hides Far Greater RisksWhy Seymour's exorbitant waste of taxpayers' money could be the least of concernThe money for Seymour ...6 days ago - When austerity worsens public debt & cuts GDP
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And if there is a GodI know he likes to rockHe likes his loud guitarsHis spiders from MarsAnd if there is a GodI know he's watching meHe likes what he seesBut there's trouble on the breezeSongwriter: William Patrick Corgan Read more ...7 days ago - A Lipstick Government
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Iain Rennie, CNZMSecretary and Chief Executive to the TreasuryDear Secretary, Undue restrictions on restricted briefings This week, the Treasury barred representatives from four organisations, including the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi, from attending the restricted briefing for the Half-Year Economic and Fiscal Update. We had been ...7 days ago
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- Thank You
Hi all,I'm pretty overwhelmed by all your messages and emails today; thank you so very much.As much as my newsletter this morning was about money, and we all need to earn money, it was mostly about world domination if I'm honest. 😉I really hate what’s happening to our country, and ...1 week ago - 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #50
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- Making Gravy
I started writing this morning about Hobson’s Pledge, examining the claims they and their supporters make, basically ripping into them. But I kept getting notifications coming through, and not good ones.Each time I looked up, there was another un-subscription message, and I felt a bit sicker at the thought of ...1 week ago - Nothing here but the shadows
Once, long before there was Harry and Meghan and Dodi and all those episodes of The Crown, they came to spend some time with us, Charles and Diana. Was there anyone in the world more glamorous than the Princess of Wales?Dazzled as everyone was by their company, the leader of ...1 week ago - The United Right: the FSU’s Continued Efforts to Undermine Academia
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Just ten days ago, South Korea's president attempted a self-coup, declaring martial law and attempting to have opposition MPs murdered or arrested in an effort to seize unconstrained power. The attempt was rapidly defeated by the national assembly voting it down and the people flooding the streets to defend democracy. ...1 week ago
- 2 Men, 1 Haircut
Hi,“What I love about New Zealanders is that sometimes you use these expressions that as Americans we have no idea what those things mean!"I am watching a 30-something year old American ramble on about how different New Zealanders are to Americans. It’s his podcast, and this man is doing a ...1 week ago - Chris Penk’s Hate Parade
What Chris Penk has granted holocaust-denier and equal-opportunity-bigot Candace Owens is not “freedom of speech”. It’s not even really freedom of movement, though that technically is the right she has been granted. What he has given her is permission to perform. Freedom of SpeechIn New Zealand, the right to freedom ...1 week ago - Tell me a story
All those tears on your cheeksJust like deja vu flow nowWhen grandmother speaksSo tell me a story (I'll tell you a story)Spell it out, I can't hear (What do you want to hear?)Why you wear black in the morning?Why there's smoke in the air? Songwriter: Greg Johnson.Mōrena all ☀️Something a ...1 week ago
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National has only been in power for a year, but everywhere you look, its choices are taking New Zealand a long way backwards. In no particular order, here are the National Government's Top 50 Greatest Misses of its first year in power. ...2 days ago - Release: Minister’s plan for tertiary sector a backwards step
Returning to the model that was failing for most polytechnics and Institutes of Technology is not the answer. ...3 days ago
- Release: National buries 1019 planned homes
It’s been revealed that National has cancelled 60 percent of its housing projects planned before mid-2025 amidst housing woes. ...3 days ago
- Release: Rule-Czar bill a right-wing power grab
The Government is quietly undertaking consultation on the dangerous Regulatory Standards Bill over the Christmas period to avoid too much attention. ...3 days ago
- Release: Why not both? Luxon shuns Waitangi celebrations
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is running away from problems of his own creation, with his decision not to go to Waitangi. ...4 days ago
- Govt’s ‘free speech’ legislation stokes fear, not freedom
The Government’s planned changes to the freedom of speech obligations of universities is little more than a front for stoking the political fires of disinformation and fear, placing teachers and students in the crosshairs. ...4 days ago - Release: Nicola Willis spirals country deeper into recession
The economy shrank 1% this quarter and New Zealand has tumbled into the depths of a recession of Nicola Willis’ making. ...4 days ago
- Release: Hikes for company directors but not ordinary Kiwis
Working people are going backwards while company directors are being given huge pay hikes. ...5 days ago
- ECE no place to cut corners
The Ministry of Regulation’s report into Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Aotearoa raises serious concerns about the possibility of lowering qualification requirements, undermining quality and risking worse outcomes for tamariki, whānau, and kaiako. ...5 days ago
- Release: Strengthening Justice Services for New Zealanders
A Bill to modernise the role of Justices of the Peace (JP), ensuring they remain active in their communities and connected with other JPs, has been put into the ballot. ...5 days ago
