Their consultancy contracts have 'hollowed out the Public Service, which is one of the pillars of the Westminster system'.
The questions that Australian legislators raise are ones NZ government should be asking here and now. Part of their slipperiness is that tey are not corporations, but set up as massive partnerships.
More mundane than that: making moolah for themselves coming and going. There seems to be breakdown where they contribute to legislation, while on-selling insider info to big corps (also their customers) affected by the laws/policy under development.
Much of their government income is inaccessible, hidden inside things like the Defense budget spend on AUKUS. The openly-accessible contracts suggest $10bi of government income in the past 10 years.
And they've become the ticket clipper for Aussie organisations needing to interface with government (entry to money talks requires a big4 financial case).
Plus they write their own contracts and deliverables, and you can guess what that means.
Victoria University of Wellington politics professor Dr Lara Greaves tells The Front Pagepodcast as parties grapple for swing voters, they’re unlikely to do anything that might spook those in the centre.
Sheeple milling around in the middle of the paddock do get spooked by those seeking to deviate them. Consequently, doesn't matter how many global crises start to happen, they just keep on circling. To impress these centrists, the Nat/Lab duopoly must pretend no crises are actually happening, and issue policies accordingly. Bland + bland = ok.
“Studies like the New Zealand election study have shown that the group that tends to be less committed partisan and more likely swing voters are women. There’s some motivation kicking around there and around trying to appeal to those.”
She doesn't even mention the Women's Party. Perhaps she's not a woman? Just pretending? Being an academic locked into a silo could explain it – no idea what's happening in the big wide world outside your comfortable niche in there.
What this means is that voters looking for bold or radical changes to the current status quo are unlikely to find what they’re looking for in anything that’s being offered by the main parties right now.
Gosh, you mean things will stay the same as usual? Folks will be surprised. Changes come & go constantly, but democracy keeps sheeple stuck in the same rut forever. All good, because their mental health depends on it. More smoke from the Nats, more mirrors from the Labs, more sameness will persist. Avoid all progress!
Putting 12-year-old ram raiders in jail is obviously exciting stuff for Labour folk. One can imagine them jumping up & down with glee in anticipation. Tough on crime!
You mean Labour are being disingenuous? Pretending to imprison them while knowing judges will never act in accord with an act of parliament and make it happen? I suppose one would call that the judicial subversive theory of democracy. Could spice up the campaign if journos tell it like it is!
And this from a progressive kind of person who'd likely vote Labour:
Chief Children’s Commissioner Judge Frances Eivers says she is “frustrated” to see the Government’s plans to build more “prison-like facilities” for young offenders – the exact opposite of what she and successive commissioners before her have called for
She may feel frustration, but it won't stop Labour copying National! No way. Centrist sheeple will nervously eye the two packs closing in on them from either side. Just the slightest gap between them, and the sheeple will instantly transform into bolters and shoot thro the gap to freedom…
The new Children and Young People’s Commission comes into being today, replacing the Office of the Children’s Commissioner and taking on the role of standing up for and advocating for the rights of children and young people.
The move follows a controversial law change last year on oversight of Oranga Tamariki facilities, including taking sole responsibility away from the independent Children’s Commissioner, which critics said meant young people will feel less comfortable coming forward with complaints.
The move was opposed by all parties aside from Labour,
well, so as long as these new facilities don't promote under age fight clubs.
"What this means is that voters looking for bold or radical changes to the current status quo are unlikely to find what they’re looking for in anything that’s being offered by the main parties right now."
You can't vote for a revolution. Witness Douglas's reforms of the '80'’s.
Foolishly, it has taken a while for me to come to this conclusion too. Neo-liberalism and it's handmaid, incrementalism is far too familiar and comfortable for these pollies and our Public Servants.
We need a significant change where resilience and self reliance, as a nation, are encouraged, where there is no need for welfare for working people, housing is decent and rents are linked to wages, not seen as an investment vehicle and foodbanks are a thing of the past.
So far the corporate owned identitarians (of all faith and leanings) and other Aunt Lydia's have succeeded in making enough people believe that they are safe from such unpleasantness so as long as they believe and invest heavily in hopium and copeium. Both readily available online, and please tick all the appropriate boxes for the suits and their enforces to be re-selected as deliverer of hopium and copeium.
We don't have to. There's absolute necessity to provide a positive alternative. That's why I put up my website (alternative Aotearoa) after the gfc when it became obvious that neither the left nor the right were willing to learn the resilience lesson.
A global financial crisis is insufficient to shake mainstreamers out of their mental lethargy. Likewise the global climate crisis. Sheeple aren't problem-solvers. They always need someone competent at solving problems to engage on their behalf.
Political parties all agree that problem-solvers are troublemakers, therefore the system must be made to discriminate against them. It's the only sure way to protect the system and ensure that its dysfunction continues.
So you can see why the native rebel thing is escalating both here & in the USA. Just heard ex-presenter (Morning Report) being interviewed by Corin Dann about the Disinformation Project. It has been exploring the sub-culture & seems to have produced some kind of report. I'll see if I can find it.
Founded in February 2020, the Disinformation Project helps organisations, journalists, academics, policy makers, and civil society to identify, understand and meaningfully respond to information disorders. Read more about defining disinformation.
Bomber yesterday anticipated a Ministry of Truth. Any minister could easily find that job to be quite a hot seat, eh? I advise postmodernism as the default position for any such Labour minister aspiring to be a role model of truth: "We in Labour believe in make it up as you go along. Consequently the truth is whatever seems to be in the common interests of our members at the time. It's called democracy."
Alternative (on-line) media want the status of MSM without the responsibility – their freedom of speech.
They couch it as our "freedom of speech", because we can comment on their sites – and there is a new regime proposed whereby they have to moderate hate speech and have annual reviews as to their more effective management of this.
I can't recall that showing up in recent polls. Oh right, "Women's Rights Party"?
I can't see that it is registered for this election. It must be heading up towards the deadline to get on the ballot. Ummm timetable. They probably have until
Noon, Friday 15 September
Nominations closefor candidates
At that point they print the ballot. However a party needs to do everything before that because they have to have things like a logo gazetted, minimum number of members, officers elected etc.
That seems a more likely reason about why she didn't mention it.
Animal justice has an extremely paw logo. And “NewZeal”, for those with long memories, was the name adopted once upon a time for the political project of now US domiciled ex=ACT vice president, aging crackpot and conspiracy theorist Trevor Loudon – the ZAP inspired ground zero of NZ cookers.
Poorly promoted, an uncompetitive national team, a general lack of interest, and the opening match to be likely played in pouring rain in a half empty, gloomy and out of date Eden park because Auckland inexplicably still lacks a modern 25,000-30,000 seat indoor stadium – FIFA must be regretting giving NZ co-host rights for the woman's soccer world cup. Let's look into the looming debacle.
Poorly promoted because the whole tone of the promotion of this tournament is NZ fans should be grateful and turn up, and if they don't it is the fans fault and because of some sort of misogynistic reason. But as women's rugby showed, a team that engages with its fans, is humble and – above all – is competitive then the fans will come out. The lack of a decent indoor stadium to replace Eden park for league, union and soccer in Auckland – where it has just rained more or less continuously for nine months – is a disgrace. New Zealanders don't go to stadium events much anymore because the stadium experience is stuck in the late 1990s (that includes the terrible music, presumably signed off by a boomer executive). Going out to sport is a habit. Like many things to do with rugby union (the main users of stadiums) arrogance, greed and complacency has killed their audience.
Don't be surprised if all matches are switched to Australia at short notice.
Some expensive suit in Australia just cancelled the Common Wealth game cause it costs to much. Maybe in reality people just don't have money to go to Auckland and watch soccer. Maybe soccer really is not on the top list of peoples mind atm.
