Open mike 20/07/2023

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, July 20th, 2023 - 77 comments
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Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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Step up to the mike …

77 comments on “Open mike 20/07/2023 ”

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  1. tWiggle 1
    20 July 2023 at 6:34 am

    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.

    • SPC 1.1
      20 July 2023 at 4:41 pm

      Presumably to obstruct democratic representation of the people by those in parliament, by providing advice contrary to the manifesto.

      • tWiggle 1.1.1
        20 July 2023 at 5:36 pm

        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.

  2. Dennis Frank 2
    20 July 2023 at 6:36 am

    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/

    Victoria University of Wellington politics professor Dr Lara Greaves tells The Front Page podcast 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!

    • Dennis Frank 2.1
      20 July 2023 at 6:50 am

      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!

      • SPC 2.1.1
        20 July 2023 at 4:48 pm

        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.

        • Dennis Frank 2.1.1.1
          20 July 2023 at 5:33 pm

          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!

    • Dennis Frank 2.2
      20 July 2023 at 6:58 am

      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

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/youth-crime-crackdown-childrens-commissioner-frustrated-at-government-plans-for-more-youth-prison-like-facilities/THLTRX6JJFCI5E2YSOCT2HGTIU/

      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…

      • Sabine 2.2.1
        20 July 2023 at 7:52 am

        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/

        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.

        • SPC 2.2.1.1
          20 July 2023 at 4:45 pm

          Judge Eivers has been appointed chairwoman and Chief Commissioner until October 31 this year.

          She will help provide a smooth transition to the new commission before her planned return to the judiciary, Sepuloni said.

          Dr Claire Achmad will become chairwoman and Chief Commissioner from October 31 and will hold the role of deputy chairwoman until then.

          Achmad has a PhD in international children’s law and was recently chief executive of Te Pai Ora o Aotearoa – Social Service Providers Aotearoa.

    • gsays 2.3
      20 July 2023 at 7:15 am

      "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?

      • Sabine 2.3.1
        20 July 2023 at 7:55 am

        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.

      • Dennis Frank 2.3.2
        20 July 2023 at 8:00 am

        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/

      • Dennis Frank 2.3.3
        20 July 2023 at 8:07 am

        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."

        • SPC 2.3.3.1
          20 July 2023 at 5:20 pm

          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.

        • tWiggle 2.3.3.2
          20 July 2023 at 5:47 pm

          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.

    • lprent 2.4
      20 July 2023 at 8:34 am

      She doesn't even mention the Women's Party.

      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 close for 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.

      Incidently we have a few new party changes.

      Applications to register a political party and logo

      DATE OF APPLICATION PROPOSED
      PARTY NAME &
      ABBREVIATION      		 PROPOSED LOGO STAGE OF APPLICATION PUBLIC CONSULTATION
      21/06/23 Democratic Alliance Processing Not open
      06/07/2023 Animal Justice Party Aotearoa New Zealand;
      Animal Justice Party      		 Processing Not open

      Applications to change a party name or logo

      DATE OF APPLICATION CURRENT PARTY NAME PROPOSED
      PARTY NAME,
      ABBREVIATION
      OR LOGO      		 STAGE OF APPLICATION PUBLIC CONSULTATION
      12/07/23 ONE Party NewZeal
      		 Processing Not Open
      • Sanctuary 2.4.1
        20 July 2023 at 8:36 am

        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.

      • Dawn Trenberth 2.4.2
        20 July 2023 at 6:09 pm

        The party applied on the 11th July and the application is underway.

  3. Sanctuary 3
    20 July 2023 at 7:23 am

    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.

    • Sabine 3.1
      20 July 2023 at 8:04 am

      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.

      • Sanctuary 3.1.1
        20 July 2023 at 8:21 am

        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.

        • Visubversa 3.1.1.1
          20 July 2023 at 8:43 am

          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.