- Release: Labour will continue fight against destructive projects
Labour will continue to fight unsustainable and destructive projects that are able to leap-frog environment protection under National’s Fast-track Approvals Bill. ...5 days ago
- Green Government will revoke dodgy fast-track projects
The Green Party has warned that a Green Government will revoke the consents of companies who override environmental protections as part of Fast-Track legislation being passed today. ...5 days ago
- Government for the wealthy keeps pushing austerity
The Green Party says the Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update shows how the Government is failing to address the massive social and infrastructure deficits our country faces. ...6 days ago
- Release: Visa changes let migrant workers be paid less
The Government’s latest move to reduce the earnings of migrant workers will not only hurt migrants but it will drive down the wages of Kiwi workers. ...6 days ago
- Release: Nightmare before Christmas for Nicola Willis
With more debt and a larger deficit, Nicola Willis’ reputation is in tatters after her failure to return the Government’s books to surplus. ...6 days ago
- Warning to Fast-Track Applicants – ‘Exploit the Whenua, Face the Consequences’
Te Pāti Māori has this morning issued a stern warning to Fast-Track applicants with interests in mining, pledging to hold them accountable through retrospective liability and to immediately revoke Fast-Track consents under a future Te Pāti Māori government. This warning comes ahead of today’s third reading of the Fast-Track Approvals ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt cuts wages for lowest paid NZers… again
For the second year running, the government has effectively cut wages for the lowest paid workers in New Zealand. ...6 days ago
- Govt’s miserly 1.5% minimum wage will take workers backwards
The Government’s announcement today of a 1.5 per cent increase to minimum wage is another blow for workers, with inflation projected to exceed the increase, meaning it’s a real terms pay reduction for many. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt shirking responsibility for rate hikes
All the Government has achieved from its announcement today is to continue to push responsibility back on councils for its own lack of action to help bring down skyrocketing rates. ...6 days ago
- Luxon’s ‘localism’ strikes again
The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing. ...6 days ago
- Release: Govt breaks promise on EV chargers
The Government has failed to keep its promise to ‘super charge’ the EV network, delivering just 292 chargers - less than half of the 670 chargers needed to meet its target. ...7 days ago
- Greens call for end to subsidies for Methanex
The Green Party is calling for the Government to stop subsidising the largest user of the country’s gas supplies, Methanex, following a report highlighting the multi-national’s disproportionate influence on energy prices in Aotearoa. ...7 days ago
- Govt child poverty targets allow for increase in poverty
The Green Party is appalled with the Government’s new child poverty targets that are based on a new ‘persistent poverty’ measure that could be met even with an increase in child poverty. ...1 week ago
- Release: Four weeks annual leave under threat
The Government’s attack on workers continues with news it is scrapping work on the Holidays Act. ...1 week ago
- Govt’s emissions plan for measly 1% reduction
New independent analysis has revealed that the Government’s Emissions Reduction Plan (ERP) will reduce emissions by a measly 1 per cent by 2030, failing to set us up for the future and meeting upcoming targets. ...1 week ago
- Greens stand in solidarity with Whakaata Māori on sad day
The loss of 27 kaimahi at Whakaata Māori and the end of its daily news bulletin is a sad day for Māori media and another step backwards for Te Tiriti o Waitangi justice. ...1 week ago
- Sanctions regime to create more hardship for families
Yesterday the Government passed cruel legislation through first reading to establish a new beneficiary sanction regime that will ultimately mean more households cannot afford the basic essentials. ...1 week ago
- Govt gifts renters housing anxiety for Christmas
Today's passing of the Government's Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill–which allows landlords to end tenancies with no reason–ignores the voice of the people and leaves renters in limbo ahead of the festive season. ...1 week ago
- Release: National Party urged to support modern slavery legislation
Labour is urging the Prime Minister to walk the talk and support legislation combating modern slavery. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour has lost confidence in the Speaker
The Speaker of the New Zealand Parliament made an unprecedented decision on the government amendment to the Fast Track Approvals Bill last night. ...2 weeks ago
- One year on, still no progress on new ferries
Today’s announcement from the Government on its plan for new ferries throws more uncertainty on the future of the country’s rail network. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Nicola Willis’ smaller ferries will cost more
After wasting a year, Nicola Willis has delivered a worse deal for the Cook Strait ferries that will end up being more expensive and take longer to arrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Bill to sanction unlawful occupation of Palestine
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick has today launched a Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as the All Out For Gaza rally reaches Parliament. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour fully supports greyhound racing ban