Any other town has that fabulous stadium that you talk of? If so, the question is not why did Auckland rate payer not pay for another stadium, but the question is why is the Opening Game held in a bad venue when NZ has better, and above all why should the Auckland Rate Payer fund private venture when the town is broke.
The bickering over a long, long overdue stadium to replace Eden Park & Mt. Smart is beyond belief. Major projects of any sort in Auckland appear to always get bogged down in ridiculous resets. But that isn't the fault of NZ Soccer.
the “expensive suit” BTW was the premier of Victoria.
Part of the problem is that while Mt Smart is owned by the Ratepayers of Auckland, Eden Park is not.
Eden Park is owned by a private Trust and is supported by very rich and powerful sporting type people with excellent political connections. The Trust has a voracious appetite for ratepayer and taxpayer funds and the political clout to extract them.
Over the last 30 odd years Eden Park has grown from a daytime sporting venue to a massive entertainment complex. It sits in the middle of a largely heritage zoned residential area. It has good public transport links which is its main redeeming feature, but it still requires massive road closures to manage crowds for a big event.
Eden Park will want to hang on to this investment and privilege so any attempt to replace it will be extensively (and expensively) contested.
It's easy to simply say Auckland should have a modern 30,000 seat stadium. And imagine it. Only 30,000 when the (few) big matches at Eden Park attract 50,000?
There seem to be simply too many competing interests for such a new stadium. Getting everyone on the same page seems impossible. Of course there is the accommodation of a desired rectangular area for football sports and a circle/oval for cricket.
We want the stadiums and consequent environments, experiences and events we see overseas.
Arsenal Football Club, London; 19 home games a year, average attendance 60,000.
Green Bay Packers in Wisconsin USA, a state of nearly 6 million, with Milwaukee the biggest city with 600,000. 10 home games average attendance 76,000.
A sports stadium as a social facility, a generator of commercial and economic activity, a viable financial investment, a 'nice to have'? We want a Ritz de la Ritz stadium experience? Eden Park is a dump?
Auckland could have a modern international quality stadium. All it needs is the chief proponents to come up with a couple of billion. Ratepayers obviously need to be out of that demand loop.
You must be a rugby fan Sanc-a bit too negative mate, you will be rivalling Ad soon.
I'm going to a couple of WC games in Dunners (at the excellent roofed newish stadium) and looking forward to the soccer very much. I think there are many people in the same boat. More kids play soccer than rugby at school now.
I don't think you can blame NZ for the weather. They play Premier League soccer in driving snow sometimes in England.
But you are right about Auckland and its stadiums. A mate of mine texted me yesterday saying how pissed off he was that the two cricket tests against Australia will be played outside Auckland. (I invited him to come and watch with me at Hagley Park). But this is because there are wonderful cricket grounds in Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Napier, Alexandra, Tauronga and so on while Eden Park is a terrible cricket venue, and, as you say, is not that impressive as a rugby/football venue.
(BTW I don't like Queenstown as a cricket venue due to the perpetual noise from aircraft. That will change when they build Tarras International Airport)
Sure it could have been better promoted, as a rare chance to see top level football locally. And it will be, once it gets going.
And it is a pity the FF are not as good a team as they have been (competitive as 2011, 2015 and 2019), and we have a poor record with coverage of the sport here (only recently a Phoenix women's team and is there any media coverage of the provincial football league as they do with women's rugby…I got to watch WH and SG play at local club level – Central League).
AE would be back for another go (rather than at Louisville) if they were on the ascent rather than decline.
FIFA would see this as promoting the game down under.
But the idea of having and using a smaller indoor stadium because it might rain … what if a larger stadium was sold out …
And it is a pity the FF are not as good a team as they have been
So they had better not get complacent, just because they beat a team ranked higher than Philippines and Switzerland (apologies to the needle for borrowing his motivation method).
Simpson was all professional on rnz morning report shortly after 8, co-ordinating the relevant info for commuters and city workers. She refused to be drawn to speculate, saying that was for the police, and came across as 100% credible and competent.
The constant refusal of the MSM to note the partisan political links of Sunny Kaushal when seeking commenting on crime has gone from wilful ignorance to downright conspiratorial.
Analysis of how (in Australia) cash rate increases promote energy price increases and further inflation. The idea that cash rate increases have promoted rental price hikes has taken hold in Australian political commentary as well.
Golly, just got a first hand account of the downtown incident this morning from my God daughter and niece – she was walking to work and was right outside when it happened. Had to take cover and hide until armed police escorted them away. Astonishing stuff.
David Seymour can't resist trying to 'foreshadow' blame on the government for the tragedy while at the same time pretending to be responsible about… not jumping to conclusions.
There will be a time to ask how such a thing could happen, how it could have been stopped, and what should happen to stop it happening again. That time is when all the facts are known, and carefully analysed. Rushing to conclusions often makes things worse.
The questions posed by Seymour are perfect for a rabid crowd he wants to appeal to and the incident, tragedy, is an ideal vehicle to stir them up. It would be terrible for everything in the country to be calm, peaceful and settled.
On one festering cesspool online blog site they're into it. Naturally Arden is dragged in with scorn and blame. And crime and punishment, and all sorts of opportunistic racist stuff is being chucked round.
Mark Mitchell will be planning his attack for today and while making out it's about 'informing the public' he'll be trying to maximise his chance to grandstand and rouse more neanderthals.
Seymour wants offenders to be able to have legal access to weapons which kill many more people, like semi-automatics, instead of shotguns. That is literally ACT's policy, and demonstrated by Seymour's votes in Parliament, opposing gun reform.
And before you say they are only a small part. 2 battalions of neo-nazi's in the Ukraine army is 2 to many. That's not even pointing out the Wagner group or other Russian far right groups.
Let's not forget when this is over – weapons in the hands of these people is going to be a problem for years to come.
But sure lets pretend that far right are not a problem.
Police Commissioner Costner says he was a 24 yo with a home detention sentence, for primarily domestic violence, but with an exemption to work at the construction site. He did not hold a gun licence.
A few questions need to be answered from this. Like how the heck did he get hold of a gun? And why the hell was he given home detention in the first place? And where was the monitoring?
I wonder how Judge Stephen Bonnar KC if feeling tonight?
I went to https://archive.is/, pasted in your nzherald address into the search function, and it pulled up the above cevKP link. Hopefully that works as a link in TS, as it's the first time I've had a go.
Yup, appears to have worked just fine. Now to read on.
Well, I've got a bit more respect for Luxon and a lot more understanding of what makes him tick. He was a cypher before, possibly still is. Thanks for the link, ianmac.
A lot of effort to reassure us Luxon is not in politics as a social conservative, but as someone who merely wants more effective management of the economy.
I read that Luxon's an OK, results-driven executive, trained at Unilever, renowned for their all-rounder exec training. He is warm with his work team, but worships at Mammon's altar (shareholder returns), and will sacrifice all to reach his target.
He has an element of social consciousness developed by his upbringing, and by Unilever's holistic management approach.
The thinness in Luxon's world view seems to be in his capitalist, growth-mentality position. He drank the 90's market cool-aid, and never grew out of that way of thinking.
When I inputted your herald address into the archive.is website SEARCH function (further down the page, not the archive dialogue box), it popped up with the cerKV link I put at the top of my comment. That should take anyone clicking on it to the archived article (if someone has bothered to archive it) – as it took me when I clicked on it on editing my comment after posting, as a check.
I just meant, you can give this a go yourself when next bringing TS readers your tasty pay-walled treats.
Quite balmy in Palmy North today, for this time of year.
‘We are damned fools’: scientist who sounded climate alarm in 80s warns of worse to come [19 July 2023]
“There’s a lot more in the pipeline, unless we reduce the greenhouse gas amounts,” Hansen, who is 82, told the Guardian. “These superstorms are a taste of the storms of my grandchildren. We are headed wittingly into the new reality – we knew it was coming.”
