Teaching kids to be robust so they can handle things, put things into perspective?
Must have been a generation that missed out on that. You know the generation that has it that a discussion document in a draw in a government office means that in a short number of years New Zealand will be an apartheid state, there'll be two equal Parliaments running the country and Maori will own most of the land.
The same generation which has it that we definitely won't be able to open our mouths for fear of being chucked in jail for "hate speech." Over something Dennis Frank quotes (below) from Russell Palmer:
"At this point it's not a law, it's not an act, it's not even a bill. Instead, it's a discussion document aimed at seeking opinions before the ministry comes up with a law change".
They are just sayings meaning roughly the same thing. ie. don't get hurty feelings…..a few people on this blog should take note.
" Like water off a ducks back" is another along the same lines as don't let it get to you.
As for the snowflake one and shattering, they're not meant to be taken too literally, else a saying like "ÿou can't have your cake and eat it too" is pretty useless. I can imagine you saying What's the point of having cake if you cant eat it !
Today Ms Bligh dismissed Mr Newman's reaction to what she called "bit of fun" while Treasurer Andrew Fraser told him to "have a cup of concrete" and harden up.
"At this point it's not a law, it's not an act, it's not even a bill. Instead, it's a discussion document aimed at seeking opinions before the ministry comes up with a law change".
"The Justice Ministry's discussion document largely focuses on the problems of the current laws and what the new laws aim to do, but – and this is perhaps one reason for the confusion – most of it largely does not give the specific wording of what is being proposed. This makes reading the document somewhat like having a set of directions without knowing where you're going to end up. However, in the second appendix is a chart which includes the six proposed changes to be made, what the current laws are like, and a section of notes on each proposal".
He then delineates the six with admirable precision. You may have wondered about the prospect of insults producing prosecutions. Kiwi males have long been in the habit of insulting aussie males & vice versa. Sadly the prospect of such legal entertainment seems dim. The two bunches of dimwits don't seem to hate each other. To get the police prosecutor & attorney general musing over the prospect, there would have to be a threat issued: `you guys come across the ditch, we'll give you a whack around the earhole'.
Discerning hatred will be the challenge: emotions can be evident to many, but the evidence is subjective. The only objective proof is if someone says/writes "I hate [this group]" where this group is identified by a generally-recognised cultural or ethnic label. Contempt & ridicule are mentioned. I don't hate suit-wearers, but I have viewed them with contempt since the 1960s and do express that view on a sporadic basis – but don't recall hating them since I was a teenager. Nor do I suggest that citizens eliminate the social problems they continue to cause by eliminating the offenders!
So prosecutions are likely to hinge on a combination of behaviours & attitudes becoming evident to the authorities mentioned above. "To be considered a hate crime, communication must intentionally incite/stir up, maintain or normalise hatred using abuse, insults or threats (including inciting violence) against at least one of the groups identified in proposal 1. For a successful prosecution, it would have to include all four of these things."
Yeah. While paranoia is understandable in the circumstances, it ain't reasonable. Folks ought to relax & take a balanced approach. Good law will only come from consideration of all sides of the issue, then careful deliberation.
Another not so academic consideration is that; if NZ signs up to international treaties, we are obliged to abide by them eventually.
But, lost in the din around the Incitement to Hatred and Discrimination discussion, is this complimentary discussion that I was barely aware of. It runs until the 6th of August too:
Aotearoa New Zealand is home to people from over 213 different ethnic groups, who speak over 150 languages, and belong to different faith communities. About a quarter of New Zealand’s population was born overseas and about a quarter identify as disabled. We are a superdiverse nation and over the next twenty years we are expected to become even more diverse…
Strengthening social cohesion involves changing attitudes and behaviours and is, therefore, a complex process. We need evidence-informed actions. The Government has a leadership role to play, but to make a real difference we will need to work collectively – individuals, communities and organisations across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors – from grassroots campaigns and community-led programmes right through to changes to wider policy settings and legislative safeguards. We all have a role to play.
Social cohesion is not about making all New Zealanders the same. We want our communities to value and welcome diversity, and to be able to share and discuss different points of view in a constructive and respectful way.
Yeah – that was just the page I happened to have open at the time; Sacha. I probably should have gone back a few levels for a better link.
It is mentioned on the discussion document government published page. But is easily skimmed past. I certainly wouldn't say that the last month since these discussions were opened to the public have been Aotearoa's most impressive display of social cohesion ever.
That's just another part of the problem. That judgement lies with Police.
Example: most rapes don't even get from Police to court, let alone conviction. And that's been on the books for a while.
So wait until they are to start making marginal calls about group 'incitement'. Then put it to Police Prosecutions, then Crown Law. Then a public jury of ordinary folks.
In that case, your comparison with rape is off, because rape doesn't involve freedom of speech issues. It should be at a low bar.
Setting hate speech at a higher bar is because there is an inherent conflict between the right to free speech and restricting speech that causes public harm (be it hate, porn, violence, incitement, etc).
That doesn't make it unenforceable. It just means that any prosecutions should be a slam dunk, because what was said was well over the line.
The group most hated in New Zealand since the 1993 legislation (which included no discrimination based on employment status) has been beneficiaries – which enabled the continuing poverty of the "brown" underclass. It also fed the 2005 election debate – across the board tax cuts (advantaging white men the most) or the WFF tax credits which helped poorer browner families (just not those on benefits).
Class-based hatred is so 19th century? Hating the rich has been a thing since then too, though. However calls for violence against them, not so much…
I do agree, however, that there's such a thing as institutionalised violence – mental, not physical, and beneficiaries were the target. Getting a court to accept such reasoning would be a fascinating legal challenge.
Institutionalised violence – where a majority use its determination of policy to oppress "weaker" groups. Maori from their land, middle class law and order managing the underclass (drug use offences so much higher for some than among the middle class). Those on benefits paying back grant money out of future benefits while those with student loans borrow their living costs but do not pay anything back until they find work.
Is public support of this institutionalised violence, hate speech, the National Party/ACT Party manifesto or social media comments by their support base?
"GCSB Minister Andrew Little said that the foreign intelligence agency has established links between Chinese state-sponsored actors known as Advanced Persistent Threat 40 (APT40) and malicious cyber activity in New Zealand. The GCSB had "worked through a robust technical attribution process" to establish its conclusions, Little said."