The Government has done the right thing in moving to ban greyhound racing. ...2 weeks ago
- Greyhound racing industry ban marks new era for animal welfare
After years of advocacy, the Green Party is very happy to hear the Government has listened to our collective voices and announced the closure of the greyhound racing industry, by 1 August 2026. ...2 weeks ago
- Rangatahi voices must be centred in Government’s Relationship and Sexuality Education refresh
In response to a new report from ERO, the Government has acknowledged the urgent need for consistency across the curriculum for Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in schools. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt introduces archaic anti-worker legislation
The Green Party is appalled at the Government introducing legislation that will make it easier to penalise workers fighting for better pay and conditions. ...2 weeks ago
- Winston Peters – Kinleith Mill Speech
Thank you for the invitation to speak with you tonight on behalf of the political party I belong to - which is New Zealand First. As we have heard before this evening the Kinleith Mill is proposing to reduce operations by focusing on pulp and discontinuing “lossmaking paper production”. They say that they are currently consulting on the plan to permanently shut ...2 weeks ago - Swarbrick calls on Auckland Mayor to end delay of revival of St James Theatre
Auckland Central MP, Chlöe Swarbrick, has written to Mayor Wayne Brown requesting he stop the unnecessary delays on St James Theatre’s restoration. ...2 weeks ago
- He Ara Anamata: Greens launch Emissions Reduction Plan
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- Internationally-trained doctors jump at chance to boost health workforce
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says Health New Zealand will move swiftly to support dozens of internationally-trained doctors already in New Zealand on their journey to employment here, after a tripling of sought-after examination places. “The Medical Council has delivered great news for hardworking overseas doctors who want to contribute ...18 hours ago - PM appoints business leader to APEC Business Advisory Council
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has appointed Sarah Ottrey to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC). “At my first APEC Summit in Lima, I experienced firsthand the role that ABAC plays in guaranteeing political leaders hear the voice of business,” Mr Luxon says. “New Zealand’s ABAC representatives are very well respected and ...3 days ago
- New intelligence oversight appointments
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- New housing developments able to progress more quickly
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- Actions to speed up air travel delivering results
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- Ending contracted emergency housing in Rotorua
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- Vocational education and training decisions support return to regions
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- Reducing the environmental impact of synthetic refrigerants
The Government is taking action to better manage synthetic refrigerants and reduce emissions caused by greenhouse gases found in heating and cooling products, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says. “Regulations will be drafted to support a product stewardship scheme for synthetic refrigerants, Ms. Simmonds says. “Synthetic refrigerants are found in a ...3 days ago
- Ngāruawāhia section of Waikato Expressway back to 4 lanes for Christmas
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- Appointments to the ENZ board
Tertiary Education and Skills Minister, Penny Simmonds, has announced a new appointment to the board of Education New Zealand (ENZ). Dr Erik Lithander has been appointed as a new member of the ENZ board for a three-year term until 30 January 2028. “I would like to welcome Dr Erik Lithander to the ...4 days ago
- Government to celebrate Waitangi Day around NZ
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- More gangs added to Gangs Act list
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- GDP data highlights importance of growth
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- Strengthening Free Speech in Universities
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- Funding confirmed for second Ashburton Bridge
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- Fire and Emergency New Zealand final levy rates confirmed
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- More AML relief on the way for Kiwi businesses
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- Government seeks partnerships to plant trees on Crown-owned-land
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- Wide ranging legislation to make justice system more efficient
Court timeliness, access to justice, and improving the quality of existing regulation are the focus of a series of law changes introduced to Parliament today by Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee. The three Bills in the Regulatory Systems (Justice) Amendment Bill package each improve a different part of the ...5 days ago
- Diverse skills in community trust appointments
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- Torture redress for survivors of the Lake Alice Unit
The Government has confirmed how it will provide redress to survivors who were tortured at the Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital Child and Adolescent Unit (the Lake Alice Unit). “The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care found that many of the 362 children who went through the Lake Alice Unit between 1972 and ...5 days ago
- A busy year in the House