He said the record heatwaves that have roiled the US, Europe, China and elsewhere in recent weeks have heightened “a sense of disappointment that we scientists did not communicate more clearly and that we did not elect leaders capable of a more intelligent response”.
“It means we are damned fools,” Hansen said of humanity’s ponderous response to the climate crisis. “We have to taste it to believe it.”
As for that Act activist. Chris “Climate Hysteria" Baillie and his denier stance…this kind of idiot will never accept that our Earth..is heating very rapidly. A dangerous fool.
April has been a quiet month at A Phuulish Fellow. I have had an exceptionally good reading month, and a decently productive writing month – for original fiction, anyway – but not much has caught my eye that suggested a blog article. It has been vaguely frustrating, to be honest. ...
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Michael Bassett writes – If you think there is a move afoot by the radical Maori fringe of New Zealand society to create a parallel system of government to the one that we elect at our triennial elections, you aren’t wrong. Over the last few days we have ...
Without a corresponding drop in interest rates, it’s doubtful any changes to the CCCFA will unleash a massive rush of home buyers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The six things that stood out to me in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, poverty and climate on Monday, April 22 included:The Government making a ...
Sunday was a lazy day. I started watching Jack Tame on Q&A, the interviews are usually good for something to write about. Saying the things that the politicians won’t, but are quite possibly thinking. Things that are true and need to be extracted from between the lines.As you might know ...
In our Weekly Roundup last week we covered news from Auckland Transport that the WX1 Western Express is going to get an upgrade next year with double decker electric buses. As part of the announcement, AT also said “Since we introduced the WX1 Western Express last November we have seen ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 29 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Stats NZ releases its statutory report on Census 2023 tomorrow.Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers a pre-Budget speech at ...
A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 14, 2024 thru Sat, April 20, 2024. Story of the week Our story of the week hinges on these words from the abstract of a fresh academic ...
The ability of the private sector to quickly establish major new projects making use of the urban and natural environment is to be supercharged by the new National-led Government. Yesterday it introduced to Parliament one of its most significant reforms, the Fast Track Approvals Bill. The Government says this will ...
This is a column to say thank you. So many of have been in touch since Mum died to say so many kind and thoughtful things. You’re wonderful, all of you. You’ve asked how we’re doing, how Dad’s doing. A little more realisation each day, of the irretrievable finality of ...
Identifying the engine type in your car is crucial for various reasons, including maintenance, repairs, and performance upgrades. Knowing the specific engine model allows you to access detailed technical information, locate compatible parts, and make informed decisions about modifications. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step approach to ...
Introduction: The allure of racing is undeniable. The thrill of speed, the roar of engines, and the exhilaration of competition all contribute to the allure of this adrenaline-driven sport. For those who yearn to experience the pinnacle of racing, becoming a race car driver is the ultimate dream. However, the ...
Introduction Automobiles have become ubiquitous in modern society, serving as a primary mode of transportation and a symbol of economic growth and personal mobility. With countless vehicles traversing roads and highways worldwide, it begs the question: how many cars are there in the world? Determining the precise number is a ...
Maintaining a safe and reliable vehicle requires regular inspections. Whether it’s a routine maintenance checkup or a safety inspection, knowing how long the process will take can help you plan your day accordingly. This article delves into the factors that influence the duration of a car inspection and provides an ...
Mazda Motor Corporation, commonly known as Mazda, is a Japanese multinational automaker headquartered in Fuchu, Aki District, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The company was founded in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Co., Ltd., and began producing vehicles in 1931. Mazda is primarily known for its production of passenger cars, but ...
Your car battery is an essential component that provides power to start your engine, operate your electrical systems, and store energy. Over time, batteries can weaken and lose their ability to hold a charge, which can lead to starting problems, power failures, and other issues. Replacing your battery before it ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
More essential jobs could be on the chopping block, this time Ministry of Education staff on the school lunches team are set to find out whether they're in line to lose their jobs. ...
Te Pāti Māori is disgusted at the confirmation that hundreds are set to lose their jobs at Oranga Tamariki, and the disestablishment of the Treaty Response Unit. “This act of absolute carelessness and out of touch decision making is committing tamariki to state abuse.” Said Te Pāti Māori Oranga Tamariki ...
The Government is trying to bring in a law that will allow Ministers to cut corners and kill off native species, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said. ...
Cancelling urgently needed new Cook Strait ferries and hiking the cost of public transport for many Kiwis so that National can announce the prospect of another tunnel for Wellington is not making good choices, Labour Transport Spokesperson Tangi Utikere said. ...
A laundry list of additional costs for Tāmaki Makarau Auckland shows the Minister for the city is not delivering for the people who live there, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, and Mema Paremata mō Tāmaki-Makaurau, Takutai Tarsh Kemp, will travel to the Gold Coast to strengthen ties with Māori in Australia next week (15-21 April). The visit, in the lead-up to the 9th Australian National Kapa haka Festival, will be an opportunity for both ...
The Green Party has today launched a step-by-step guide to help New Zealanders make their voice heard on the Government’s democracy dodging and anti-environment fast track legislation. ...
The National Government’s proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act will mean tenants can be turfed from their homes by landlords with little notice, Labour housing spokesperson Kieran McAnulty said. ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson is calling on all parties to support a common-sense change that’s great for the planet and great for consumers after her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot today. ...
A significant milestone has been reached in the fight to strike an anti-Pasifika and unfair law from the country’s books after Teanau Tuiono’s members’ bill passed its first reading. ...
New Zealand has today missed the opportunity to uphold the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, says James Shaw after his member’s bill was voted down in its first reading. ...
Hon Paula Bennett has been appointed as member and chair of the Pharmac board, Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. "Pharmac is a critical part of New Zealand's health system and plays a significant role in ensuring that Kiwis have the best possible access to medicines,” says Mr Seymour. ...
Hundreds of New Zealand families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will benefit from a new Government focus on prevention and treatment, says Health Minister Dr Shane Reti. “We know FASD is a leading cause of preventable intellectual and neurodevelopmental disability in New Zealand,” Dr Reti says. “Every day, ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones today attended the official opening of Kaikohe’s new $14.7 million sports complex. “The completion of the Kaikohe Multi Sports Complex is a fantastic achievement for the Far North,” Mr Jones says. “This facility not only fulfils a long-held dream for local athletes, but also creates ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters’ engagements in Türkiye this week underlined the importance of diplomacy to meet growing global challenges. “Returning to the Gallipoli Peninsula to represent New Zealand at Anzac commemorations was a sombre reminder of the critical importance of diplomacy for de-escalating conflicts and easing tensions,” Mr Peters ...
Ambassador Millar, Burgemeester, Vandepitte, Excellencies, military representatives, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning and welcome to this sacred Anzac Day dawn service. It is an honour to be here on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand at Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood – a deeply ...
Distinguished guests - It is an honour to return once again to this site which, as the resting place for so many of our war-dead, has become a sacred place for generations of New Zealanders. Our presence here and at the other special spaces of Gallipoli is made ...
Mai ia tawhiti pamamao, te moana nui a Kiwa, kua tae whakaiti mai matou, ki to koutou papa whenua. No koutou te tapuwae, no matou te tapuwae, kua honoa pumautia. Ko nga toa kua hinga nei, o te Waipounamu, o te Ika a Maui, he okioki tahi me o ...
Paul Goldsmith will take on responsibility for the Media and Communications portfolio, while Louise Upston will pick up the Disability Issues portfolio, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced today. “Our Government is relentlessly focused on getting New Zealand back on track. As issues change in prominence, I plan to adjust Ministerial ...