Well okay, but since the attacks happened in March, why this now?? Spooks don't take four months to report identification of source, do they? One would think tracking a virus normally takes hours or days, not weeks or months. Are the bureaucrats sitting on the reporting process? Or is it that the govt has known the source all these months and only just now issued its delayed reaction due to some obscure diplomatic coordination requirement emanating out of Five Eyes?? I don't get it.
China was suspected/blamed back in March. Now NATO-EU and Five Eyes have all concluded this was the case and said so at the same time.
The GCSB has worked through a "robust attribution process" and if the results were different to that derived by the others we would have said so and explained why they were wrong …
Presumably there is some signature identifying “APT40” known to the USA – whose own motive is to infer western tech vulnerability with use of Chinese suppliers (to broaden trade sanctions on security grounds).
When you've seen three key industries in your big brother Australia smashed by retaliatory trade tariffs, you'd pause, get your allies in order, and then front it.
We are now very likely to get a strong Chinese response that will affect our economy.
"Despite the strong language, there are no signs of fresh sanctions against China. In contrast, new sanctions were placed on Russia for the recent SolarWinds campaign which many experts believe was less serious than the Microsoft Exchange campaign linked to China."
That's the bit from the BBC report you linked that interests me. Why does the Biden administration believe punishing Putin and not Xi is a good idea?? Or perhaps they are simply giving Xi a window of opportunity to respond first.
So is there a proposal of wealth transfer from those who have worked all their lives to pay those 16 Billion we paid in Corporate welfare called housing equality because there is now no money for social housing?
Many of todays 50-60 year old have not had their first house until they were 30, but now they are being taxed to make sure the 18 year old gets their foot on the property ladder because successive governments have failed to maintain and build housing?
Another proposal from those who have never done a normal everyday wage job in their lives. How would they know what so many out there have to face. Having a government job with extended leave, sick leave, guarantied pension….hallo! I mean the majority has no such luxury. Paid for by the taxpayer no less! But they now have the audacity to espouse these theories that will affect the ones who actually contribute to the GDP of this country.
Really? Seriously? Are they living in another world or something? The wealth divide is created by the very same governments that pay them to come up with another idea how to get the remaining middle class into a dependant poor state. You will not lift anybody up by having everybody poor.
How about taxing those who have paid the dividends to the corporates financed curtesy of the taxpayer and will be an burden for at least 2 generations? There was some noise for a while that the fraudulent taking of the corporate support will be investigated, but no one actually believes that it will happen. Meanwhile we pay money meant for victims to the gangs. Build houses, get the money of the fraudsters and build houses for goodness sake.
Lets stop pretending everything is just a matter of milking more from those who work and we are fine.
That is the best idea here in an age,After '87 share market crash, Gordon McLaughlin I think did an in depth analysis and wrote a large essay (maybe North and South) not sure how to link but in the interweb somewhere.
Alternatively, you could argue that the rebuild cost plus a certain % should be the base value of any house. This would rectify the market very quickly as those houses build some 30 or more years ago would be not tradeable at 1 mil plus.
Trusts should be taxable at all levels. Its fraud by another name.
That's a tough area because although IRD can be called on to judge charitable purpose for donee organisations, mostly that's handled by DIA through the Charities Service. Important work though.
It's just a rehash of TOP policy (taxing equity in property ownership).
No government would apply it, because it has the perverse incentive of encouraging people to borrow against equity to buy more property to reduce their tax liability.
But the emotions dragged out of the home owning class at their doing anything to reduce growing inequality because of overvalued land values are just as concerning as poor policy proposals.
The problem is if the government devalues land, a lot of banks will demand their cash straight away.
To just have those who actually work and try to make it trough this jungle of deceit and lies pay for exactly that lot will change the next elections 100%.
Not during the term of the mortgage they won't – and if the person is making (and likely to remain doing so) the repayments they will renew. A bank flooding the market with homes for sale because of a valuation downturn would destroy itself.
You're talking about homeowners, not all workers mate.
Meanwhile we pay money meant for victims to the gangs.
Nice misleading headline and quite befitting this silly rant of yours. Don’t let facts get in the way of a good spin, inside your head. Feeling dizzy yet?
Gangs are just that. No other country in the world would recognize gangs as a legitimate source to deliver value for any taxpayer money spent. NONE. Good god, now we are entering the stage where the perpetrator becomes the victims keeper!
Yip,that's one of the reasons I'll never qualify as a leftie, anyone who is thick enough to think that someone who rises to the top of the fucking mongrel mob is not a dishonest ,violent selfserving low life is at best a gullible fool,
I am very much a social democrat but this government is not, despite their assertions. Justice would be one area that does not gel very well if we give money to gangs and/or billions to companies never to be paid back under the so called honor system.
Only naive people believe good intentions are all one needs and yet the freedom for those basics to have a framework for all has to be defended or fought for. Look at south Africa, Intentions good, outcome…not so much.
“A huge congress of the 'Socialist International' took place in 1951 in Frankfurt and the resultant declaration opposed any form of Bolshevik communism and Stalinism.”
The call for freedom, equality, justice and solidarity originates in old humanistic thoughts. It is central for the Christian idea of man, it has been the battle-cry of the French Revolution, it is reflected in the legal foundations of the United Nations, the UN's two Human Rights Covenants of 1966, and finally it also forms the core values of social democracy.
It is a dim-witted accusation and doubling down doesn’t it make it a better one. Do you take your cues from the same sources as Foreign Waka, by any chance, because it certainly looks that way?
Dimwitted ! Abuse is the last gasp of the losing side.
Na I did a bit of reading ,I get it that some in the police backed the idea ,plus others, and have decided all on my little lonesome that it's a fucking idiotic idea.
And it sure ain't making it easy being openly labour in my neck of the woods I tell ya.
Calling out your comment as dim-witted is not abuse, but if you’re that easily offended, I’d better back off from questioning your debatable reasoning and your dubious sources.
You’re entitled to your beliefs and opinions, which you seem to get straight from MSM headline writers and spin doctors who write the press releases and SM messages for National and ACT. I prefer critical analysis based on and informed by evidence although a good rant is necessary, from time to time.
You’re so close with your “the perpetrator becomes the victims [sic] keeper!”, yet so far.
Regardless of whether you see merit in the approach of financing the poacher to become gamekeepers it should be admitted that the optics of such a decision open up the advocates to serious questioning….and rightfully so imho
That would be a fair comment if the questioning were less partisan and more open-minded to what this is about. So far, it is mostly reflexive stereotyping and labelling with very little analysis. Very similar to many of the ‘debates’ we seem to be having nowadays, e.g., about (the) hate speech law. I get that most of those pundits have no interest in questioning let alone challenging their own engrained biases and therefore avoid genuine debate like a gang tangi. Lazy thinkers with regressive ideas.