It has been a busy, productive year in the House as the coalition Government works hard to get New Zealand back on track, Leader of the House Chris Bishop says. “This Government promised to rebuild the economy, restore law and order and reduce the cost of living. Our record this ...5 days ago
- Consultation opens on working with engineered stone
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- Greater reporting on Treaty settlement commitments
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- New appointments to the Charities Registration Board
Mr Roger Holmes Miller and Ms Tarita Hutchinson have been appointed to the Charities Registration Board, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Louise Upston says. “I would like to welcome the new members joining the Charities Registration Board. “The appointment of Ms Hutchinson and Mr Miller will strengthen the Board’s capacity ...5 days ago
- Building consent processing times improve
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- Faster access to support through Innovation Fund
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey is proud to announce the first three recipients of the Government’s $10 million Mental Health and Addiction Community Sector Innovation Fund which will enable more Kiwis faster access to mental health and addiction support. “This fund is part of the Government’s commitment to investing in ...5 days ago
- New Zealand to assist Vanuatu on earthquake response
New Zealand is providing Vanuatu assistance following yesterday's devastating earthquake, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. "Vanuatu is a member of our Pacific family and we are supporting it in this time of acute need," Mr Peters says. "Our thoughts are with the people of Vanuatu, and we will be ...5 days ago
- Government takes steps to reduce card fees for Kiwis
The Government welcomes the Commerce Commission’s plan to reduce card fees for Kiwis by an estimated $260 million a year, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says.“The Government is relentlessly focused on reducing the cost of living, so Kiwis can keep more of their hard-earned income and live a ...5 days ago
- Review recommends ECE regulation shakeup
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- Offshore Renewable Energy Bill passes first reading
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- Local Government (Water Services) Bill passes first reading
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- Gene Technology Bill passes first reading
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- Vanuatu quake: Warnings as bad weather threat looms for Port Vila
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Interesting article on Stuff this morning.
Police slash annual cannabis operation, blind siding frontline staff and officials | Stuff.co.nz
Hopefully this indicates a change in focus to the meth industry which is substantially more harmful.
$700,000 seems a lot considering that the air force already owns the helicopters, so that's just fuel, maintenance, and maybe staffing (but that'd be army pilots and police spotters? So already employed just reassigned). I do know from once living in rural parts near a usually tranquil growing area, those helicopters flying so low are really loud and annoying. Far worse than tourist flights which are at least on the way somewhere rather than circling for days over the same area.
Police realise that alcohol 'meth etc are the dangerous drugs and targeting gangs is where resources should be focused.
Since 501's returning to NZ are making gangs much nastier most gangs are carrying guns most of the time that is a real threat to the safety of police and public.
A fantastic performance from the new No. 1 in test cricket.
India chased down the third highest total to win the test and series in Australia @ The Gabba. They were without their inspirational captain, the bowling attack had 4 tests caps between them at a venue Australia hadn't lost at since 1988.
It all came down to the final session, where the tired, combatitive Australians didn't have an answer for the momentum of the Indians.
Two views:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/19/india-clinch-australia-test-series-with-historic-win-at-gabba
and a closer look at Australian way of playing:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/123990111/mark-reason-australias-cricket-loses-honour-in-shameful-short-bowling-assault-on-india
It was sport and its absolute best.
I enjoyed every minute of that final session.
Well done India
Yes it was great to watch Australia get beaten. I have not forgiven Warner and Smith for sand paper-gate. And Paine the newish captain seems to be no different with the verbal abuse of batsmen. Smith has not learnt anything either with his purposely scuffing out the batsmen's markings. Aussies win at all costs attitude no matter how dirty got beaten this time.
You guys make Australia look like Scotland’s England.
Well 'if the cap fits, wear it' even if it is the green baggy.
Maybe you need flax kilts to dry your eyes with
I think Paine may be in for some more pain from Aussie supporters / media.
He said "cant wait to get you to the GABBA" in his sledging. I would say his captaincy may be on shaky ground.
Yep, an excuse to bring Smith back in as captain
Loiden arp cobbah. Fee sarkathasav mite.
Pass on the parse
lighten up cobber, fair suck of the sav mate
Thanks.
After all that head scratching it turned out to be just a bit of a whine
I was surprised that Smith deliberately rubbing the marks out didn't get more traction.
Abrasive characters that mob.
We need to change our practices.
Spraying this stuff around willy-nilly must stop. I watched the local contractor applying 'spray' to the roadside on a day that could only be described as windy.