Recreational catch limits will be reduced in areas of Fiordland and the Chatham Islands to help keep those fisheries healthy and sustainable, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The lower recreational daily catch limits for a range of finfish and shellfish species caught in the Fiordland Marine Area and ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed an important milestone in New Zealand’s hydrogen future, with the opening of the country’s first network of hydrogen refuelling stations in Wiri. “I want to congratulate the team at Hiringa Energy and its partners K one W one (K1W1), Mitsui & Co New Zealand ...
The coalition Government is delivering on its commitment to improve resource management laws and give greater certainty to consent applicants, with a Bill to amend the Resource Management Act (RMA) expected to be introduced to Parliament next month. RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has today outlined the first RMA Amendment ...
Overseas models for regulating the oil and gas sector, including their decommissioning regimes, are being carefully scrutinised as a potential template for New Zealand’s own sector, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. The Coalition Government is focused on rebuilding investor confidence in New Zealand’s energy sector as it looks to strengthen ...
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell has today released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events. “The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith is today travelling to Europe where he’ll update the United Nations Human Rights Council on the Government’s work to restore law and order. “Attending the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva provides us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while ...
Associate Agriculture Minister, Mark Patterson, formally reopened the world’s largest wool processing facility today in Awatoto, Napier, following a $50 million rebuild and refurbishment project. “The reopening of this facility will significantly lift the economic opportunities available to New Zealand’s wool sector, which already accounts for 20 per cent of ...
Hon Andrew Bayly, Minister for Small Business and Manufacturing At the Southland Otago Regional Engineering Collective (SOREC) Summit, 18 April, Dunedin Ngā mihi nui, Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Ko Whanganui aho Good Afternoon and thank you for inviting me to open your summit today. I am delighted ...
The Government is delivering on its commitment to bring back the Three Strikes legislation, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today. “Our Government is committed to restoring law and order and enforcing appropriate consequences on criminals. We are making it clear that repeat serious violent or sexual offending is not ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has today announced four new diplomatic appointments for New Zealand’s overseas missions. “Our diplomats have a vital role in maintaining and protecting New Zealand’s interests around the world,” Mr Peters says. “I am pleased to announce the appointment of these senior diplomats from the ...
New Zealand is contributing NZ$7 million to support communities affected by severe food insecurity and other urgent humanitarian needs in Ethiopia and Somalia, Foreign Minister Rt Hon Winston Peters announced today. “Over 21 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across Ethiopia, with a further 6.9 million people ...
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith is congratulating Mataaho Collective for winning the Golden Lion for best participant in the main exhibition at the Venice Biennale. "Congratulations to the Mataaho Collective for winning one of the world's most prestigious art prizes at the Venice Biennale. “It is good ...
The Government is reforming financial services to improve access to home loans and other lending, and strengthen customer protections, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly and Housing Minister Chris Bishop announced today. “Our coalition Government is committed to rebuilding the economy and making life simpler by cutting red tape. We are ...
“China remains a strong commercial opportunity for Kiwi exporters as Chinese businesses and consumers continue to value our high-quality safe produce,” Trade and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says. Mr McClay has returned to New Zealand following visits to Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai where he met ministers, governors and mayors and engaged in trade and agricultural events with the New ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has completed a successful trip to Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines, deepening relationships and capitalising on opportunities. Mr Luxon was accompanied by a business delegation and says the choice of countries represents the priority the New Zealand Government places on South East Asia, and our relationships in ...
New Zealand is demonstrating its commitment to reducing global greenhouse emissions, and supporting clean energy transition in South East Asia, through a contribution of NZ$41 million (US$25 million) in climate finance to the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM). Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts announced ...
The Government is today releasing a list of organisations who received letters about the Fast-track applications process, says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop. “Recently Ministers and agencies have received a series of OIA requests for a list of organisations to whom I wrote with information on applying to have a ...
Attorney-General Judith Collins today announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister David Jonathan Boldt as a Judge of the High Court, and the Honourable Justice Matthew Palmer as a Judge of the Court of Appeal. Justice Boldt graduated with an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 1990, and also holds ...
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the New Zealand delegation at the 2024 International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) held in Singapore. The delegation includes representatives from the Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) Te Wehengarua and the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Riu Roa. The summit is co-hosted ...
A stopbank upgrade project in Tairawhiti partly funded by the Government has increased flood resilience for around 7000ha of residential and horticultural land so far, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones today attended a dawn service in Gisborne to mark the end of the first stage of the ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters will represent the Government at Anzac Day commemorations on the Gallipoli Peninsula next week and engage with senior representatives of the Turkish government in Istanbul. “The Gallipoli campaign is a defining event in our history. It will be a privilege to share the occasion ...
Science, Innovation and Technology and Defence Minister Judith Collins will next week attend the OECD Science and Technology Ministerial conference in Paris and Anzac Day commemorations in Belgium. “Science, innovation and technology have a major role to play in rebuilding our economy and achieving better health, environmental and social outcomes ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The Prime Minister was accompanied by MP Paulo Garcia, the first Filipino to be elected to a legislature outside the Philippines. During today’s meeting, Prime Minister Luxon and President Marcos Jr discussed opportunities to ...
The Government has announced that $20 million in funding will be made available to Westport to fund much needed flood protection around the town. This measure will significantly improve the resilience of the community, says Local Government Minister Simeon Brown. “The Westport community has already been allocated almost $3 million ...
The Government is proud to support the first ever Repco Supercars Championship event in Taupō as up to 70,000 motorsport fans attend the Taupō International Motorsport Park this weekend, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. “Anticipation for the ITM Taupō Super400 is huge, with tickets and accommodation selling out weeks ...
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced an increase to the Rates Rebate Scheme, putting money back into the pockets of low-income homeowners. “The coalition Government is committed to bringing down the cost of living for New Zealanders. That includes targeted support for those Kiwis who are doing things tough, such ...
The Coalition Government is investing in a project to boost survival rates of New Zealand mussels and grow the industry, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones has announced. “This project seeks to increase the resilience of our mussels and significantly boost the sector’s productivity,” Mr Jones says. “The project - ...
Benefit figures released today underscore the importance of the Government’s plan to rebuild the economy and have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker Support, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “Benefit numbers are still significantly higher than when National was last in government, when there was about 70,000 fewer ...
The Government’s commitment to doubling New Zealand’s renewable energy capacity is backed by new data showing that clean energy has helped the country reach its lowest annual gross emissions since 1999, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand’s latest Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2022) published today, shows gross emissions fell ...
The Government is bringing the earthquake-prone building review forward, with work to start immediately, and extending the deadline for remediations by four years, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Our Government is focused on rebuilding the economy. A key part of our plan is to cut red tape that ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, have today agreed that New Zealand and the Kingdom of Thailand will upgrade the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership by 2026. “New Zealand and Thailand have a lot to offer each other. We have a strong mutual desire to build ...
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Transport Minister Simeon Brown have today announced the Coalition Government’s intention to extend port coastal permits for a further 20 years, providing port operators with certainty to continue their operations. “The introduction of the Resource Management Act in 1991 required ports to obtain coastal ...
The protest outside the White House correspondents’ dinner hotel. Image: Anatolu video screenshot APR More than two dozen Palestinian journalists had called for a boycott of the dinner, writing an open letter urging their American colleagues not to attend. “You have a unique responsibility to speak truth to power and ...
“Our exporters should, therefore, be deeply concerned that the Fast-track Approvals Bill was not assessed for consistency with any of our free trade commitments prior to being introduced to the House,” says Gary Taylor, Chief Executive of the Environmental ...
NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff is calling on all political parties to support the new Member’s Bill from Labour’s workplace relations and safety spokesperson Camilla Belich MP that would ensure negligent companies are held accountable when their employees ...