And that is all bullshit…again….there must be numerous Iwi (or other) groups with less direct connections to the gangs that are crying out for that sort of funding to assist their communities.
While the likes of the Mongrel Mob and Black Power may be SMEs in comparison to the 501 influenced multi-nationals the fact remains their business model is drugs based and this is a braindead proposition in the wider publics eyes.
The fact this administration constantly creates sticks for its own back will be its undoing…not the competence of the opposing argument.
Sure, it is all BS again, which makes for a compelling and persuasive judgement.
I know that many law-abiding citizens view gangs as nothing but drug peddlers and sources of crime and misery. With such a blinkered view it is only logical and morally imperative to take a hard line on gangs, which means no State support for any gang associates and their affiliates and further demonising and excluding them from normative society. The same dim-witted thinking leaves no room for considering, even for a moment, that including gangs in approaches and strategies that could lead to better outcomes for all involved, i.e. for all society. I can understand all these things and yet not buy into the same thinking because it has not delivered much to write home about thus far except providing useful ammo for certain political ‘gangs’, their leaders, and their associates and affiliates. Maybe building a few more prisons is the right answer? Serco won’t mind 😉
What was the Human Rights Commissioner thinking when he gave a $200 koha?? Very bad optics; he must have lost his mind …
Agree Pat. Giving koha is different from being given $$$$ of Govt funds. I found nothing untoward about the HRC giving koha, in acceptance of a reciprocal concept of hosting.
As others say the optics, at the very least of giving a gang that has caused so much damage to society access to significant govt funds, are able to be questioned and I don't blame people for doing just this.
… there must be numerous Iwi (or other) groups with less direct connections to the gangs that are crying out for that sort of funding to assist their communities.
What a load of bullshit and ignorance. History and research proves this would only fuel the problems these ACT dickwits think they would solve! Perhaps if the party of selfish tax-dodgers and rorters paid their fair share of tax, NZ could seriously begin to deal to poverty – the real problem. The only surprise is that they aren't pushing gun rights to implement the Duterte solution (/sarc).
The greatest irony is that the announcement was made from the premises of a supplier of the county's most harmful drug!!!
The greatest irony is that the announcement was made from the premises of a supplier of the county's most harmful drug!!!
There is a bit or a lot of that 'taking battle with one's own agenda' going on these days either through non-consultation on issues that are deserving of consultation, both in central and local govt or disrupting events when brave souls want to consult.
Life's ironies abound. I suspect this undermining/battling of the ACT agenda was inadvertent.
Like? "Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again: but those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me." — Casca
Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, I am done, for thou hast more of the wild-goose in one of thy wits than, I am sure, I have in my whole five. Was I with you there for the goose?" — Mercutio
"So, again, good night. I must be cruel only to be kind. Thus bad begins and worse remains behind." — Hamlet
The game's afoot: follow your spirit, and upon this charge cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'" — King Henry V
It's posturing shiite – their existing policy is that anyone on Job Seeker Benefit goes onto an electronic (restricted spending) card after the first 4 weeks of cash benefit (eftpos card).
This government is a idiot for seeking to suppress further 1-off territory attacks, when lage, powerful armed terror groups like Mongrel Mob are growing unchecked and attacking in towns and cities at will.
Such misdirected nonsense from this government and Police on terror groups.
Where do you get your information from? Pretty dodgy to say the least.
From your comment, it sounds as thought there is only one gang in NZ and that they are armed to the gills and in the midst of a shooting war with all and sundry.
Hate to disabuse you of your fantasies but some reading suggests the 501 seeded gangs are more heavily armed (weapons arrive with drugs from South America) and NZ's numerous other gangs are no doubt just as lethal. It also seems you work on other very misguided assumptions that are not worth addressing as it is obvious you have more than a few mind-blocks.
By the way, when were you last terrorised by an armed Mongrel Mob Member? Was it when you didn't pay for the drugs you received or was it after you shot up their pad?
Odd you should mention this. Last night I was dealing with my disabled brother who has discovered a very recent bullet hole in his house. Police have told them they know who it was but no action can be taken.
About 20 years ago when some pissed prospects decide leave the party at the pad down the road and invite themselves into our flat and proceed to start smashing the place up.
Since Labour came into office in 2017 gangs have recruited 2660 new members, an increase of just under 50 per cent. We now have over 8,000 – that's equivalent to the entire town of Kawerau. All facts on the record.
Plenty of our small towns have gangs as the primary organising power of their society. Including places like Kawerau.
This is the product of the policy of Australia's Liberal coalition government, therefore the product of the people of Australia, and literally the product of Australian society.
Thousands of criminals, trained by Australia, have been exported to New Zealand in the last 6 years. With them they bring sophisticated networking, fundraising and recruitment practice, all nurtured in Australia. They also bring their anger, magnified.
NZ has become a dumping ground for the failures of a morally corrupt Australian society and this is the primary reason for an increase in organised crime violence here.
Add to this their export of real terrorism in the form of murderous white supremacy, which we have known bubbles away in Australia under the radar since its colonisation, by criminals.
Yes there's a wee bit of that. But they are our people doing this crime, our people are the criminals, and apart from the Comancheros they came back to fully formed gangs ready to expand – which they are doing big time.
And there's no way the Ardern government isn't responsible for effectively policing them.
You only have to look to some Latin American nations, Mexico leaps to mind, as to what happens when govts fail to police gangs.
Two years ago I had a very interesting Mexican colleague (I think I mentioned him here in a thread before) who explained to me in detail one night over dinner, how two of his business partners were in separate incidents, both kidnapped, ransomed and murdered. We’re talking legit, tech based, middle-class professionals – specifically targeted for purely monetary gain and no other reason. Needless to say this is also the reason why he now lives in Australia.
You will read this and feel nothing – having it retold by someone who lived through it first hand is deeply chilling. And if NZ imagines that it's immune to this kind of collapse of social moral structure it would be deluding itself.
Difficult for me to imagine a modern NZ government of any flavour being kind/friendly to individuals or groups that indulge in kidnapping or other serious crimes in NZ, but your imagination may be more 'vivid' than mine.
Suspect that the NZ police and MPs are concerned about the types and level of crimes carried out by gangs in NZ, from the Mongrel Mob to triad-type and white-supremacist gangs.
