Open mike 20/04/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, April 20th, 2023 - 73 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

73 comments on “Open mike 20/04/2023 ”

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  1. tsmithfield 1
    20 April 2023 at 7:37 am

    I see Jack has resigned, which was probably the right thing to do. People need to put their brains into gear on social media. And the fact he didn't suggests he may not have the smarts for a stellar political career anyway.

    Though, he could have claimed that what he was retweeting was simply artistic expression and therefore fine to retweet lol.

    From the article:

    Finally, Stuff underlines that that poem is a work of art, not journalism…

    • Mac1 1.1
      20 April 2023 at 8:00 am

      A day is a long time in politics….. It's like watching the weather at the end of TV1 News- "A fine Autumn day on the Taieri plains then in comes a cold blast from Wellington and 'Schvroom!' It's gone."

    • Sanctuary 1.2
      20 April 2023 at 8:00 am

      Just another rural arsehole. They manufacture them by the shit ton from our colonial squatocracy out there in Aertex land, and National loves to select them.

    • pat 1.3
      20 April 2023 at 10:05 am

      Does anybody else see a parallel with social media statements by Marama Davidson?

      Our politicians (and candidates) reflect cohorts of our population and succeed or fail on (largely) public support…what purpose is served by only selecting 'acceptable' public persona's?

      Give them all the rope the need.

    • Tricledrown 1.4
      20 April 2023 at 10:35 am

      Trumpisms,mysogyny conspiracy theories etc don't go that well in NZ. Hopefully those people all vote for Billy TK. Groundswill have been involved in this nasty behavior and undermined the Unity on the right.They know they can't get enough traction with their tractor protests so are happy to indulge useful idiots and fringe lunatics when they would have had a bigger influence if they had stuck to sticking up for the agricultural sector!

      • tsmithfield 1.4.1
        20 April 2023 at 10:54 am

        Like Pat above, I don't think it is only people from National that have been saying some fairly inappropriate or inflammatory stuff lately. It has been coming from the left as well.

        The first retweet was really just retweeting the sort of stuff that probably gets said in a lot of male changing rooms. Definitely inappropriate, sexist, and bad taste. But par for the course in stand-up comedy. And it was a retweet, not something he had actually said. But not at the “resign” threshold, IMO.

        But, retweeting comments equating Jacinda with Hitler is completely out of line. I think there is a huge benchmark to meet to be equated with Hitler. And I think the term "Nazi" is thrown around far too lighlty these days. Anyone wanting to brand someone in that way should perhaps do a bit of research first.

        So, taking both together, I think it shows a lack of judgement that is crucial for being an MP. So, resigning was the right thing to do.

        • Nic the NZer 1.4.1.1
          20 April 2023 at 11:03 am

          Do you think Groundswell spiked the candidate by presenting them with an accident rich social media environment?

        • Shanreagh 1.4.1.2
          20 April 2023 at 11:22 am

          Good fair points TSmithfield. Resigning was the best thing to do. These Nazi slurs, thrown about SM with aparent abandon during Covid, are, courtesy of trackback often with us into the future.

          Like Pat I see faults from right & left.

          What seems to be the difference is that the Right, in this case, have been quick to say, 'that's going to be an ongoing liability for us and doesn't reflect our values'.

          The Greens/Marama Davisdon don't seem to have the same ability of self reflection alothough some forward thinking may come out of the Kerekere enquiry. Like Davidson's disdain for any view other than support of the Trans cause that culminated in rudeness/misinformation, so Kerekere may find that rudensss to colleagues and others is not a winning strategy If she is moved, her appalling rudeness to submitters to the Select Committee may be punished by default,

          I agree with the comment about Nazis. The more it is used inappropriately the more we, as human beings, are unable to to be able to use the Nazis/The Holocaust/genocide as examples of man's inhumanity to man. Hence I have no truck with calling people Nazis, calling the concern about women's safe spaces genocide and generally trying to infer that anything happening trans-wise is anything like 'a' Holocaust.

          • alwyn 1.4.1.2.1
            20 April 2023 at 11:34 am

            I wonder if this somewhat over-egged reaction is going to become the normal thing? There will have to be an awful lot of departures from politics if it does.

            Megan Woods will certainly have to be shown the door. You can't compare a PM to Hitler can you?

            https://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/mp-mortified-by-offence-over-hitler-comments-2012062718

            • Shanreagh 1.4.1.2.1.1
              20 April 2023 at 12:08 pm

              I think in the past (even 2012 is the past!) it used to be stamped on from a great height.