A historian with an uncanny track record of predicting US election winners tells RNZ's Sunday Morning that President Biden looks to be on track for another term, but things could still go very wrong for him. ...
A historian with a track record of predicting US election winners tells RNZ's Sunday Morning that President Biden looks to be on track for another term, but things could still go wrong for him. ...
Ngaio Marsh House is one of Christchurch’s best kept secrets – and contains more than a few mysteries of its own.Trust Ngaio Marsh to leave more than a few mysteries scattered through her house long after her departure. For a start, there’s the curious concrete portal in the garden, ...
Appointment viewing has been lost to the mists of time, but memories of Montana Sunday Theatre can still be conjured by hitting play on a particular piece of classical music. “You’re not going to be able to sell it.” Over 30 years on, Karen Bieleski still recalls how the task ...
Performance Review King Luxon sat behind His massive polished oak desk. It is Performance Review time. There is a knock on the door. “Enter!” says the King. In steps Minister of Disabilities and Carer Pedicures, Penny Simmonds. “I can explain everything …” she begins. “Fine,” says King Luxon, pressing the ...
The pair opened their first fully collaborative exhibition, Nina for Flowers, last Saturday. Gabi Lardies visited their studio to find out who Nina is and what working together was like.‘It didn’t start out like, ‘This is a show about Nina,’” says Josephine Jelicich, gripping a thermos of peppermint tea. ...
Thank you, Dr Maximilian Oskar Bircher-Benner, for your brilliant invention. I’m another mid-20s Kiwi who had an OE last year. I hopped on my bicycle where France meets the Atlantic and cycled east. I pedalled through the Loire Valley, down rivers lined with willows and ancient wisteria-draped chateaus. I relished ...
Asia Pacific Report From France to Australia, university pro-Palestine protests in the United States have now spread to several countries with students pitching on-campus camps. And students at Columbia and other US universities remain defiant as campuses have witnessed the biggest protests since the anti-Vietnam war and anti-apartheid eras in ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards, Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)New Zealand Government’s Fast Track legislation. Many criticisms are being made of the Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, including by this writer. But as with everything in politics, every story has two sides, and both deserve attention. It’s important to understand what the Government ...
Tara Ward talks to presenter Naomi Toilalo about the new TV show that turns food waste into a three course feast. Naomi Toilalo is standing in the warehouse at Good Neighbour Tauranga, helping unpack the two-and-a-half tonnes of rejected food that will arrive at the community support hub that day. ...
Scout is our latest Dog of the Month. This feature was offered as a reward during our What’s Eating Aotearoa PledgeMe campaign. Thank you to Scout’s human, Avril, for her support. Dog name: Scout (named after the little girl in To Kill a Mockingbird – she inherited the independent spirit ...
Megan Alatini takes us through her life in TV, including ‘terrible’ daytime TV, the class of Carol Hirschfeld and her most embarrassing TrueBliss moment. When she responded to a vague newspaper ad asking “do you have what it takes to be a popstar?” 25 years ago, Megan Alatini never guessed ...
A new exhibition in Wellington showcases the faces behind your local goods and services. Back in 1977, when I was a fine arts student at the University of Canterbury, I took a series of photographs of Christchurch shopkeepers. The photos were for a calendar – a project for my end ...
Toomaj and his resistance to tyranny through his songs have become an icon for the youth of Iran, so his sentence has hit the nation hard. Toomaj Salehi is not the first artist to pay the price for standing with the people. ...
My cousin Dylan and I spotted these big eels under the bridge that summer. We watched them lounging under the dark weed, facing into the flow of water, their mouths frozen open. Dylan and I couldn’t stop thinking about those eels. The night we went down to the creek, we ...
Newsroom, home of satire. My long-running weekly satirical series The Secret Diary has moved to Newsroom and will appear every Saturday, with Victor Billot’s wildly popular satirical Odes continuing to appear every Sunday. Diaries, Odes – while serious political columnists toil at meaningful opinions and stroke their chins to an ...
Tara Ward unravels the many nuanced layers of a cartoon about talking dogs.This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. It’s not often an episode of a children’s cartoon has adults sobbing into their sleeves, but that’s exactly what happened this week when ...
Working as a doctor in developing countries to help communities achieve better health outcomes is nothing short of a life goal for Jessica Tater. The University of Otago medical student has her sights firmly set on joining the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) when she qualifies ...
There’s an island in the far reaches of Auckland’s territory, sitting off the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, 30 minutes by air from the city or four hours on the slow boat. Aotea Great Barrier is off-grid, it has a population of fewer than a thousand people … and most ...
Asia Pacific Report An Australian author and advocate, Jim Aubrey, today led a national symbolic one minute’s silence to mark the “blood debt” owed to Papuan allies during the Second World War indigenous resistance against the invading Japanese forces. “A promise to most people is a promise,” Aubrey said in ...
Asia Pacific Report The Freedom Flotilla is ready to sail to Gaza, reports Kia Ora Gaza. All the required paperwork has been submitted to the port authority, and the cargo has been loaded and prepared for the humanitarian trip to the besieged enclave. However, organisers received word of an “administrative ...
Pacific Media Watch Palestine solidarity protesters today demonstrated at the Auckland headquarters of Television New Zealand, accusing the country’s major TV network of broadcasting “propaganda” backing Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. About 50 protesters targeted the main entrance to the TVNZ building near Sky Tower and also picketed a side ...
Opinion by Lynley Hood. Forty years on from my 1985 Fulbright Grant, my disquiet over the war in Gaza evoked some troubling questions. The answer to my first question – What is the primary purpose of the Fulbright Programme? – was on the Fulbright NZ website. It says: US Senator, ...
The ministers responsible for green-lighting major projects need to be open about potential conflicts of interest, says Transparency International. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anastasia Powell, Professor, Family and Sexual Violence, RMIT University It has been a particularly distressing start to the year. There is little that can ease the current grief of individuals, families and communities who have needlessly lost a loved one to men’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gregory Moore, Senior Research Associate, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne Lichen, the first described example of symbiosis.AdeJ Artventure/Shutterstock Once known only to those studying biology, the word symbiosis is now widely used. Symbiosis is the intimate ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Hemsley, Head, Childhood Dementia Research Group, Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University Olena Ivanova/Shutterstock “Childhood” and “dementia” are two words we wish we didn’t have to use together. But sadly, around 1,400 ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Whiteford, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University The government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has just published its second report. It was set up by Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth in 2022 to provide: ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amin Naeni, PhD candidate at Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the ...
A brief round-up of submissions on the controversial proposed law. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Last week, submissions on the controversial Fast-track Approvals Bill closed just hours after the government released a list of stakeholder organisations who were sent letters advising how they could ...
A poem from Robin Peace’s new collection Detritus of Empire: feather / grass / rock. Cereal giving I see a woman’s hands, see her curious hands break a stalk as she walks through the tall prairie, the savannah, the steppe, wherever it was. See her idly bite the grass that ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Hemingway’s Goblet by Dermot Ross (Mary Egan Publishing, $38)A handsomely produced (debossed cover, lovely ...
The Commissioner's decision validates the longstanding efforts of the local community and ensures that Awataha Marae will be managed to serve the needs of the local community, particularly for hosting tangihanga. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tristan Salles, Associate professor, University of Sydney Examples of Australian landscapes.Unsplash Seventy thousand years ago, the sea level was much lower than today. Australia, along with New Guinea and Tasmania, formed a connected landmass known as Sahul. Around this time – ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Castagna, Lecturer, Creative Writing, Western Sydney University Day Day Market, ParramattaPhoto: Garry Trinh I live on the edge of Parramatta, Australia’s fastest-growing city, on the kind of old-fashioned suburban street that has 1950s fibros constructed in the post-war housing boom, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Teaching Fellow in Economics, University of Waikato GettyImagesfatido/Getty Images There is an ongoing global debate over whether the high inflation seen in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic can be lowered without a recession. New Zealand is not ...