No it bloody doesn't. The fact of so many left wingers openly siding with criminal gangs who inflict nothing but misery on their own people is a testament to a dismal moral degeneracy I find very hard to understand.
A gun sick nation. USA a fourth-world nation and soon emulating Nigeria probably.
[second time removed the following text from user name: “Timely warning”]
I haven’t done anything to my user name – don’t know why it should be different. Thanks for adjusting incognito. I see now – will do. Very timely warning eh.
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Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Photo by Jari Hytönen on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
Your Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...
The Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
“Show us the bird,” I found myself muttering at times while reading Hard by the Cloud House by Peter Walker, a deeply thoughtful, often hilarious, at times rambling – but somehow delightfully so – search for the story of a big bird. But not just any bird: the bird. This ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition DPVUE .images/Shutterstock Your home was probably designed for a climate that no longer exists. As long as humanity continues to burn fossil fuel, padding the heat-trapping blanket of gases in Earth’s atmosphere, the ...
A senior lawyer has filed a complaint about tikanga becoming a required law school module. Law lecturer Carwyn Jones explains what he’s getting wrong. “…the first law of Aotearoa, a law that served the needs of tangata whenua for a thousand years before the arrival of tauiwi.”– Ani Mikaere ...
In 2019, an Auckland woman woke up from surgery to find that she had undergone a treatment she didn’t consent to. She tells Alex Casey about her experience. From her very first period at the age of 14, Laura experienced “debilitating” levels of pain that forced her to withdraw from ...
In the gloom following director-general Al Morrison’s job cuts in 2013, the Department of Conservation restructured its operations arm. Eleven conservancy districts were whittled into six new “conservation delivery” regions, under which the Rēkohu/Wharekauri/Chatham Islands area, comprising 40 scattered islands more than 800km east of Christchurch, was tethered to the ...
One of th e country’s top litigation lawyers says New Zealand is seeing a lift in court action between companies. Chapman Tripp partner Justin Graham, who oversees a team of around 80 litigation specialists, says the courts are now so log-jammed that it’s taking over two years to get cases ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Thursday 9 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Comment: Concerns about the state of the economy are creeping up to the top of firms’ list of challenges. That’s evident in both surveys and the tone of our recent client discussions. Skimming the past few weeks of eco-news, it’s not hard to see why. – Retail card spending fell ...
Opinion: Could former co-leader James Shaw still make a difference to working with National? The post How the Greens could be contenders appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Opinion: What if we got rid of our existing drug laws and replaced them with a new law that legalised and carefully regulated all psychoactive substances, from cannabis to MDMA, methamphetamine and LSD to magic mushrooms? And which also included legal drugs such as alcohol and nicotine. “Wow,” you might ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Albanese government is talking up the crucial role of gas as a transition fuel “through to 2050 and beyond”. In a gas strategy to be released on Thursday, the government envisages the fuel’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Next week the government will again next try to get its legislation through to deal with non-citizens who won’t cooperate with efforts to deport them. The bill, which the opposition and crossbench refused to rush ...
A long-term project that will set out an alternative vision for Aotearoa that looks beyond the narrow confines of the policy straight jacket adopted by successive governments. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Associate Professor, Faculty of Business and Law, QUT, Queensland University of Technology TK Kurikawa/Shutterstock A much-awaited report into Coles and Woolworths has found what many customers have long believed – Australia’s big supermarkets engage in price gouging. What started ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Ghezelbash, Associate Professor and Deputy Director, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Law & Justice, UNSW Sydney The Albanese government wanted to avoid an inquiry into its migration amendment bill. The report, handed down yesterday by a senate committee that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joo-Cheong Tham, Professor, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne Lobbying is at the heart of government. Who has access to and influence over key government officials shapes the decisions governments make – and how they make them. The ability to influence ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Myfany Turpin, Associate Professor, Ethnomusicology, Linguistics and Ethnobiology, University of Sydney The act representing Australia at this year’s Eurovision contest has sadly not qualified for the grand final. Yet for Zaachariaha Fielding and Michael Ross, the duo that makes up Electric Fields, ...
In announcing changes to the school lunches programme, David Seymour said kids would no longer be served ‘woke’ foods. To clear up any confusion, The Spinoff has compiled a guide to the wokeness levels of some common food items. Apple = NOT WOKE Avocado = WOKE Avocado, smashed = EVEN ...
The Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...
PNG Post-Courier Papua New Guinea’s deputy opposition leader James Nomane has accused the government of “reckless economic management” that has forced devaluation to manage loan repayments in foreign currency and placate the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Prime Minister James Marape “must stop lying to the people of Papua New Guinea”, ...
Welcome to The Spinoff Bookseller Confessional, in which we get to know Aotearoa’s booksellers. This week: Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird, and former bookseller at Good Books.The book I wish I’d writtenI have been working on not comparing myself to others. On accepting that what I can ...
The final decision on the Wellington District Plan makes it official: High-density housing is legal across most of Wellington. Housing minister Chris Bishop has announced his decision on the Wellington District Plan, approving a series of amendments to radically upzone most of Wellington, allowing tens of thousands of new townhouses ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. “Follow the money” is the classic directive to journalists trying to understand where power and influence lie in society. In terms of uncovering who influences various New Zealand political parties and governments, it therefore pays to ...
RNZ News As Israel presses ahead with strikes in Rafah and seizing the Rafah crossing from Egypt, aid agencies are sounding the alarm of a “catastrophic humanitarian situation”. Rafah was “significant” because it was the only part in Gaza that had not been terribly damaged by the conflict, United Nations ...
With funding set to be scrapped for the Hamilton-Auckland commuter train, Te Huia enthusiast Georgie Dansey argues for it to be thrown a lifeline. It’s 5.45am and the chain of my crappy old bike falls off slugging up the one hill in Hamilton. I contemplate yeeting the bike into the ...
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Re harmful speech
https://twitter.com/glukianoff/status/1416737342421970945
Well yeah, life hurts it's hard sometimes people can be arseholes and sometimes shit goes wrong.
The saying is about teaching kids to be robust and not to worry or place to much wait on what people might say.
Teaching kids to be robust so they can handle things, put things into perspective?
Must have been a generation that missed out on that. You know the generation that has it that a discussion document in a draw in a government office means that in a short number of years New Zealand will be an apartheid state, there'll be two equal Parliaments running the country and Maori will own most of the land.