Time for Councils to review their contracts and phase out the Glyphosate.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/434807/japan-warns-it-will-block-nz-honey-shipments-if-glyphosate-limits-breached
Have no doubt, this will be the reaction….
Don't know if you are in Wellington, but I've experienced this several times when I've been out walking. Yuk.
This is my favourite Roundup story…
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/regional/298594/contractors-told-to-wear-masks-when-spraying
A full meeting of the Christchurch City Council has been told council contractors are not wearing masks when applying a weed killer classed as a probable carcinogen.
The council's parks manager Andrew Rutledge told today's council meeting that workers applying the weedkiller on parks and pathways had been told not to wear protective masks so as not to alarm the public.
"The contractors response is that they don't want to frighten the public, so essentially they don't want to be seen in public spaces wearing the appropriate equipment because it naturally gives off quite a scary image."
And an update from the CCC.
https://newsline.ccc.govt.nz/news/story/increase-in-glyphosate-use-could-save-millions
Good grief !!
That is a bit of a shocker.
Australian cricket is the distillation of the ugly Aussie at test match level, I loved the way India's youngsters sat the bully on his arse, blinking in surprise.
I watched the last session with a young Indian guy who was so excited, when India won I asked him to be really quiet for a five seconds in case we could here a billion people wooping it up from here. Then he ran off to call all his friends.
I see Audrey is back at the Herald interviewing her typewriter for reckons and in doing so demonstrating to us all the media horse race politics bullshit is alive and well, and they've learnt precisely nothing from the pasting they got the last year in the publics eyes. Suffice it to say – Audrey Youngs view on what the public is thinking is probably about as valid as the one of the Uber driver she got it from.
Mind you, they've got another embarrasingly bad piece from the saggy and plaque ridden ancient mind of Richard Prebble today in the Herald and it seems they've decided to recruit an entire cohort of yesterday's men in the form of defeated National Party MPs (presumably all at a lose end and possibly needing the money after the shellacking they got last year) as somehow relevant opinionistas for 2021. The only problem is they can't write and a thumping majority of voters has already heard what they've had to say and told them to piss off.
it is almost as if being a good writer with a fresh take (by which I don't mean cynical and obtuse contrarianism for the sake of it or rejected opposition politicians trying to relitigate the defeat of their policy agenda) disqualifies you from writing for the Herald as dangerously subversive.
Truly the best sustained insult you'll see this year. Big call, being January and all, but I think it is going to be hard to tops. Especially the rant from the 9:50 mark…
Lol. After listening to Jonathon I get the distinct impression that Donald J. Trump is not a particularly nice person!
I could try to compete with a list of all the names I've called him. Here's just the first 30:
hemorrhoid that destroyed a party of dinosaurs
Leader of the Pee world
America's Prolapsed Rectum
Space Cadet Bonespurs
TRE45ON WE45EL
Tangerine Nazi Rapeclown
stygian homunculus
gibbering baboon flinging its feces at the Oval Office walls
genital-grabbing golem
Jabba the Drumpf
decomposing jack'o'lantern
Spraytan Stalin
Fanta Fascist
Hair Twitler
Grab'em'fuhrer
Tangerine Toddler
Presidolt Sharpie
tangelo turdgoblin
CovidCamacho
dayglo daycare escapee
Needy Amin
Donny Drumpster
waddling spraytan warning label
Drumpfelthinskin
Dotard of Doltistan
Donnie Dingleberry
Agent Drumpfov
Pumpkin Pinochet
Tinyfingers Twittertwat
rotting rage-gargoyle lurking under a roadkill hamster
There's prob'ly at least another hundred …
Recount Dracula
That fits Oozy Ghouliani better.
True
How about Recount of Monte Cristo
TA – more the Recount of a Montebank.
I'm hoping that the Man in the Iron Mask will be a more accurate future description.
Therapeutic absolutely, but much of the damage of the Trump (and indeed Johnson) administrations is permanent.
At least we get to know we lived through the peak of the human world at its most wasteful, most globalised, most organised, most liberal, most democratic, and most creative.
In our 80s we'll be able to tell people what it was like.
Here we go again.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/122695678/woman-behind-cryptocurrency-marketing-network-attracts-attention-of-the-commerce-commission
I am looking forward to the inauguration and some normalcy from the US President. Not the firing or foreign policy first being announced on Twitter until the out going President could no longer use Twitter.