              The current overuse of the word Nazis is linked to this Trans indeology we are being subjected to. A Nazi in this context is anyone who you think might not agree with you.

              Proponents have a simple little list, shared worldwide it seems, with words to be used instead of engaging in debate.

              These words include Nazi, bigot, Terf. cis etc plus a huge number of emoticons such as the ones for turd.

              Before I stopped looking at this stuff on Twitter I was blessed sometimes with Nazi, bigot, Terf and the turd emoticon in one sentence. If we were come down hard we would be running around like one of those Whack a mole machines.

              https://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/whack-a-mole

      • Graeme 1.4.2
        20 April 2023 at 11:08 am

        That's essentially the problem National have with candidate selection in rural electorates. If they select a mature moderate candidate the less moderate will vote for the Groundswell / VFF / Advance / Matt King candidate, and probably spread the diss rural vote across all of the vehicles. Result being 4% + of vote being wasted, and National being back in opposition, again.

        So somehow National have to try and bring that diss rural vote back inside the 'broad church'. Hence we end up with Steven Jack getting nominated.

        In the same vein I wonder if my local MP, Joseph Mooney's attempt to redefine TOW wasn't to establish some credibility with the discontented rural side to see off a challenge to his nomination.

        • Peter 1.4.2.1
          20 April 2023 at 12:48 pm

          The problem is to attract good people who'd want to be MPs. A candidate could be ideal from all sorts of perspectives but the instant a person becomes a candidate they become a target.

          Morons, mongrels and meatheads will latch on to anything to propagate crap.

          The calls consistently heard are, "division, divisive and divided country."

          'Division' is in the common current default position. It's the crusade call from those pissed off because they're not in power, they're not calling the shots.

          The best people being candidates? Why would they subject themselves to that? In the end, like Jacinda Ardern, they say, "I don't need this shit."

          • woodart 1.4.2.1.1
            20 April 2023 at 1:00 pm

            sad but true. most people who want power shouldnt be allowed near it.

            • Patricia Bremner 1.4.2.1.1.1
              20 April 2023 at 1:53 pm

              surpriseNow days their comments are online before the elections, and they are seen as the liability they are in most cases.

    • Charlotte Rust 1.5
      20 April 2023 at 4:41 pm

      How bloody hard is it to a. Check yourself before you hit ‘post’ on a stupid sexist joke on Facebook and b. As the National Party selection committee get the candidates to edit/vet their Facebook pages in case there is something inflammatory on it? We are dealing with luddites, ludicrous this far into the 21st century. Suits me for them to shoot themselves in the foot but honestly, I shake my head at the stupidity of these people.

  2. Sanctuary 2
    20 April 2023 at 8:04 am

    The Greens, missing in action again. I guess it is up to cis-male oppressors like Ray Grubb to do the heavy lifting for them again.

    The saga of the rank corruption – for that is what it is – around the water consents for the Lindis river should be a perfect rallying cry and battlefront for the green party, a perfect chance to belt entrenched privilege, crony politics and corruption whilst protecting the environment. Instead, the politics of factional squabbles and indentarian distraction dominate the party discourse.

    • arkie 2.1
      20 April 2023 at 8:19 am

      This Ray Grubb?

      Wellington lawyer Rachel Burt has been appointed to carry out the investigation into allegations of bullying by Grubb towards Fish and Game staff.

      Grubb declined to answer questions about the investigation. He told RNZ it was a good time to leave.

      "When you've done two years, you're 75 years of age and you've appointed a new chief executive, it's a great time for the new chief executive to create a relationship with a person who's going to be there for the long haul. It's a good time to make a change."

      When asked if his leaving had anything to do with the investigation, Grubb said he had no further comment and hung up.

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/480122/fish-and-game-chairperson-ray-grubb-resigns-amid-bullying-allegation-investigation

      The Greens have influenced the Government somewhat on these issues:

      The Green Party is today marking a significant step toward cleaner rivers and less climate pollution, with the wind down of taxpayer subsidies for industrial irrigation schemes, as outlined in the Confidence and Supply Agreement between the Green and Labour Parties.

      “Today’s announcement marks an important step in cleaning up our rivers and protecting our water and climate for generations to come,” said Green Party Co-leader James Shaw.

      “The Green Party’s Confidence and Supply Agreement with the Labour Party promised to wind down government support for irrigation. Today’s announcement delivers on that promise.

      https://www.greens.org.nz/end-irrigation-subsidies-win-taxpayers-and-environment-say-greens

      As Ray Grubb in the Newsroom article says:

      Let’s be honest, this is purely about economics, and private profit for a few has been put firmly ahead of the environment and the needs of future generations.