The same generation which has it that we definitely won't be able to open our mouths for fear of being chucked in jail for "hate speech." Over something Dennis Frank quotes (below) from Russell Palmer:
"At this point it's not a law, it's not an act, it's not even a bill. Instead, it's a discussion document aimed at seeking opinions before the ministry comes up with a law change".
It's a drawer, not a draw that you can paint any way you like.
A "short number of years" – you mean not while the current government is in office or any National successor.
Given most land is privately owned or public Crown land, there is no chance Maori iwi can own most of the land.
Well, that was an artful segue. /sarc
The new modern versions of "sticks and stones" seems to be either:
harden up snowflake or
have a cup of concrete
Err, if snowflakes were hard they would shatter. And still melt.
The concrete one sounds a wee bit weird.
They are just sayings meaning roughly the same thing. ie. don't get hurty feelings…..a few people on this blog should take note.
" Like water off a ducks back" is another along the same lines as don't let it get to you.
As for the snowflake one and shattering, they're not meant to be taken too literally, else a saying like "ÿou can't have your cake and eat it too" is pretty useless. I can imagine you saying What's the point of having cake if you cant eat it !
You've obviously been speaking with my dietician lol
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/have-a-cup-of-concrete-and-harden-up-fraser-tells-newman-20110526-1f5ds.html
Ah, the land of colourful phrases.
They really do have a knack for it.
Russell Palmer of RNZ has clarified the govt hate speech law proposals here: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/proposed-hate-speech-laws-what-you-need-to-know/MVWR2D7MNZXJCD7FEUUUDQCH4A/
"At this point it's not a law, it's not an act, it's not even a bill. Instead, it's a discussion document aimed at seeking opinions before the ministry comes up with a law change".
"The Justice Ministry's discussion document largely focuses on the problems of the current laws and what the new laws aim to do, but – and this is perhaps one reason for the confusion – most of it largely does not give the specific wording of what is being proposed. This makes reading the document somewhat like having a set of directions without knowing where you're going to end up. However, in the second appendix is a chart which includes the six proposed changes to be made, what the current laws are like, and a section of notes on each proposal".
He then delineates the six with admirable precision. You may have wondered about the prospect of insults producing prosecutions. Kiwi males have long been in the habit of insulting aussie males & vice versa. Sadly the prospect of such legal entertainment seems dim. The two bunches of dimwits don't seem to hate each other. To get the police prosecutor & attorney general musing over the prospect, there would have to be a threat issued: `you guys come across the ditch, we'll give you a whack around the earhole'.
Discerning hatred will be the challenge: emotions can be evident to many, but the evidence is subjective. The only objective proof is if someone says/writes "I hate [this group]" where this group is identified by a generally-recognised cultural or ethnic label. Contempt & ridicule are mentioned. I don't hate suit-wearers, but I have viewed them with contempt since the 1960s and do express that view on a sporadic basis – but don't recall hating them since I was a teenager. Nor do I suggest that citizens eliminate the social problems they continue to cause by eliminating the offenders!
So prosecutions are likely to hinge on a combination of behaviours & attitudes becoming evident to the authorities mentioned above. "To be considered a hate crime, communication must intentionally incite/stir up, maintain or normalise hatred using abuse, insults or threats (including inciting violence) against at least one of the groups identified in proposal 1. For a successful prosecution, it would have to include all four of these things."
Legal academic despairs.
https://twitter.com/Publicwrongs/status/1416930574002921475
Yeah. While paranoia is understandable in the circumstances, it ain't reasonable. Folks ought to relax & take a balanced approach. Good law will only come from consideration of all sides of the issue, then careful deliberation.
Another not so academic consideration is that; if NZ signs up to international treaties, we are obliged to abide by them eventually.
But, lost in the din around the Incitement to Hatred and Discrimination discussion, is this complimentary discussion that I was barely aware of. It runs until the 6th of August too:
https://social-cohesion.citizenspace.com/social-cohesion/public-consultation/consultation/subpage.2021-06-24.6598578873/
[fixed typo in user name]
So it's official despite the url. Interesting.
Yeah – that was just the page I happened to have open at the time; Sacha. I probably should have gone back a few levels for a better link.
It is mentioned on the discussion document government published page. But is easily skimmed past. I certainly wouldn't say that the last month since these discussions were opened to the public have been Aotearoa's most impressive display of social cohesion ever.
https://www.justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/key-initiatives/proposals-against-incitement/#cohesion
It was at the bottom of that page. They have certainly kept it quiet.
If a law is going to be that hard to enforce, and even harder to prosecute and convict, it sets itself up as bad law from the outset.
It's it high bar so as not to waste time and resources chasing minor stuff.
That's just another part of the problem. That judgement lies with Police.
Example: most rapes don't even get from Police to court, let alone conviction. And that's been on the books for a while.
So wait until they are to start making marginal calls about group 'incitement'. Then put it to Police Prosecutions, then Crown Law. Then a public jury of ordinary folks.
Unenforceable law should not be law.
So a possible law change shouldn't be discussed if there might be marginal calls involved?
We're discussing just fine.
Fair call.
In that case, your comparison with rape is off, because rape doesn't involve freedom of speech issues. It should be at a low bar.
Setting hate speech at a higher bar is because there is an inherent conflict between the right to free speech and restricting speech that causes public harm (be it hate, porn, violence, incitement, etc).
That doesn't make it unenforceable. It just means that any prosecutions should be a slam dunk, because what was said was well over the line.
The group most hated in New Zealand since the 1993 legislation (which included no discrimination based on employment status) has been beneficiaries – which enabled the continuing poverty of the "brown" underclass. It also fed the 2005 election debate – across the board tax cuts (advantaging white men the most) or the WFF tax credits which helped poorer browner families (just not those on benefits).
But little about that in this legislation.
Class-based hatred is so 19th century? Hating the rich has been a thing since then too, though. However calls for violence against them, not so much…
I do agree, however, that there's such a thing as institutionalised violence – mental, not physical, and beneficiaries were the target. Getting a court to accept such reasoning would be a fascinating legal challenge.
Institutionalised violence – where a majority use its determination of policy to oppress "weaker" groups. Maori from their land, middle class law and order managing the underclass (drug use offences so much higher for some than among the middle class). Those on benefits paying back grant money out of future benefits while those with student loans borrow their living costs but do not pay anything back until they find work.
Is public support of this institutionalised violence, hate speech, the National Party/ACT Party manifesto or social media comments by their support base?