Thank fuck it's less than 20 hours to go. I've been …
https://twitter.com/RexChapman/status/1351668986291875845?s=19
I hope someone had this on a placard as the band went by …
😂😂
One more…
https://video.twimg.com/ext_tw_video/1326976723741650944/pu/vid/480×270/0J5dF5P2bhmXLIlW.mp4?tag=10
Unfortunately, normalcy is not what the US needs, eg Wall St and corporate donors, the army of lobbyists, indemic racism throughout society, eye watering debt, rampant inequality…
Well if your idea of "Normalcy" is a crying President on repeat over his dead son…you're in luck…though I guess todays rehash was better than the time he introduced his granddaughter as Beau ..that being said ..I wonder how long they really can keep Biden out of the public eye? The Silicon Valley backers of Kamala must be chomping at their bit…
I'd prefer a potus in mourning, to a narcissistic moron.
Just shows how nasty and spiteful some people can be, I mean, fancy attacking someone for getting emotional about their dead child. It says more about Siobhan than it does uncle Joe.
As a parents worst nightmare, I imagine that's something you'd never get over, yet it in no way excludes someone from holding high public office. What it does do, is show a human side to leadership that has sadly been lacking of late.
Of course he won't be a shirtless, bear wrestling dictator that some seem to fawn over, but that's really a good thing, isn't it?
Any one else other than Trump is an improvement.
And still, after four years of that bs, the never Hillary mob have never looked less credible.
The greater of two evils is never the best option.
I confess I've still got a nagging curiosity about what would have happened had the win gone to Cthulhu.
It would had to have gone really hard to trump Trumps 400k dead
Donnie Dorko had a full helping of all the malignant narcissistic evil imaginable. But I'll thank whatever old ones anyone prays to that he had precisely zero competence or willingness to exert himself.
First an idea and then a plan. A plan should never be about playing one person or a group off against another person or a group. Trump was the ultimate player and will continue to do this with a lot less power.
"The Green Party has broken rank from the other parties in Parliament and explicitly said house prices need to fall. "
https://www.interest.co.nz/property/108669/greens-bite-bullet-and-say-average-house-price-either-needs-come-down-or-very-least
It is unlikely Labour will heed the call so the question is then how much support will Labour lose to the Greens as a result?
Not only the Greens but the Minister has also seen the light. – Over the BBQs even those of my friends who own multi properties made comments that this house price escalation is out of hand.
Pity that “It is much more sustainable to have those much smaller increases. I think people expect that you see that in the market,” Ardern said. –
Sepuloni wasn't available for an interview today, but in a statement she blamed rising accommodation costs across the country, saying they’re putting pressure on households.In short, the Government is saying rising housing costs are sucking up Kiwis’ money, leaving them unable to afford food.
The damage that this inaction is causing will be IMO felt over generations and the social costs will be evident but no govt will ever place a cost to it
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/problems-escalated-food-poverty-in-aotearoa-only-getting-worse-say-those-frontline
Your next 'home'…and all this for only $390 pw
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/summer-days/audio/2018780242/rental-market-supercharged-as-university-year-looms
The Oligarchy control of both houses and the presidency will (almost surely) see mortgage costs increase in 2021,if we see a close to 1% increase here the shrills and the shrews will be out with pitchforks.
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/mortgages/democrats-mortgage-rates/
Singing from the same song sheet..
https://www.interest.co.nz/business/108667/global-independent-economic-researchers-capital-economics-see-reserve-bank-needing
I however suspect they are somewhat premature in their prediction.
They are suggesting the RB move,10 yr bonds yields(as an indicator) are moving upwards.
https://www.interest.co.nz/charts/interest-rates/government-bond-rates
An ocr movement would hurt our trading position ie exporters.
Indeed, and why the RBNZ will look through any inflation as long as possible
The KiddyCage King's finest and smartest all turned out for the insurrection cosplay.
First there was the dude that wore his GPS-tracking ankle bracelet. He's a real charmer that has openly talked of wanting to kill people, and picked up his ankle bling from a burglary conviction.
https://www.newsweek.com/white-supremacist-bryan-betancur-gps-proud-boys-1562364
Now there's the not-quite-Einstein that texted a selfie inside the Capitol to his girlfriend's brother. Oh yeah, he's a special agent with the Diplomatic Security Service.
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/national/capitol-riots/capitol-rioter-new-york-thomas-fee-selfie-rotunda-insurrection-retired-firefighter/65-9c7cd936-35e5-402e-a085-63cb14bf045a
Just how this is going to pan out is anyones guess. 🙄
https://twitter.com/SarahLongwell25/status/1351707376823504896?s=19