      Sounds very much like BAU under this Labour Government

      • Sanctuary 2.1.1
        20 April 2023 at 8:32 am

        How dare he, he is a white male bully and anyway it's all someone else fault.

        It is just too hard for us to listen to some whose age, gender and skin colour we object to and even harder to actually do anything ourselves, we will just bame everyone else.

        Whining Green politics at it's best.

        • arkie 2.1.1.1
          20 April 2023 at 8:39 am

          lol. I just thought it amusing that Mr Grubb did somewhat live up to your sarcastic characterisation.

          I read the article, I even quoted him, he has a point. Given that the issuers of irrigation consents are local councils, I'm not sure what you expect the Greens to do in this instance. The Labour party are the national Government, they don’t control the councils (as the three waters roll-out demonstrated) and they don't need the Greens to pass anything, if they wanted to solve this they could.

          • Sanctuary 2.1.1.1.1
            20 April 2023 at 8:53 am

            Very graceful of you if I misinterpreted your post.

            I think this is the sort of issue that the Greens ought to be all over. Go down there and theatrically stomp the riverbank, news crew in tow. issue an endless stream of Winston Peters style press releases accusing everyone of corruption. Wrap yourselves in the flag – champion the arid high country scenery as elemental to what it means to be a southerner and a New Zealander. Vow legislation to protect the Lindis river as a bottom line for any coalition deal. Warn farmers they won't be compenasted if they decide to proceed with their work and the Greens get to hold the balance of power. Provoke howels of unhinged privileged outrage from Grondswell whilst winning votes in urban centres.

            The Greens could be doing way, way more.

            • AB 2.1.1.1.1.1
              20 April 2023 at 9:09 am

              I imagine the Greens are somewhat conflicted by Fish & Game. F&G are strong supporters of water quality and therefore good potential allies, but introduced trout fail the environmental purity test. The latter is despite trout fishing being a relatively inexpensive pastime (if you choose entry-level gear) for ordinary people.

    • weka 2.2
      20 April 2023 at 10:39 am

      it's almost like if voters had given the Greens more MPs they'd have the time/energy/resources to pick up more issues like the Lindis. Can't have it both ways, either the left consider the environment to be part of left politics, or they don't. Own goal again lefties.

      • weka 2.2.1
        20 April 2023 at 10:42 am

        the other own goal is how many left voters don't vote in local body elections, in this case for the Otago Regional Council.

        • Graeme 2.2.1.1
          20 April 2023 at 11:20 am

          Left voters certainly vote in regional council elections, but there's not enough candidates to make a meaningful change to the organisation. There's one or two left candidates standing for multiple seats per constituency. The poor buggers end up being very lonely voices around the council table.

          The Left has to mount a much more organised approach to Local Government to counter the Right's entrenched power base.

          • weka 2.2.1.1.1
            20 April 2023 at 11:44 am

            we'd get more and better candidates if the people standing knew that they would get a good turnout. I couldn't find the ORC turnout but I'm guessing it's not higher than 50%.

            • Graeme 2.2.1.1.1.1
              20 April 2023 at 1:15 pm

              Also get more and better candidates standing if they knew they weren't going to get rat fucked once they are sitting on Council, and had support of some like minded colleagues around the table. Why would anyone with left / conservation views want to put themselves through the grief of getting of sitting on something like ORC is beyond me and I have the utmost admiration for those that try, I'd be jumping off a bridge or cliff on the way home from the first meeting if I tried.

              • Ad …
                20 April 2023 at 1:48 pm

                Exactly. That applies not only to politicians like Marianne Hobbs, but also to staff.

                Who the hell would want to work there?

              • weka …
                20 April 2023 at 2:37 pm

                blows my mind that anyone progressive stands. Takes a particular skillset and strength.

                • Visubversa …
                  20 April 2023 at 4:28 pm

                  I stood some years ago. I represented a particular demographic that up till then had not had representation as either a candidate or an MP. I was a List only candidate but as it was the early days of MMP and the party I stood for dis well in the electorate votes, it did not get far enough down the list for me to get in.

                  However, my demographic was represented in the subsequent Parliament so I was happy.

                  • weka …
                    20 April 2023 at 5:06 pm

                    central government is a bit different because you have the support of a party. Imagine going through that on your own.