"GCSB Minister Andrew Little said that the foreign intelligence agency has established links between Chinese state-sponsored actors known as Advanced Persistent Threat 40 (APT40) and malicious cyber activity in New Zealand. The GCSB had "worked through a robust technical attribution process" to establish its conclusions, Little said."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/447239/government-points-finger-at-china-over-cyber-attacks
Well okay, but since the attacks happened in March, why this now?? Spooks don't take four months to report identification of source, do they? One would think tracking a virus normally takes hours or days, not weeks or months. Are the bureaucrats sitting on the reporting process? Or is it that the govt has known the source all these months and only just now issued its delayed reaction due to some obscure diplomatic coordination requirement emanating out of Five Eyes?? I don't get it.
China was suspected/blamed back in March. Now NATO-EU and Five Eyes have all concluded this was the case and said so at the same time.
The GCSB has worked through a "robust attribution process" and if the results were different to that derived by the others we would have said so and explained why they were wrong …
Presumably there is some signature identifying “APT40” known to the USA – whose own motive is to infer western tech vulnerability with use of Chinese suppliers (to broaden trade sanctions on security grounds).
When you've seen three key industries in your big brother Australia smashed by retaliatory trade tariffs, you'd pause, get your allies in order, and then front it.
We are now very likely to get a strong Chinese response that will affect our economy.
"Two hours ago, China expressed outrage at the accusations it paid criminal groups to carry out cyber hacks, including the Microsoft breach and ransomware attacks. Beijing called the claims "a huge lie," "slander" and "ridiculous," and threatened devastating consequences, according to a post in China's English-language Global Times." https://www.newsroom.co.nz/8things/furious-china-threatens-retaliation-as-nz-and-allies-blame-it-for-cyber-attacks
Whoopee! Perhaps a covert donation to Groundswell? With a bit of belt & road advice: "give them a belting, guys, send them down the road"…
Make fun all you like, but Biden is fronting this for allies, including ourselves, who have been attacked.
They are unified because this really is economic war — just minus the blood and body count.
A bit more context here.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-57889981
"Despite the strong language, there are no signs of fresh sanctions against China. In contrast, new sanctions were placed on Russia for the recent SolarWinds campaign which many experts believe was less serious than the Microsoft Exchange campaign linked to China."
That's the bit from the BBC report you linked that interests me. Why does the Biden administration believe punishing Putin and not Xi is a good idea?? Or perhaps they are simply giving Xi a window of opportunity to respond first.
So is there a proposal of wealth transfer from those who have worked all their lives to pay those 16 Billion we paid in Corporate welfare called housing equality because there is now no money for social housing?
Many of todays 50-60 year old have not had their first house until they were 30, but now they are being taxed to make sure the 18 year old gets their foot on the property ladder because successive governments have failed to maintain and build housing?
Another proposal from those who have never done a normal everyday wage job in their lives. How would they know what so many out there have to face. Having a government job with extended leave, sick leave, guarantied pension….hallo! I mean the majority has no such luxury. Paid for by the taxpayer no less! But they now have the audacity to espouse these theories that will affect the ones who actually contribute to the GDP of this country.
Really? Seriously? Are they living in another world or something? The wealth divide is created by the very same governments that pay them to come up with another idea how to get the remaining middle class into a dependant poor state. You will not lift anybody up by having everybody poor.
How about taxing those who have paid the dividends to the corporates financed curtesy of the taxpayer and will be an burden for at least 2 generations? There was some noise for a while that the fraudulent taking of the corporate support will be investigated, but no one actually believes that it will happen. Meanwhile we pay money meant for victims to the gangs. Build houses, get the money of the fraudsters and build houses for goodness sake.
Lets stop pretending everything is just a matter of milking more from those who work and we are fine.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/125796416/tax-on-all-housing-needed-to-fix-distortion-of-social-fabric
They are too late: the 10 year bright line test greatly decreases outing capital circulation other than for a handful.
St John et at should have concentrated on IRD powers to unwind trusts. That's where 90% of our private wealth is.
IRD are making some moves against faux charity trusts, but it's the tip of the iceberg.
Re: Trusts
That is the best idea here in an age,After '87 share market crash, Gordon McLaughlin I think did an in depth analysis and wrote a large essay (maybe North and South) not sure how to link but in the interweb somewhere.
Alternatively, you could argue that the rebuild cost plus a certain % should be the base value of any house. This would rectify the market very quickly as those houses build some 30 or more years ago would be not tradeable at 1 mil plus.
Trusts should be taxable at all levels. Its fraud by another name.
Trusts with a charitable purchase disbursing well are a strong societal good.
Arguably using a trust to protect family intergenerational wealth is also useful.
But so many are tax minimization instruments pure and simple. They need legal attack from the state.
Ad, can you please fix your name typo on next comment from same device
Yes apologies fat fingers
And arguably not. We did fine with an estate tax prior to 1991.
That's a tough area because although IRD can be called on to judge charitable purpose for donee organisations, mostly that's handled by DIA through the Charities Service. Important work though.
It's just a rehash of TOP policy (taxing equity in property ownership).
No government would apply it, because it has the perverse incentive of encouraging people to borrow against equity to buy more property to reduce their tax liability.
But the emotions dragged out of the home owning class at their doing anything to reduce growing inequality because of overvalued land values are just as concerning as poor policy proposals.
The problem is if the government devalues land, a lot of banks will demand their cash straight away.
To just have those who actually work and try to make it trough this jungle of deceit and lies pay for exactly that lot will change the next elections 100%.
Not during the term of the mortgage they won't – and if the person is making (and likely to remain doing so) the repayments they will renew. A bank flooding the market with homes for sale because of a valuation downturn would destroy itself.
You're talking about homeowners, not all workers mate.
Nice misleading headline and quite befitting this silly rant of yours. Don’t let facts get in the way of a good spin, inside your head. Feeling dizzy yet?
Gangs are just that. No other country in the world would recognize gangs as a legitimate source to deliver value for any taxpayer money spent. NONE. Good god, now we are entering the stage where the perpetrator becomes the victims keeper!
Yip,that's one of the reasons I'll never qualify as a leftie, anyone who is thick enough to think that someone who rises to the top of the fucking mongrel mob is not a dishonest ,violent selfserving low life is at best a gullible fool,
I am very much a social democrat but this government is not, despite their assertions. Justice would be one area that does not gel very well if we give money to gangs and/or billions to companies never to be paid back under the so called honor system.