The ‘Wicked Game’ heartthrob is in his late 60s now. That didn’t stop him putting on a lively, goofy and very sparkly show. Apart from ‘Wicked Game’, which graces a sultry playlist of mine simply called 💋, my last sustained Chris Isaak listening session took place when I was about ...
Analysis - Two ministers were stripped of portfolios in a warning to Cabinet, drama broke out at the Waitangi Tribunal, and the gang patch ban bill ran into opposition. ...
Tara Ward makes an impassioned plea for some vital pop culture merch. In April 1999, I became obsessed with a new reality television show called Popstars. Every Tuesday night, five strangers transformed into music royalty before my very eyes as Joe, Keri, Carly, Erika and Megan were chosen to form ...
PNG Post-Courier In the early hours of ANZAC Day, aerial photographs captured an impressive gathering of Australians and Papua New Guineans at Isurava in the Northern (Oro) Province. The solemn dawn service yesterday was held at a site steeped in history, where some of the fiercest battles of World War ...
The PSA is shocked that Oranga Tamariki has used the cost cutting drive to downgrade its commitment to Te Ao Māori and remove many specialist Māori roles. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Kemish, Adjunct Professor, School of Historical and Philosophical Inquiry, The University of Queensland There can be no more powerful symbol of the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea than the prime ministers of these neighbouring countries walking together on the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sharon Robinson, Distinguished Professor and Deputy Director of ARC Securing Antarctica’s Environmental Future (SAEF), University of Wollongong, University of Wollongong Andrew Netherwood Over the last 25 years, the ozone hole which forming over Antarctica each spring has started to shrink. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Viktoria Kahui, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Economics, University of Otago Getty Images/Amy Toensing Biodiversity is declining at rates unprecedented in human history. This suggests the ways we currently use to manage our natural environment are failing. One emerging concept focuses on ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Colin Bednall, Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology marvent/Shutterstock Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates. Employers typically consider information from ...
Wondering where to host your next BYO? Whether its a small gathering or a massive party, we’ve got some recommendations. I was first introduced to the concept of BYOs at Dunedin’s India Gardens, a legendary but sadly defunct establishment, which purveyed enormous quantities of mango chicken to Aotearoa’s drunkest future ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julien Cooper, Honorary Lecturer, Department of History and Archaeology, Macquarie University Julien Cooper The hyper-arid desert of Eastern Sudan, the Atbai Desert, seems like an unlikely place to find evidence of ancient cattle herders. But in this dry environment, my new ...
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The government can't just rely on axing public sector jobs and has to do more to cut spending, says the chief economist at a free market think tank. ...
Rock The Vote NZ, known for its advocacy for minor party unity and its role within the Freedoms NZ Coalition during the 2023 General Election, celebrates this merger as a strategic enhancement of its operational strength and outreach. ...
ABC asks about the opaqueness and unaccountablity of the Big Four consultantcy firms which have 'infiltrated' Australian governments (15 min).
Their consultancy contracts have 'hollowed out the Public Service, which is one of the pillars of the Westminster system'.
The questions that Australian legislators raise are ones NZ government should be asking here and now. Part of their slipperiness is that tey are not corporations, but set up as massive partnerships.
Presumably to obstruct democratic representation of the people by those in parliament, by providing advice contrary to the manifesto.
More mundane than that: making moolah for themselves coming and going. There seems to be breakdown where they contribute to legislation, while on-selling insider info to big corps (also their customers) affected by the laws/policy under development.
Much of their government income is inaccessible, hidden inside things like the Defense budget spend on AUKUS. The openly-accessible contracts suggest $10bi of government income in the past 10 years.
And they've become the ticket clipper for Aussie organisations needing to interface with government (entry to money talks requires a big4 financial case).
Plus they write their own contracts and deliverables, and you can guess what that means.
Much more muddling thro the middle: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/the-front-page-why-have-our-major-parties-become-so-risk-averse/C7FGUURER5BUZCXWFL4NUNSGTQ/
Sheeple milling around in the middle of the paddock do get spooked by those seeking to deviate them. Consequently, doesn't matter how many global crises start to happen, they just keep on circling. To impress these centrists, the Nat/Lab duopoly must pretend no crises are actually happening, and issue policies accordingly. Bland + bland = ok.
She doesn't even mention the Women's Party. Perhaps she's not a woman? Just pretending? Being an academic locked into a silo could explain it – no idea what's happening in the big wide world outside your comfortable niche in there.
Gosh, you mean things will stay the same as usual? Folks will be surprised. Changes come & go constantly, but democracy keeps sheeple stuck in the same rut forever. All good, because their mental health depends on it. More smoke from the Nats, more mirrors from the Labs, more sameness will persist. Avoid all progress!
Labour's mirroring of National's ram-raid policy initiative has gotten interesting: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/132572766/new-ram-raid-law-to-charge-12-year-olds-new-offence-with-up-to-10-years-jail
Putting 12-year-old ram raiders in jail is obviously exciting stuff for Labour folk. One can imagine them jumping up & down with glee in anticipation. Tough on crime!
I suspect the purpose of the policy is otherwise.
It's to be able to bracelet home the 11-12 year olds if they ram raid
Basic psychology.
Hone notes Johnny next door is housebound for ramraiding, so he refuses an offer to ramraid for a gang the next week.
You mean Labour are being disingenuous? Pretending to imprison them while knowing judges will never act in accord with an act of parliament and make it happen? I suppose one would call that the judicial subversive theory of democracy. Could spice up the campaign if journos tell it like it is!
They'll be allowed out to go to school.
And this from a progressive kind of person who'd likely vote Labour:
She may feel frustration, but it won't stop Labour copying National! No way. Centrist sheeple will nervously eye the two packs closing in on them from either side. Just the slightest gap between them, and the sheeple will instantly transform into bolters and shoot thro the gap to freedom…
Did the Childrens Commissionaire not got axed?
Ah, i see it is a new and improved childrens Commisioner.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/childrens-commissioner-no-more-as-new-oversight-children-and-young-peoples-commission-launches/FZRQYYLOEJAJFO4SAWMW6UOCEE/
well, so as long as these new facilities don't promote under age fight clubs.
"What this means is that voters looking for bold or radical changes to the current status quo are unlikely to find what they’re looking for in anything that’s being offered by the main parties right now."
You can't vote for a revolution. Witness Douglas's reforms of the '80'’s.
Foolishly, it has taken a while for me to come to this conclusion too. Neo-liberalism and it's handmaid, incrementalism is far too familiar and comfortable for these pollies and our Public Servants.
We need a significant change where resilience and self reliance, as a nation, are encouraged, where there is no need for welfare for working people, housing is decent and rents are linked to wages, not seen as an investment vehicle and foodbanks are a thing of the past.
How far further do we have to fall?
Until we again feel hunger, cold, and fear.
So far the corporate owned identitarians (of all faith and leanings) and other Aunt Lydia's have succeeded in making enough people believe that they are safe from such unpleasantness so as long as they believe and invest heavily in hopium and copeium. Both readily available online, and please tick all the appropriate boxes for the suits and their enforces to be re-selected as deliverer of hopium and copeium.
Vote 2023.
"hopium and copeium"
Excellent!
This election bought to you by unobtanium.
How far further do we have to fall?
We don't have to. There's absolute necessity to provide a positive alternative. That's why I put up my website (alternative Aotearoa) after the gfc when it became obvious that neither the left nor the right were willing to learn the resilience lesson.
A global financial crisis is insufficient to shake mainstreamers out of their mental lethargy. Likewise the global climate crisis. Sheeple aren't problem-solvers. They always need someone competent at solving problems to engage on their behalf.