    • Ad 2.3
      20 April 2023 at 1:42 pm

      The Lindis water take is massively litigated already and has resisted all exterior political influence.

      The ORC remains a toxic mess, and the Lindis in particular has already caused 2 chief executives to resign, and of course ex-Councillor Marianne Hobbs (previous Minister for the Environment) chucked out.

      ORC has had major Internal Affairs and Minister Parker scrutiny for a while, as well as several rounds of High Court litigation.

      The Greens are nowhere near this for good reason. They have neither Ministerial power nor political influence at the ORC.

  4. Anker 4
    20 April 2023 at 10:36 am
    • Apologies Weka.

    will do re checking the link.

  5. Anne 5
    20 April 2023 at 11:01 am

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/parliament-protest-report-ipca-finds-police-tactics-justified-intelligence-response-and-safety-left-wanting/RVLHIPMAGVD3BCENLWNPUUNTU4/

    It would seem the majority opinion at the time… that by and large the police acted with professionalism throughout the protest/riot has been upheld. So much for the claims of police brutality by the protesters. Of the 2000plus formal complaints against the police it looks like only a handful have warranted further investigation.

    • Anne 5.1
      20 April 2023 at 11:26 am

      From the link provided @ 5

      Act Party leader David Seymour has called for “rogue police officers who used excessive force” at the Parliament protest last year to lose their jobs.

      Seymour said the riots reflected a “sad chapter in New Zealand history”.

      ”There were ugly acts on all sides of it which can’t be excused,” he said.

      Seymour said the IPCA report confirmed what people at the protest

      witnessed.

      Seymour said he thought police officers were put in that “impossible position” due to the Government’s “divisive vaccine policy” and inflammatory rhetoric from MPs.

      Seymour is the one who should be sacked. How any sane individual could even contemplate voting for the lying creep I cannot imagine.

      • Sanctuary 5.1.1
        20 April 2023 at 12:26 pm

        The polarisation on the right across the Anglosphere – ACT is consolidating a radicalised rural and urban rump – is a sweet, sweet gift to centrist parties like Labour.

        As we saw yesterday with Luxon's announcements on farm and migrant policy the Nats are far more concerned with not losing control of the right than they are at winning the middle. National should, in all reality, be miles ahead of Labour at this point in time but their candidates and policies are so deeply unattractive that people simply can’t bring themselves to vote for them.

        The radicalisation of the right around culture war driven social reaction and neoliberal crony capitalism despite it making them unelectable is a phenomena deserving of more analysis from our ambiently right wing, horse race obsessed political journalists.

      • Peter 5.1.2
        20 April 2023 at 12:57 pm

        Seymour, naturally, is playing to the gallery.

        If the Government had 'handled things right' (any way different than how it was handled and preferably by doing absolutely nothing), the kerfuffle in Wellington would not have happened. People would have been too pre-occupied over months burying their kin, being at the funerals of workmates and employees or attending their own funerals.)

      • Anker 5.1.3
        20 April 2023 at 3:31 pm

        Don't agree with Seymour over this. Its up to the police to work out disciplinary action if required.

  6. tsmithfield 6
    20 April 2023 at 12:21 pm

    The Ben Bell (Mayor of Gore) saga that has been making the news lately seems to have had the media framing Bell as young, immature, and out of his depth. And, who knows? That might actually be the case.

    However, I also wonder if it is the case of someone who is switched-on, with new ideas, shaking the tree of the establishment, and the establishment doesn't like it.

    Personally, even though I am in my early 60's, I have huge respect for a lot of young people I come across. They often have a lot of enthusiasm, modern thought, and a different way thinking about problems.

    So, I have no problems with someone Bell's age becoming Mayor. I just hope this all resolves itself for him OK, and that he will adjust his behaviour if he needs to.

    • Adrian 6.1
      20 April 2023 at 12:39 pm

      Its about time mayors stood up to unelected CEOs who have corralled far too much power for their cabals. Outright lying and refusal to give documents and info to elected councillors has gone on for too long. My knowledge of this comes from doing some Secret Squirrel work for a councillor who had been royally bullshitted by the CEO and his underlings. I was surprised at their temerity.

    • Ad 6.2
      20 April 2023 at 1:46 pm

      the secret to the Gore fiasco is in how the new Mayor's mother was paid out a massive payout days before the election.

      So now the current mayor has a conduit into all disaffected staff against the current CEO. A permanent mineshaft into a toxic waste dump to extract and refine and weaponise.

      Also it means Gore has a Mayor that can essentially rehearse every single Council meeting and every single applicable piece of legislation with his mother, before the meeting. Including the CEO Performance Committee.