Only naive people believe good intentions are all one needs and yet the freedom for those basics to have a framework for all has to be defended or fought for. Look at south Africa, Intentions good, outcome…not so much.
https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/ghana/10519.pdf
“A huge congress of the 'Socialist International' took place in 1951 in Frankfurt and the resultant declaration opposed any form of Bolshevik communism and Stalinism.”
The call for freedom, equality, justice and solidarity originates in old humanistic thoughts. It is central for the Christian idea of man, it has been the battle-cry of the French Revolution, it is reflected in the legal foundations of the United Nations, the UN's two Human Rights Covenants of 1966, and finally it also forms the core values of social democracy.
What on Earth has self-ID as Lefty got to do with the price of fish?
What's fish got to do with me calling anyone a daft gullible leftie for thinking giving money to the mob is a good idea. ?
It is a dim-witted accusation and doubling down doesn’t it make it a better one. Do you take your cues from the same sources as Foreign Waka, by any chance, because it certainly looks that way?
Dimwitted ! Abuse is the last gasp of the losing side.
Na I did a bit of reading ,I get it that some in the police backed the idea ,plus others, and have decided all on my little lonesome that it's a fucking idiotic idea.
And it sure ain't making it easy being openly labour in my neck of the woods I tell ya.
Calling out your comment as dim-witted is not abuse, but if you’re that easily offended, I’d better back off from questioning your debatable reasoning and your dubious sources.
Iran – Hizbollah in Lebanon and the Shia militias in Iraq.
USA – countless groups many different nations (Mujahadeen, Contras etc)
You’re entitled to your beliefs and opinions, which you seem to get straight from MSM headline writers and spin doctors who write the press releases and SM messages for National and ACT. I prefer critical analysis based on and informed by evidence although a good rant is necessary, from time to time.
You’re so close with your “the perpetrator becomes the victims [sic] keeper!”, yet so far.
Regardless of whether you see merit in the approach of financing the poacher to become gamekeepers it should be admitted that the optics of such a decision open up the advocates to serious questioning….and rightfully so imho
That would be a fair comment if the questioning were less partisan and more open-minded to what this is about. So far, it is mostly reflexive stereotyping and labelling with very little analysis. Very similar to many of the ‘debates’ we seem to be having nowadays, e.g., about (the) hate speech law. I get that most of those pundits have no interest in questioning let alone challenging their own engrained biases and therefore avoid genuine debate like a gang tangi. Lazy thinkers with regressive ideas.
And that is all bullshit…again….there must be numerous Iwi (or other) groups with less direct connections to the gangs that are crying out for that sort of funding to assist their communities.
While the likes of the Mongrel Mob and Black Power may be SMEs in comparison to the 501 influenced multi-nationals the fact remains their business model is drugs based and this is a braindead proposition in the wider publics eyes.
The fact this administration constantly creates sticks for its own back will be its undoing…not the competence of the opposing argument.
Sure, it is all BS again, which makes for a compelling and persuasive judgement.
I know that many law-abiding citizens view gangs as nothing but drug peddlers and sources of crime and misery. With such a blinkered view it is only logical and morally imperative to take a hard line on gangs, which means no State support for any gang associates and their affiliates and further demonising and excluding them from normative society. The same dim-witted thinking leaves no room for considering, even for a moment, that including gangs in approaches and strategies that could lead to better outcomes for all involved, i.e. for all society. I can understand all these things and yet not buy into the same thinking because it has not delivered much to write home about thus far except providing useful ammo for certain political ‘gangs’, their leaders, and their associates and affiliates. Maybe building a few more prisons is the right answer? Serco won’t mind 😉
What was the Human Rights Commissioner thinking when he gave a $200 koha?? Very bad optics; he must have lost his mind …
Well I hope youre feeling happy in your superiority of thought….and therein lies the problem.
Meanwhile in the real world…
Agree Pat. Giving koha is different from being given $$$$ of Govt funds. I found nothing untoward about the HRC giving koha, in acceptance of a reciprocal concept of hosting.
As others say the optics, at the very least of giving a gang that has caused so much damage to society access to significant govt funds, are able to be questioned and I don't blame people for doing just this.
Possibly, in the ‘real world’, these do exist, I wouldn’t know, obviously. But they could perhaps read this: https://www.justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/about-the-justice-sector/proceeds-of-crime-fund/. Or maybe they did and applied, but were not approved because they didn’t meet all criteria? Or maybe they applied too late, after the deadline closed? Or maybe they didn’t apply at all for funding and then started to throw rubber gumboots? Some must have been successful though: https://www.justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/about-the-justice-sector/proceeds-of-crime-fund/#listofinitiatives.
But of course, it’s all bullshit, again 🙁
It's an envy tax. Read the comments on the article. It would be a very hard sell for any government.
Ugly spin
https://twitter.com/RyanSproull/status/1417224152365207577
War-tearing Palestinians off the lands they are living on sought by Israel for settling its citizens on, would be more accurate.
… and where shall we be when everyone has "cancelled" everything else?
When nobody can even talk about it!
There's always the RSA. Tears in the beers.
OH REALLY – https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/447264/act-proposes-limiting-gang-members-freedoms.
What a load of bullshit and ignorance. History and research proves this would only fuel the problems these ACT dickwits think they would solve! Perhaps if the party of selfish tax-dodgers and rorters paid their fair share of tax, NZ could seriously begin to deal to poverty – the real problem. The only surprise is that they aren't pushing gun rights to implement the Duterte solution (/sarc).
The greatest irony is that the announcement was made from the premises of a supplier of the county's most harmful drug!!!
There is a bit or a lot of that 'taking battle with one's own agenda' going on these days either through non-consultation on issues that are deserving of consultation, both in central and local govt or disrupting events when brave souls want to consult.
Life's ironies abound. I suspect this undermining/battling of the ACT agenda was inadvertent.
The ACT leader looks every day more like the mask for comedy on a theatrical stage, or the trickster in some Shakespearean play. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/60264/21-phrases-you-use-without-realizing-youre-quoting-shakespeare
Like? "Nay, an I tell you that, I'll ne'er look you i' the face again: but those that understood him smiled at one another and shook their heads; but, for mine own part, it was Greek to me." — Casca
Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, I am done, for thou hast more of the wild-goose in one of thy wits than, I am sure, I have in my whole five. Was I with you there for the goose?" — Mercutio
"So, again, good night. I must be cruel only to be kind. Thus bad begins and worse remains behind." — Hamlet
The game's afoot: follow your spirit, and upon this charge cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'" — King Henry V
It's posturing shiite – their existing policy is that anyone on Job Seeker Benefit goes onto an electronic (restricted spending) card after the first 4 weeks of cash benefit (eftpos card).