          • Belladonna 3.1.1.1.1
            20 July 2023 at 9:42 am

            Eden Park is also set in the middle of a host of powerfully politically connected NIMBYs – who hobble any significant development.

          • Peter 3.1.1.1.2
            20 July 2023 at 10:36 am

            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.

        • bwaghorn 3.1.1.2
          20 July 2023 at 12:06 pm

          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.

    • Bearded Git 3.2
      20 July 2023 at 8:32 am

      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)

    • Phillip ure 3.3
      20 July 2023 at 11:06 am

      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..

      • Bearded Git 3.3.1
        21 July 2023 at 9:43 am

        Yeah but my kids are 28 and 33 and they have been telling me about the odd new band for many years.

    • SPC 3.5
      20 July 2023 at 6:09 pm

      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 …

      • SPC 3.5.1
        20 July 2023 at 9:31 pm

        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).

  4. Dennis Frank 4
    20 July 2023 at 8:18 am

    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.

  5. Sanctuary 5
    20 July 2023 at 8:30 am

    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.

  6. Nic the NZer 6
    20 July 2023 at 9:18 am

    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

  7. Sanctuary 7
    20 July 2023 at 9:39 am

    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.

    • Anne 7.1
      20 July 2023 at 11:34 am

      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

      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.

      What a creep!

      • AB 7.1.1
        20 July 2023 at 11:55 am

        (Sotto voce) "soft on crime, soft on crime"

      • tWiggle 7.1.2
        20 July 2023 at 12:03 pm

        A gun register's a good start. And a watchdog for online threats.

      • bwaghorn 7.1.3
        20 July 2023 at 12:09 pm

        You can bet more gun control won't be on acts agenda

      • Peter 7.1.4
        20 July 2023 at 12:30 pm

        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.

        • Anne 7.1.4.1
          20 July 2023 at 1:28 pm

          Yes. Its sickening. I have the same level of disdain for Mark Mitchell as I do Seymour.

        • observer 7.1.4.2
          20 July 2023 at 1:34 pm

          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?

      • Patricia Bremner 7.1.5
        20 July 2023 at 1:41 pm

        How Seymore behaves is called "Passive aggression". Nasty as if he is called on it he will feign innocence.angry

  8. adam 8
    20 July 2023 at 9:50 am

    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.

  9. dv 9
    20 July 2023 at 12:18 pm

    He had a monitor bracelet.

    Are they not suppose to report if he went away from his home detention location?

    • Muttonbird 9.1
      20 July 2023 at 1:28 pm

      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.

  10. tWiggle 10
    20 July 2023 at 1:25 pm

    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.

  11. ianmac 11
    20 July 2023 at 2:37 pm

    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:

    To be slightly unkind, maybe part of that

    was he didn't want a story of decline so he kept the music running

    A bit too long. And then got out,” the colleague says.

    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?

    • tWiggle 11.1
      20 July 2023 at 4:37 pm

      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.

      • tWiggle 11.1.1
        20 July 2023 at 4:49 pm

        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.

      • SPC 11.1.2
        20 July 2023 at 5:38 pm

        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.

        • Rosielee 11.1.2.1
          20 July 2023 at 5:45 pm

          Management of the economy — who for?

          • tWiggle 11.1.2.1.1
            20 July 2023 at 5:59 pm

            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.

            • tWiggle 11.1.2.1.1.1
              20 July 2023 at 6:06 pm

              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.

  12. Drowsy M. Kram 12
    20 July 2023 at 4:10 pm

    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.”

    And speaking of damned fools:

    National vows to go back to drawing board on policy [3 May 2023]
    “I am here to get things done, I am sick of inactions, and I make no apology for that,” Luxon said.

    “It’s a case of slower to go faster. We have more coming out [on the ETS]. It’s a watch this space.”

    Real Solutions for the Environment and the Climate
    ACT will introduce a no-nonsense climate change plan which ties our carbon price to that of our trading partners.

    ACT was the only party to oppose the Zero Carbon Act.