      The CEO is going to get white-anted out of there pretty quick, unless McAnulty puts in a Commissioner.

      It is a really bad case of Oedipus Rex Redux: she is getting her revenge and it is being done as slowly as possible, through her son.

  7. Shanreagh 7
    20 April 2023 at 1:46 pm

    An interesting article by Ruth Richardson with her support for ensuring the tax bands a e fair and don't drag people up every time wages etc go up. She recommends indexation as well.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/opinion-analysis/300856794/ruth-richardson-the-taxation-problem-i-should-have-fixed-33-years-ago

    She starts

    'How have we got to the point where our lowest-waged workers are now paying tax rates that were set up to sock it to those on higher incomes?

    and goes on

    Now, the median earner nets close to $62,000, meaning a big chunk of their wages are taxed at this high-income rate and will soon fall into the even higher income bracket of 33%.

    This could have been avoided. Had Bill English insisted back in 2010 on legislating annual tax bracket updates in line with inflation, the median earner would now be paying $2019.50 less in tax than they do now.

    Of course, such a sensible measure would have left English then and Robertson now with a little less money to play around with at budget time.

    and ends, with good stuff in between

    It’s a glaring conflict of interest that frankly I should have addressed when we adopted our pioneering inflation-targeting regime 33 years ago.

    • In Vino 7.1
      20 April 2023 at 8:47 pm

      Easy for her to say that now.

      I remember her 'saluting excellence' and being a supreme downtreader of the downtrodden at the time.

      • Shanreagh 7.1.1
        21 April 2023 at 1:54 am

        Contrary to what you think In Vino it is often very diffcult for someone in the public eye following a particular line, to revise these views, presumably after thought, and then go public with them. It takes courage.

        This was the point that struck me that here was someone who could have gone quietly away into history accepting the plaudits and whatever of being 'tough' and 'right for the times' National Finance Minister. Yet she does not.

        Roger Douglas was the one who operated in the same way with asset sales and hardship for those affected but to my knowledge he has never resiled from his actions.

        Hopefully her words will encourage this tax bracket creep, which is a scourge to workers to be looked at by this Labour Govt. Indexing to prevent this happening in the future would be good too.

        • SPC 7.1.1.1
          25 April 2023 at 1:48 pm

          Indexation is the way to deprive the government of resources, it is right wing economic/political theory.

          And the largest tax cuts resulting from indexation goes to those on the highest tax bracket.

          She did nothing then because she got rid of gift duty and estate tax and needed the bracket creep on income tax – paid work – to afford it.

        • SPC 7.1.1.2
          25 April 2023 at 2:04 pm

          When Roger Douglas began on his own path back in 1983 – he wrote a book. In it he said he preferred an asset tax to a CGT. The absence of either tax has had a deleterious effect on investment here ever since, end hence our productivity. Our relative decline to Oz in incomes/productivity stems from this.

  8. Shanreagh 8
    20 April 2023 at 2:47 pm

    'LEST WE FORGET'.

    Lay a digital poppy:

    https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/search?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsem&utm_campaign=onlinecenotaphbau&gclid=CjwKCAjw__ihBhADEiwAXEazJqyiUAdONpTayGVWROqwDliwcJm54Kyz4DhjIOn3VZbNXapcheU6CBoCdDoQAvD_BwE

    Just done some for my lot, leaving three for my cousin. We had Uncles killed in WW1(France) & WW2 (Crete) . My poor grandmother had 5 of her 6 remaining boys overseas through WW2 until one was flown home in 1944 to be a NZ based Army instructor. Wonderful mother to them all sending individual care packages and letters (my father kept all of his that made it through to him)

  9. Chris 9
    20 April 2023 at 3:18 pm

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/131799556/itll-kill-him-idea-services-wairoa-residents-still-not-home-after-cyclone-gabrielle-despite-no-damage-to-property

    Typical IHC. Don't give a flying fuck. Never have, never will. It's time the government ditched them and paid someone else to do the job properly. Pull the parasitic IHC fat cats in Wellington away from their sweet deal getting away with treating people with disabilities like shit.

    • Belladonna 9.1
      20 April 2023 at 6:04 pm

      This is a really horrific situation for the people concerned.
      Their community is their lifeline – everyone in Wairoa knows Gavin, and watches out for him. His mental health and wellbeing are intimately connected with the place and the people.