Political parties all agree that problem-solvers are troublemakers, therefore the system must be made to discriminate against them. It's the only sure way to protect the system and ensure that its dysfunction continues.
So you can see why the native rebel thing is escalating both here & in the USA. Just heard ex-presenter (Morning Report) being interviewed by Corin Dann about the Disinformation Project. It has been exploring the sub-culture & seems to have produced some kind of report. I'll see if I can find it.
Ah, that wasn’t hard: https://thedisinfoproject.org/
Bomber yesterday anticipated a Ministry of Truth. Any minister could easily find that job to be quite a hot seat, eh? I advise postmodernism as the default position for any such Labour minister aspiring to be a role model of truth: "We in Labour believe in make it up as you go along. Consequently the truth is whatever seems to be in the common interests of our members at the time. It's called democracy."
Alternative (on-line) media want the status of MSM without the responsibility – their freedom of speech.
They couch it as our "freedom of speech", because we can comment on their sites – and there is a new regime proposed whereby they have to moderate hate speech and have annual reviews as to their more effective management of this.
More importantly, listen to Suzie Ferguson's new RNZ podcast series Undercurrent to understand why we as a society need to monitor online 'free speech' forums around NZ political life.
I can't recall that showing up in recent polls. Oh right, "Women's Rights Party"?
I can't see that it is registered for this election. It must be heading up towards the deadline to get on the ballot. Ummm timetable. They probably have until
At that point they print the ballot. However a party needs to do everything before that because they have to have things like a logo gazetted, minimum number of members, officers elected etc.
That seems a more likely reason about why she didn't mention it.
Incidently we have a few new party changes.
Applications to register a political party and logo
PARTY NAME &
ABBREVIATION
Animal Justice Party
Applications to change a party name or logo
PARTY NAME,
ABBREVIATION
OR LOGO
Animal justice has an extremely paw logo. And “NewZeal”, for those with long memories, was the name adopted once upon a time for the political project of now US domiciled ex=ACT vice president, aging crackpot and conspiracy theorist Trevor Loudon – the ZAP inspired ground zero of NZ cookers.
The party applied on the 11th July and the application is underway.
Poorly promoted, an uncompetitive national team, a general lack of interest, and the opening match to be likely played in pouring rain in a half empty, gloomy and out of date Eden park because Auckland inexplicably still lacks a modern 25,000-30,000 seat indoor stadium – FIFA must be regretting giving NZ co-host rights for the woman's soccer world cup. Let's look into the looming debacle.
Poorly promoted because the whole tone of the promotion of this tournament is NZ fans should be grateful and turn up, and if they don't it is the fans fault and because of some sort of misogynistic reason. But as women's rugby showed, a team that engages with its fans, is humble and – above all – is competitive then the fans will come out. The lack of a decent indoor stadium to replace Eden park for league, union and soccer in Auckland – where it has just rained more or less continuously for nine months – is a disgrace. New Zealanders don't go to stadium events much anymore because the stadium experience is stuck in the late 1990s (that includes the terrible music, presumably signed off by a boomer executive). Going out to sport is a habit. Like many things to do with rugby union (the main users of stadiums) arrogance, greed and complacency has killed their audience.
Don't be surprised if all matches are switched to Australia at short notice.
Some expensive suit in Australia just cancelled the Common Wealth game cause it costs to much. Maybe in reality people just don't have money to go to Auckland and watch soccer. Maybe soccer really is not on the top list of peoples mind atm.
Any other town has that fabulous stadium that you talk of? If so, the question is not why did Auckland rate payer not pay for another stadium, but the question is why is the Opening Game held in a bad venue when NZ has better, and above all why should the Auckland Rate Payer fund private venture when the town is broke.
The bickering over a long, long overdue stadium to replace Eden Park & Mt. Smart is beyond belief. Major projects of any sort in Auckland appear to always get bogged down in ridiculous resets. But that isn't the fault of NZ Soccer.
the “expensive suit” BTW was the premier of Victoria.
Part of the problem is that while Mt Smart is owned by the Ratepayers of Auckland, Eden Park is not.
Eden Park is owned by a private Trust and is supported by very rich and powerful sporting type people with excellent political connections. The Trust has a voracious appetite for ratepayer and taxpayer funds and the political clout to extract them.
Over the last 30 odd years Eden Park has grown from a daytime sporting venue to a massive entertainment complex. It sits in the middle of a largely heritage zoned residential area. It has good public transport links which is its main redeeming feature, but it still requires massive road closures to manage crowds for a big event.
Eden Park will want to hang on to this investment and privilege so any attempt to replace it will be extensively (and expensively) contested.
Eden Park is also set in the middle of a host of powerfully politically connected NIMBYs – who hobble any significant development.
It's easy to simply say Auckland should have a modern 30,000 seat stadium. And imagine it. Only 30,000 when the (few) big matches at Eden Park attract 50,000?
There seem to be simply too many competing interests for such a new stadium. Getting everyone on the same page seems impossible. Of course there is the accommodation of a desired rectangular area for football sports and a circle/oval for cricket.
We want the stadiums and consequent environments, experiences and events we see overseas.
Arsenal Football Club, London; 19 home games a year, average attendance 60,000.
Green Bay Packers in Wisconsin USA, a state of nearly 6 million, with Milwaukee the biggest city with 600,000. 10 home games average attendance 76,000.
A sports stadium as a social facility, a generator of commercial and economic activity, a viable financial investment, a 'nice to have'? We want a Ritz de la Ritz stadium experience? Eden Park is a dump?
Auckland could have a modern international quality stadium. All it needs is the chief proponents to come up with a couple of billion. Ratepayers obviously need to be out of that demand loop.
Auckland is a joke , shit stadiums that are hard to get to, no rail to the airport, a bridge that gets shut due to wind , sewage filling its harbours.
You must be a rugby fan Sanc-a bit too negative mate, you will be rivalling Ad soon.
I'm going to a couple of WC games in Dunners (at the excellent roofed newish stadium) and looking forward to the soccer very much. I think there are many people in the same boat. More kids play soccer than rugby at school now.
I don't think you can blame NZ for the weather. They play Premier League soccer in driving snow sometimes in England.
But you are right about Auckland and its stadiums. A mate of mine texted me yesterday saying how pissed off he was that the two cricket tests against Australia will be played outside Auckland. (I invited him to come and watch with me at Hagley Park). But this is because there are wonderful cricket grounds in Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Napier, Alexandra, Tauronga and so on while Eden Park is a terrible cricket venue, and, as you say, is not that impressive as a rugby/football venue.
(BTW I don't like Queenstown as a cricket venue due to the perpetual noise from aircraft. That will change when they build Tarras International Airport)
They need to develop a real cricket ground away from Eden Park.
Any hardly used golf clubs available?
2030, 2040, yeah, right.
I think it will be built by 2030 because AirNZ and Qantas want it….Tarras to Paris anyone?
Fact check:
Most boomers aren't into late 90 music..
They stopped listening to new stuff 10-15 years before that..
It's the mob that came after them you should be directing your ire at..
And rnz reported the opening kick is before a full house..
Yeah but my kids are 28 and 33 and they have been telling me about the odd new band for many years.
Meanwhile, tickets for Messi’s Inter Miami debut are going for a lazy $110K on a re-seller site.
https://edition.cnn.com/videos/business/2023/07/17/exp-messi-mania-miami-soccer-football-riddell-live-071703pseg2-cnni-business.cnn
Sure it could have been better promoted, as a rare chance to see top level football locally. And it will be, once it gets going.
And it is a pity the FF are not as good a team as they have been (competitive as 2011, 2015 and 2019), and we have a poor record with coverage of the sport here (only recently a Phoenix women's team and is there any media coverage of the provincial football league as they do with women's rugby…I got to watch WH and SG play at local club level – Central League).