    ACT getting real about climate change – yeah, right.

    Future Act MP held ‘climate hysteria skeptics’ meetings at high school
    [13 October 2020]
    David Seymour is quoted as saying Baillie would bring common sense to parliament.

    Baillie is currently ACT’s education spokesperson.

    Brownlee is currently the National party's Emergency Management spokesperson.

    • tWiggle 13.1
      20 July 2023 at 6:35 pm

      Sorry ianmac, posted my reply to you here at 11.2.1.1.1.1 by mistake. Hope all is revealed…

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  • Ministers are not above the law after all
    Back in April, the High Court surprised everyone by ruling that Ministers are above the law, at least as far as the Waitangi Tribunal is concerned. The reason for this ruling was "comity" - the idea that the different branches of government shouldn't interfere with each other's functions. Which makes ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    15 hours ago

  • NZTA takes the wheel after govt gives it the road map for regional roads (and puts a speed governor ...
    Buzz from the Beehive  Tolling was mentioned when Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced the government was re-introducing the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme, with 15 “crucial” projects to support economic growth and regional development across New Zealand. All RoNS would be four-laned, grade-separated highways, and all funding, financing, and ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    17 hours ago

  • Change in Catalonia?
    or the past 14 years, ever since the Spanish government cheated on an autonomy deal, Catalonia has reliably given pro-independence parties a majority of seats in their regional parliament. But now that seems to be over. Catalans went to the polls yesterday, and stripped the Catalan parties of their majority. ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    17 hours ago

  • Having an enrolment date is not depriving anyone of a vote
    David Farrar writes –  Radio NZ report: Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins said the Electoral Commission should make sure the system ran smoothly and “taking away the right of thousands of people to vote” was not the answer. “Thousands of people enroled and voted on the day. If ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    20 hours ago

  • Perhaps house prices don’t always go up
    Don Brash writes –  There was a rather revealing headline in the Herald on Sunday today (12 May). It read “One in 8 Auckland homes on market were bought during boom, may now sell for loss”. The first line of text noted that “New data shows one in ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    20 hours ago

  • Can’t read, can’t write, can’t comprehend – and won’t think…?
    Mike Grimshaw writes –  At a time when universities are understandably nervous regarding the establishment of the University Advisory Group (UAG) and the Science System Advisory Group (SSAG) it may seem strange – or even fool-hardy – to state that there are long-standing issues in the tertiary sector ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    20 hours ago

  • Time for some perspective
    Lindsay Mitchell writes –  A lack of perspective can make something quite large or important seem small or irrelevant. Against a backdrop of high-profile, negative statistics it is easy to overlook the positive. For instance, the fact that 64 percent of Maori are employed is rarely reported. For ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    20 hours ago

  • Will NZ Herald’s ‘poor journalism’ cost lives?
    Earlier this year, the Herald ran a series of articles amounting to a sustained campaign against raised pedestrian crossings, by reporter Bernard Orsman. A key part of that campaign concerned the raised crossings being installed as part of the Pt Chevalier to Westmere project, with at least 10 articles over ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 day ago

  • The Kaka’s diary for the week to May 19 and beyond
    TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 19 include:PM Christopher Luxon is expected to hold his weekly post-cabinet news conference at 4:00pm on Monday.Parliament is not sitting this week. It resumes next week for a two-week sitting session up to and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago

  • Webworm Popup Photos!
    Hi,Thanks to all the beautiful Worms who came to the LA Webworm popup on Saturday.It was a way to celebrate the online store we launched last week — and it was super special.As I talk about a lot, I really value our community here — and it was a BLAST ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    1 day ago

  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #19
    A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, May 5, 2024 thru Sat, May 11, 2024. (Unfortunate) Story of the week "Grief that stops at despair is an ending that I and many others, most notably ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago

  • The Gods Must Be Woke.
    Last night the largest solar storm in decades resulted in Aurorae being seen across Aotearoa, causing many to ask why?Why was the sky pink? What was all this stuff about the power grid? Have we, as so many have wondered since the election, reached the end of days?I had a ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago

  • More road
    We have been on the road in England, squeezing down narrow lanes, flying up the M6, loving hedgerows and villages and cathedrals, liking the 21st century less.There have been moments when it’s felt like a movie trope. The pub in Exford, lovely seventeenth century bar, almost more dogs than people, ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago

  • Seeing the Aurora Australis
    There’s a solar-storm on at the moment, and since the South Island is having a day and night with clear skies, that means Aurorae. I have just got back from a midnight visit to Tunnel Beach – southwards-looking over the Sea, and without the light pollution. Quite a few others ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    2 days ago

  • Welcome to the current welfare mess
    Michael Bassett writes – I’m not sure that it’s much comfort to anyone to know that the post-Covid surge in violent crimes, gang activity, ram raids, random shootings, thuggery and stabbings is occurring in other countries as well as New Zealand. These days, wagging school, out-of-control welfare and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • A shovel-ready autopsy
    Oliver Hartwich writes –  Cast your mind back to mid-December. A new Prime Minister had just been sworn in, the new Government started its 100-day programme, and Christmas was only days away.Amid all the haste, a report landed that would have deserved our attention.I am talking about the ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    3 days ago

  • Why we almost blacked out and how to fix it
    TL;DR: An unseasonally early icy blast at the same time as some long-overdue maintenance almost caused Aotearoa-NZ’s electricity system to black out this week. That’s because a quadropoly of gentailers1 have prioritised paying dividends from their rising profits and adding debt over investing in 1.5 GigaWatts of new wind farms ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago

  • What Is Instagram Trying To Sell Us?
    Hi,Before we crack into today’s Webworm, I wanted to acknowledge the fact that Israel is pushing into Rafah. Over 100,000 Palestinians are now attempting to flee the one place that was deemed “safe”.Trouble is, the place they’re fleeing to is already destroyed. Total annihilation is the end goal here.“Israel is ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    3 days ago

  • Precious Little Excitement: Warner Brothers, Peter Jackson, and Gollum
    Back in February 2023, I made the cardinal mistake of getting my hopes up. Warner Brothers declared that fresh Middle-earth movies were in the works: https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2023/02/24/it-never-rains-but-it-pours-warner-brothers-and-impending-tolkien-adaptations/ My assumption, based on which rights were available, and what had already been done, was that this was a stab at either the Angmar ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    4 days ago

  • Do We Need a Population Census?
    ‘It has been said that figures rule the world. Maybe. I am quite sure that it is figures which show us whether it is being ruled well or badly.’ GoetheI was struck at a recent conference on equity for the elderly, how many presenters implicitly relied upon Statistics New Zealand. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    4 days ago

  • No, the govt will not be cutting back on every budget – and the Defence vote is among those to be ...
    Buzz from the Beehive Reporting on defence spending late last year, RNZ said the coalition government will have to make some tough calls this term to help the force address staff shortages and ageing infrastructure. “These are huge, huge amounts of government spending. It’s a significant proportion of the government’s ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    4 days ago

  • The Treasury and productivity
    Late last week The Treasury released a new 40 page report on “The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections” (productivity forecasts and projections that is, rather than any possible fiscal implications – the latter will, I guess, be articulated in the Budget documents). In short, if (as it has) ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • The Controller and Auditor-General’s role
    Peter Dunne writes –  I am always wary when I hear that the Controller and Auditor-General has commented on or made recommendations to the government about an issue of public policy that does not relate strictly to public expenditure. According to the legislation, the role of the Controller ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • More harm than good
    How Labour’s and National’s failure to move beyond neoliberalism has brought NZ to the brink of economic and cultural chaos   Chris Trotter writes –  TO START LOSING, so soon after you won, requires a special kind of political incompetence. At the heart of this Coalition ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Real reason Waitangi Tribunal could not summons Chhour
    And why did the Crown not challenge the Tribunal’s jurisdiction?   Gary Judd writes –  Retired District Court Judge, David Harvey, has posted on his A Halflings View Substack an excellent summary of Justice Isacs’ judgment declining to uphold the witness summons issued by the Waitangi Tribunal ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Losing confidence in the integrity of NZ elections
    Bryce Edwards writes – Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result?As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    4 days ago