      Telling outright lies (like "discussions about their options were under way with families and Whaikaha – Ministry of Disabled People" – when you know full well, there has been zero discussion with the families) – because it will be cheaper for them to be carted off to accommodation in another area – is an absolute disgrace.

      So much for the disabled person being the centre of the decision-making.

      I know that Gavin has really strong community supporters in Wairoa – and hope they and his family can continue to make this a case the papers want to cover – because nothing but bad publicity is going to move the government.

      • Shanreagh 9.1.1
        21 April 2023 at 2:10 am

        Yes Belladonna everyone knows Gavin. He is of my generation there. He needs to get back to friends, family and routine asap.

        And the excuses…what has changed by the Cyclone? His home is undamaged. If his care givers have been affected by the floods and need time to get their own affairs in order then I am sure that arrangements could be made to tap into the community support around Wairoa. I am sure that people would rally round as we/they have in the past. Or 'shock, horror' they could offer short term placements to short term care givers from other places around NZ, with accomodation until things can be resolved.

        Although the person with a disability is supposed to be the centre of decision making the further away from the community these organsation get the further away they seem to get from any networks around the person that could help.

        • Chris 9.1.1.1
          21 April 2023 at 2:15 pm

          IHC will be looking at the post-cyclone situation as an opportunity to cut costs. I wouldn't be surprised if their plan was to never bring Gavin and others back to Wairoa if it means one less residence to maintain.

          • Shanreagh 9.1.1.1.1
            21 April 2023 at 2:33 pm

            I might email IHC just to show them that a person in little old Wairoa actually has people who know him all round NZ and we are watching……..

            • Chris 9.1.1.1.1.1
              25 April 2023 at 1:39 pm

              Yes, and make sure it goes to those faceless money-grubbing hypocritical pricks at their head office.

      • Chris 9.1.2
        21 April 2023 at 9:10 am

        It's the blatant hypocrisy of IHC's head office that fucks me off. A bunch of corporate fat cat right-wingers bleating on about inclusion and the importance of the UNCRPD when the reality is they just don't give a fuck.

  10. tsmithfield 10
    20 April 2023 at 3:24 pm

    Breaking News: The Ukrainian counter offensive has started.

    Also, https://twitter.com/TheStudyofWar/status/1648869140361367554

    Hopefully this is the beginning of the end of this terrible conflict. Apparently the Russians are panicking and evacuating a lot of the expected targets of the offensive.

  11. observer 11
    20 April 2023 at 4:28 pm

    Ex-National candidate Stephen Jack does not want to go quietly:

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/488345/national-s-ex-candidate-stephen-jack-accuses-media-of-woke-stupidity-and-character-assassination

    Note that he attacks the media, but it was his own party that turned on him. Luxon cut him loose, and Nat MPs have been queueing up to "assassinate" Jack (as he would put it). Obviously National had no option, they were never going to waste political capital defending a self-destructive fool.

    Blaming the media for your own behaviour and your own party's … so much for personal responsibility.

    • aj 11.1
      20 April 2023 at 5:24 pm

      He'll keep digging of course but never explain the context he claims is misconstrued and false. Just a blowhard, and an indictment of the groundswell mentality.

      "These attacks have been careless, orchestrated, out of context and demonstrably inaccurate," Jack wrote.

      "Comprehension of satire has been traded for woke stupidity."

      Jack said the posts he had shared has been presented in a "misconstrued and false context" in a way he found to be "vile and offensive".

      • Peter 11.1.1
        20 April 2023 at 5:50 pm

        "Vile and offensive"?

        I could direct him to some sites to see more in the style of what brought his demise. About Jacinda Ardern and her partner. Vile and offensive, demonstrably the work of the ignorant and limited. That said, credit to them for not just focussing on the former PM, they spread their wings. You should see what they wrote about Paul Pelosi.

      • Shanreagh 11.1.2
        20 April 2023 at 8:38 pm

        Well he must be talking sense, he used the word 'woke'.

        /sarc

    • woodart 11.2
      20 April 2023 at 8:37 pm

      nats trying to flick jack and his groundswill cronies off, groundswill are acting like a handbreak instead of a handup for the nats.

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    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    24 hours ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 19

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent talking about the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s release of its first Emissions Reduction Plan;University of Otago Foreign Relations Professor and special guest Dr Karin von ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #29 2024

    Open access notables Improving global temperature datasets to better account for non-uniform warming, Calvert, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society: To better account for spatial non-uniform trends in warming, a new GITD [global instrumental temperature dataset] was created that used maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) to combine the land surface ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
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    1 day ago
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