AE would be back for another go (rather than at Louisville) if they were on the ascent rather than decline.
FIFA would see this as promoting the game down under.
But the idea of having and using a smaller indoor stadium because it might rain … what if a larger stadium was sold out …
So they had better not get complacent, just because they beat a team ranked higher than Philippines and Switzerland (apologies to the needle for borrowing his motivation method).
AM Show just now, looks like a cop's been shot in downtown Ak:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-responding-to-unfolding-incident-in-britomart-auckland/VU72UD5WX5GZJB4T6VX4AOKHEY/
Up a high-rise there was a report of someone with a gun, 13th floor (unlucky) construction zone mentioned by a reporter.
Desley Simpson fronting the media, I assume the mayor is yet to emerge, put in his hearing aid and/or turn on his phone.
Simpson was all professional on rnz morning report shortly after 8, co-ordinating the relevant info for commuters and city workers. She refused to be drawn to speculate, saying that was for the police, and came across as 100% credible and competent.
Brown at 9.15 am to Newshub, presumably after his morning coffee, said that the gunman was dead, but that was just something he'd heard. Couldn't resist sharing. Simpson vs Brown, no contest.
Nearly everyone relevant who I've heard in the media on this has been professional and careful. Wayne Brown the only exception.
PM press conference at 10.15.
Without a prepared script..brown seems largely incapable of stringing a coherent sentence together…
"… brown seems largely incapable of stringing a coherent sentence together…
Brown is incapable of stringing a coherent sentence together. More fool the idiots who voted for him.
Stuff is reporting
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/300931378/live-auckland-shooting-multiple-people-believed-dead-police-officer-hit
Belladonna. Could you sort the Archives for today's column in the Archives please?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/christopher-luxons-self-help-path-to-power-next-stop-prime-minister/UFZA3TIWSNDMPC5KFCGHG6YB2U/
Sorry, afraid this is a bit late (both my paid job, and my unpaid parenting responsibilities have been a bit overwhelming today)
https://archive.ph/cevKP
The constant refusal of the MSM to note the partisan political links of Sunny Kaushal when seeking commenting on crime has gone from wilful ignorance to downright conspiratorial.
Analysis of how (in Australia) cash rate increases promote energy price increases and further inflation. The idea that cash rate increases have promoted rental price hikes has taken hold in Australian political commentary as well.
https://billmitchell.org/blog/?p=60991
Golly, just got a first hand account of the downtown incident this morning from my God daughter and niece – she was walking to work and was right outside when it happened. Had to take cover and hide until armed police escorted them away. Astonishing stuff.
David Seymour can't resist trying to 'foreshadow' blame on the government for the tragedy while at the same time pretending to be responsible about… not jumping to conclusions.
https://www.facebook.com/davidseymourACT/posts/811644743666139?ref=embed_post
What a creep!
(Sotto voce) "soft on crime, soft on crime"
A gun register's a good start. And a watchdog for online threats.
You can bet more gun control won't be on acts agenda
The questions posed by Seymour are perfect for a rabid crowd he wants to appeal to and the incident, tragedy, is an ideal vehicle to stir them up. It would be terrible for everything in the country to be calm, peaceful and settled.
On one festering cesspool online blog site they're into it. Naturally Arden is dragged in with scorn and blame. And crime and punishment, and all sorts of opportunistic racist stuff is being chucked round.
Mark Mitchell will be planning his attack for today and while making out it's about 'informing the public' he'll be trying to maximise his chance to grandstand and rouse more neanderthals.
Yes. Its sickening. I have the same level of disdain for Mark Mitchell as I do Seymour.
Seymour wants offenders to be able to have legal access to weapons which kill many more people, like semi-automatics, instead of shotguns. That is literally ACT's policy, and demonstrated by Seymour's votes in Parliament, opposing gun reform.
That works just fine in the USA, right?
How Seymore behaves is called "Passive aggression". Nasty as if he is called on it he will feign innocence.
So the far right are having fun in Ukraine.
And before you say they are only a small part. 2 battalions of neo-nazi's in the Ukraine army is 2 to many. That's not even pointing out the Wagner group or other Russian far right groups.
Let's not forget when this is over – weapons in the hands of these people is going to be a problem for years to come.
But sure lets pretend that far right are not a problem.
He had a monitor bracelet.
Are they not suppose to report if he went away from his home detention location?
Saw one media outlet say monitored home detention can include a designated place of work. Edit: Coster has apparently just confirmed this?
Also saw a comment on another forum (not verifiable) that he'd been fired from the job at the construction site.
Thank you.
Police Commissioner Costner says he was a 24 yo with a home detention sentence, for primarily domestic violence, but with an exemption to work at the construction site. He did not hold a gun licence.
A few questions need to be answered from this. Like how the heck did he get hold of a gun? And why the hell was he given home detention in the first place? And where was the monitoring?
I wonder how Judge Stephen Bonnar KC if feeling tonight?
Possibly not that great – who'd be a judge (or a probation officer), eh?
At least Judge Bonnar was right that he won't be seeing him again!
Alex Spence's column on Luxon is out on the Herald
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/christopher-luxons-self-help-path-to-power-next-stop-prime-minister/UFZA3TIWSNDMPC5KFCGHG6YB2U/
The column does not paint a very glowing picture of a would-be PM.
He points out that Air NZ had recovered from a bad period when Luxon took over. In Claire Trevetts book a colleague of Luxon is quoted:
The getting out before a slump is par for Luxon.
In my opinion a person who is searching in Self-help books is searching for identity and this is to fill a vacuum which is his lack of authenticity.
I hope Belladonna can find this in the Archives?
Have a go yourself at finding the archived copy.
https://archive.is/cevKP
I went to https://archive.is/, pasted in your nzherald address into the search function, and it pulled up the above cevKP link. Hopefully that works as a link in TS, as it's the first time I've had a go.
Yup, appears to have worked just fine. Now to read on.
Well, I've got a bit more respect for Luxon and a lot more understanding of what makes him tick. He was a cypher before, possibly still is. Thanks for the link, ianmac.
A lot of effort to reassure us Luxon is not in politics as a social conservative, but as someone who merely wants more effective management of the economy.
Management of the economy — who for?
I read that Luxon's an OK, results-driven executive, trained at Unilever, renowned for their all-rounder exec training. He is warm with his work team, but worships at Mammon's altar (shareholder returns), and will sacrifice all to reach his target.
He has an element of social consciousness developed by his upbringing, and by Unilever's holistic management approach.
The thinness in Luxon's world view seems to be in his capitalist, growth-mentality position. He drank the 90's market cool-aid, and never grew out of that way of thinking.
When I inputted your herald address into the archive.is website SEARCH function (further down the page, not the archive dialogue box), it popped up with the cerKV link I put at the top of my comment. That should take anyone clicking on it to the archived article (if someone has bothered to archive it) – as it took me when I clicked on it on editing my comment after posting, as a check.
I just meant, you can give this a go yourself when next bringing TS readers your tasty pay-walled treats.
Quite balmy in Palmy North today, for this time of year.
And speaking of damned fools:
ACT getting real about climate change – yeah, right.
Baillie is currently ACT’s education spokesperson.
Brownlee is currently the National party's Emergency Management spokesperson.
Professor James Hansen can hold his head high..he definitely stood up !
As for that Act activist. Chris “Climate Hysteria" Baillie and his denier stance…this kind of idiot will never accept that our Earth..is heating very rapidly. A dangerous fool.
Thanks tWiggle but now I can't tell if is open?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/christopher-luxons-self-help-path-to-power-next-stop-prime-minister/UFZA3TIWSNDMPC5KFCGHG6YB2U/
Sorry ianmac, posted my reply to you here at 11.2.1.1.1.1 by mistake. Hope all is revealed…