This government is a idiot for seeking to suppress further 1-off territory attacks, when lage, powerful armed terror groups like Mongrel Mob are growing unchecked and attacking in towns and cities at will.
Such misdirected nonsense from this government and Police on terror groups.
Where do you get your information from? Pretty dodgy to say the least.
From your comment, it sounds as thought there is only one gang in NZ and that they are armed to the gills and in the midst of a shooting war with all and sundry.
Hate to disabuse you of your fantasies but some reading suggests the 501 seeded gangs are more heavily armed (weapons arrive with drugs from South America) and NZ's numerous other gangs are no doubt just as lethal. It also seems you work on other very misguided assumptions that are not worth addressing as it is obvious you have more than a few mind-blocks.
By the way, when were you last terrorised by an armed Mongrel Mob Member? Was it when you didn't pay for the drugs you received or was it after you shot up their pad?
Odd you should mention this. Last night I was dealing with my disabled brother who has discovered a very recent bullet hole in his house. Police have told them they know who it was but no action can be taken.
I'm still trying to work out what this means.
About 20 years ago when some pissed prospects decide leave the party at the pad down the road and invite themselves into our flat and proceed to start smashing the place up.
You are just stupidly ignorant.
Auckland's SH1 motorway was shut down by a gang gun exchange on Thursday night.
More gang gun violence occurred in Massey yesterday.
At least 900 people joined a gang last year – an increase of 13% on the year before.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300193448/number-of-people-joining-gangs-increased-by-at-least-13-per-cent-this-year-police-data-shows
Since Labour came into office in 2017 gangs have recruited 2660 new members, an increase of just under 50 per cent. We now have over 8,000 – that's equivalent to the entire town of Kawerau. All facts on the record.
Plenty of our small towns have gangs as the primary organising power of their society. Including places like Kawerau.
Different reasons why:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/123699877/new-zealand-gangs-on-the-rise-why-young-kiwis-are-getting-patched
December last year there were two drive-by shootings from gangs within 24 hours – in Napier.
Police raids on gangs have increased this year, with huge hauls and Proceeds of Crime seizures.
They ride our streets in packs unimpeded. They are now so big that the governemnt has to employ them to manage the impact of the drugs they import.
Targeted assassinations by gangs, using firearms, are now much more prevalent.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/125565035/targeted-assassinations-becoming-more-prevalent-in-gang-scene
You want a discussion on the impact of terrorist groups in New Zealand, start with the armed terror groups that are embedded and expanding already.
Personally I regard them as outlaws. In the original sense of that word, and all that implies.
This is the product of the policy of Australia's Liberal coalition government, therefore the product of the people of Australia, and literally the product of Australian society.
Thousands of criminals, trained by Australia, have been exported to New Zealand in the last 6 years. With them they bring sophisticated networking, fundraising and recruitment practice, all nurtured in Australia. They also bring their anger, magnified.
NZ has become a dumping ground for the failures of a morally corrupt Australian society and this is the primary reason for an increase in organised crime violence here.
Add to this their export of real terrorism in the form of murderous white supremacy, which we have known bubbles away in Australia under the radar since its colonisation, by criminals.
Yes there's a wee bit of that. But they are our people doing this crime, our people are the criminals, and apart from the Comancheros they came back to fully formed gangs ready to expand – which they are doing big time.
And there's no way the Ardern government isn't responsible for effectively policing them.
You only have to look to some Latin American nations, Mexico leaps to mind, as to what happens when govts fail to police gangs.
Two years ago I had a very interesting Mexican colleague (I think I mentioned him here in a thread before) who explained to me in detail one night over dinner, how two of his business partners were in separate incidents, both kidnapped, ransomed and murdered. We’re talking legit, tech based, middle-class professionals – specifically targeted for purely monetary gain and no other reason. Needless to say this is also the reason why he now lives in Australia.
You will read this and feel nothing – having it retold by someone who lived through it first hand is deeply chilling. And if NZ imagines that it's immune to this kind of collapse of social moral structure it would be deluding itself.
Frightening and so true. But it seems that our government wants to make friends with gangs. I don't think being kind will be the preferred remedy.
Difficult for me to imagine a modern NZ government of any flavour being kind/friendly to individuals or groups that indulge in kidnapping or other serious crimes in NZ, but your imagination may be more 'vivid' than mine.
Four arrested face two kidnapping charges
Suspect that the NZ police and MPs are concerned about the types and level of crimes carried out by gangs in NZ, from the Mongrel Mob to triad-type and white-supremacist gangs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangs_in_New_Zealand#Race-based_gangs
Imho those convicted of kidnapping in NZ should be made an example of – NZ kidnapping rates are too high compared to Australia.
https://knoema.com/atlas/New-Zealand/Kidnapping-rate
A clever, amusing title to brighten the day. It's about a serious subject but just a pause for a smile before reading further.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018804301/money-for-the-mob-and-hoha-over-koha
They get paid by the market to bring the drugs in, and paid by the public to mitigate the damage of drugs.
Pretty sweet deal.
That sums up a lot of business in NZ Ad.
No it bloody doesn't. The fact of so many left wingers openly siding with criminal gangs who inflict nothing but misery on their own people is a testament to a dismal moral degeneracy I find very hard to understand.
👏
Here's an extremely accurate description of our "inclusive" education system. The HRRT needs to fast-track hearing IHC's complaint:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff-nation/125796031/young-lives-up-in-smoke-more-special-education-help-is-needed-at-schools
'Murica
https://twitter.com/TheTNHoller/status/1416925524065148928
Well lets hope shooting incidents do not become that common and blase in NZ.
A gun sick nation. USA a fourth-world nation and soon emulating Nigeria probably.
[second time removed the following text from user name: “Timely warning”]
I haven’t done anything to my user name – don’t know why it should be different. Thanks for adjusting incognito. I see now – will do. Very timely warning eh.
Please correct your user name next time you comment, thanks.
Maybe some actual data would help with your comparisons.
The Auckland to Hamilton train had a bad day yesterday by the sounds of it.
Train wreck of a commute: 'Bits of the train were bouncing down the tracks' – NZ Herald
No worries, we'll get it fixed and it'll go like the clappers. In the meantime a bit of the old pioneer spirit needed, and patience.
[third and last time; removed the following text from user name: “Timely warning”]
See my note above. Will do.
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That's the last time they name a service after an extinct bird.
The front fell off.