  • Macklemore's Pro-Palestinian Protest.
    Macklemore isn’t someone I’d usually think about. Sure I liked his big hit from a few years back, everybody did it was catchy and cool with some memorable lines. But if I was going to think of artists who might speak out on political matters or world events, he wouldn’t ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on miserly school lunches, and the banning of TikTok’s Gaza coverage
    Another week goes by in the Luxon government’s efforts to roll back the past 70 years of social progress. The school lunches programme is to be downgraded by $107 million, and women need bother their heads no longer about pay equity, let alone expect ACC to provide adequate sexual violence ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • Weekly Roundup 10-May-2024
    Brrr, the first cold snap of the year. Hope you’re rugged up nice and warm. Here are some stories that caught our eye this week… This Week on Greater Auckland On Monday, we had a post from a new contributor, Connor Sharp, who dug into the public feedback ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    4 days ago

  • The Hoon around the week to May 10
    Almost all of the Wellington City Council’s recommended zoning changes to allow many more apartments and townhouses in its inner-suburbs have been approved.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guest on geopolitics, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #19 2024
    Open access notables A Global Increase in Nearshore Tropical Cyclone Intensification, Balaguru et al., Earth's Future: Tropical Cyclones (TCs) inflict substantial coastal damages, making it pertinent to understand changing storm characteristics in the important nearshore region. Past work examined several aspects of TCs relevant for impacts in coastal regions. However, ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Losing confidence in the integrity of NZ elections
    Do you believe New Zealand runs its general elections fairly and competently? As a voter, can you be confident that the votes on your ballot will be counted towards the final result? As a political scientist, I’ve been asked these questions many times and always answered “yes”, with very few ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • The Song of Saqua: Volume VIII
    Thus far May has followed on from a quiet April in the blogging department, but in fairness, it has been another case of doing what I am supposed to be doing, namely writing original fiction. Plus reading. So don’t worry – I have been productive. But in order to reassure ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago

  • Pretending to talk other people’s languages
    Fakes can come in many forms.A Rolex, for instance.A tan can be fake. Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    5 days ago

  • What’s new? A social agency with an emphasis on “investment” instead of “wellbeing” – b...
    Buzz from the Beehive A new government agency will open for business on July 1 – the Social Investment Agency. As a new standalone central agency effective from 1 July, it will lead the development of social investment across Government, helping ministers understand who they need to invest in, what ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    5 days ago

  • Following the political money
    Bryce Edwards writes –    “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 look at who is funding them. The ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Hipkins would rather no one remember that he was Minister of Education
    Alwyn Poole writes –  After being elected to Parliament in 2008 the maiden speech of Hipkins was substantially around education policy. He was Labour’s spokesperson for education 2011 – 2017. He was Minister for Education from 2017 until February 2023. This is approximately 88% of the time Labour ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Fashionable follies
    Eric Crampton writes –  A fashion industry group is lobbying for protections. They make the usual arguments and a newer one. None of it makes sense. An industry group says it pumped $7.8 billion into the economy last year – that’s 1.9 percent of New Zealand’s GDP. ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    5 days ago

  • Justice for Bainimarama!
    In December 2006, Fiji's military leader Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government in a coup. He ruled Fiji for the next 16 years, first as dictator, then as "elected" Prime Minister. But now, he's finally been sent to jail where he belongs. Sadly, this isn't for his real crime of ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • March for Nature in June
    Don't like National's corrupt Muldoonist "fast-track" law? Aotearoa's environmental NGO's - Greenpeace, Forest & Bird, WWF, Coromandel Watchdog, Coal Action Network Aotearoa, Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, and others - have announced a joint march against it in Auckland in June: When: 13:00, 8 June, 2024 Where: Aotea Square, Auckland You ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Thursday May 9
    Seymour describes sushi as too woke for school meals. There are no fish sushi meals recommended by the School Lunches programme. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: The Government will swap out hot meals for packaged sandwiches to save $107 million on school lunches for poor kids. MSD has pulled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago

  • The non-woke $3 Lunch.
    I don't mind stealin' bread from the mouths of decadenceBut I can't feed on the powerless when my cup's already overfilled, yeahBut it's on the table, the fire's cookin'And they're farmin' babies, while slaves are workin'The blood is on the table and the mouths are chokin'But I'm goin' hungry, yeahSome ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago

  • Labour’s chickens come home to roost
    The Ardern Government’s chickens came home to roost yesterday with the news that the country is short of natural gas. In 2018, Labour banned offshore petroleum exploration, and industry executives say that the attendant loss of confidence by the industry impacted overall investment in onshore gas fields. Energy Resources Minister ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    5 days ago

  • Calvin Reviews Lord of The Rings
    Hi,If you’ve been digging through the newly launched Webworm store (orders are being dispatched worldwide as I type!) you’ll have noticed the best model we had was Calvin.This is Calvin.Calvin.Calvin is 7, and is the son of my producer over on Flightless Bird, Rob — aka “Wobby Wob”. Rob also ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    5 days ago

  • Climate Adam: How to visualise Climate Change (ft. Katharine Hayhoe)
    This video includes conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Climate change is everywhere. And when something's everywhere it can feel like it's nowhere. So how do we get our heads ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago

  • The wrong direction
    Some good news on climate change today: the energy transition away from fossil fuels is picking up speed, and renewables now make up 30% of global electricity supply. Meanwhile, in Aotearoa, we're moving in the opposite direction, with Genesis Energy announcing that it will resume importing Indonesian coal. Their official ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • National hates democracy
    Its a law like gravity: whenever a right-wing government is elected, they start attacking democracy. And now, after talking to their Republican and Tory and Fidesz chums at the International Democracy Union forum in Wellington, National is doing it here, announcing plans to remove election-day enrolment. Or, to put it ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • No Tikanga Please, We're Lawyers.
    Yesterday Winston Peters focussed his attention on the important matter at hand. Tweeting. Like the former, and quite possibly next, orange POTUS, from whom he takes much of his political strategy, Winston is an avid X’er.His message didn’t resemble an historic address this time. In fact it was more reminiscent ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    6 days ago

  • Member’s Day
    Today is a Member's Day, and it seems we've entered the slowdown as things emerge from select committee. First up is the committee stage of Greg O'Connor's Child Protection (Child Sex Offender Government Agency Registration) (Overseas Travel Reporting) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the second readings of Stuart ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Hurrah for coal – Shane Jones welcomes Genesis Energy’s import plans as natural gas production s...
    Buzz from the Beehive A significant decline in natural gas production has given Resources Minister Shane Jones an opportunity to reiterate his enthusiasm for the mining and burning of coal. For good measure, he has praised an announcement from Genesis Energy that it will resume importing coal. He and Energy ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Bryce Edwards: Following the political money
    “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 look at who is funding them. The political parties are legally obliged to make ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • A Left-Right ranking of universities in NZ: a practical guide for students and parents
    Rob MacCullough writes – Here is my subjective ranking on a “most-left” to “most-right” scale of most of our major NZ Universities, with some anecdotal (and at times amusing) evidence to back up the claim. Extreme Left   Auckland University of Technology Evidence The ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  •  Inflation and GST thresholds
    Eric Crampton writes –  I hadn’t thought about this one until a helpful email showed up in my inbox.It’s pretty obvious that income tax thresholds should automatically index with inflation – whether to anchor the thresholds in percentiles of the income distribution, or to anchor against a real ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • Green Party grapples with persistent scandals
    Jacqui Van Der Kaay writes –  Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • A law school to be avoided – Auckland University of Technology
    Gary Judd writes – The Dean of the law school at the Auckland University of Technology is someone called Khylee Quince. I have been sent her social media posting in which she has, over the LawNews headline “Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Maori studies for ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    6 days ago

  • 17 people in Malaita stand in way of China’s takeover of the Solomons
    Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the Hamas Ceasefire Offer, and Mark Mitchell’s Incompetence
    With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • Bernard’ s Dawn Chorus & Pick ‘n’ Mix for Wednesday May 8
    Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    6 days ago

  • A few PT announcements
    There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    6 days ago

  • Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Green Party grapples with persistent scandals
    Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • At a glance – Tree ring proxies and the divergence problem
    On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
    Skeptical Science
    7 days ago

  • Nothing to sneer at
    Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 days ago

  • Still on their bullshit
    When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Drawn
    A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • A nod and a wink that will unnecessarily cost Aucklanders tens of millions per year
    Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    7 days ago

  • Correcting the Corrections announcement – a fiscal farce that should bother the OECD
     Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
    Point of OrderBy Bob Edlin
    7 days ago

  •  Like it or not, the Kiwis are either going into ‘Pillar 2’ – or they are going to China
    Chris Trotter writes –  Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • A balanced and an unbalanced article
    David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Deeply unserious country
    Every bit of this seems insane. And people wonder why productivity is falling through the floor. Energy News reports that the Environment Court finally threw out Allan Crafar’s appeal against a solar farm. From the story: Consent was granted in 2022. Crafar appealed November 2022. On what grounds? That ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • Senior King’s Counsel files complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students
    The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…  Gary Judd KC writes –  I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
    Point of OrderBy poonzteam5443
    7 days ago

  • https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/?p=77196
    The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
    Greater AucklandBy Matt L
    1 week ago

  • Bernard’s pick 'n' mix for Tuesday, May 7
    TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • HM Prison Aotearoa.
    A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago

  • COVID-19 Inquiry terms of reference consultation results received
    “The results of the public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has now been received, with results indicating over 13,000 submissions were made from members of the public,” Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “We heard feedback about the extended lockdowns in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    9 hours ago

  • The Pacific family of nations – the changing security outlook
    Foreign Minister, Defence Minister, other Members of Parliament Acting Chief of Defence Force, Secretary of Defence Distinguished Guests  Defence and Diplomatic Colleagues  Ladies and Gentlemen,  Good afternoon, tēna koutou, apinun tru    It’s a pleasure to be back in Port Moresby today, and to speak here at the Kumul Leadership ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    14 hours ago

  • NZ and Papua New Guinea to work more closely together
    Health, infrastructure, renewable energy, and stability are among the themes of the current visit to Papua New Guinea by a New Zealand political delegation, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.   “Papua New Guinea carries serious weight in the Pacific, and New Zealand deeply values our relationship with it,” Mr Peters ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    16 hours ago

  • Driving ahead with Roads of Regional Significance
    The coalition Government is launching Roads of Regional Significance to sit alongside Roads of National Significance as part of its plan to deliver priority roading projects across the country, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.  “The Roads of National Significance (RoNS) built by the previous National Government are some of New Zealand’s ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago

  • New Zealand congratulates new Solomon Islands government
    A high-level New Zealand political delegation in Honiara today congratulated the new Government of Solomon Islands, led by Jeremiah Manele, on taking office.    “We are privileged to meet the new Prime Minister and members of his Cabinet during his government’s first ten days in office,” Deputy Prime Minister and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago

  • New Zealand supports UN Palestine resolution
    New Zealand voted in favour of a resolution broadening Palestine’s participation at the United Nations General Assembly overnight, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “The resolution enhances the rights of Palestine to participate in the work of the UN General Assembly while stopping short of admitting Palestine as a full ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
    Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • $571 million for Defence pay and projects
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