Open mike 20/08/2024
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6:00 am, August 20th, 2024 - 25 comments
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A listing of 31 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 16, 2025 thru Sat, March 22, 2025. This week's roundup is again published by category and sorted by number of articles included in each. We are still interested ...9 hours ago - Bullying a Chess Bot: More Martinian Shenanigans
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Every time that I see ya,A lightning bolt fills the room,The underbelly of Paris,She sings her favourite tune,She'll drink you under the table,She'll show you a trick or two,But every time that I left her,I missed the things she would doSongwriters: Kelly JonesThis morning, I posted - Are you excited ...19 hours ago - Bernard’s Soliloquy for the week to March 23
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- Dave’s Cats
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The PSA are calling the Prime Minister a hypocrite for committing to increase defence spending while hundreds of more civilian New Zealand Defence Force jobs are set to be cut as part of a major restructure. The number of companies being investigated for people trafficking in New Zealand has skyrocketed ...3 days ago - Weekly Roundup 21-March-2025
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- Pressure grows for commonsense correction on safe local speeds
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- Bernard’s Pick ‘n’ Mix at 6am on Wednesday, March 19
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- Tuesday 18 March
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- Big deal
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Daddy, are you out there?Daddy, won't you come and play?Daddy, do you not care?Is there nothing that you want to say?Songwriters: Mark Batson / Beyonce Giselle Knowles.This morning, a look at the much-maligned NZ Herald. Despised by many on the left as little more than a mouthpiece for the National ...7 days ago - Monday 17 March
Employers, unions and health and safety advocates are calling for engineered stone to be banned, a day before consultation on regulations closes. On Friday the PSA lodged a pay equity claim for library assistants with the Employment Relations Authority, after the stalling of a claim lodged with six councils in ...7 days ago
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It’s been revealed that the Government is secretly trying to bring back a ‘one-size fits all’ standardised test – a decision that has shocked school principals. ...4 days ago
- Release: Kiwis still struggling as economy stumbles along
Kiwis aren’t feeling any better off despite figures showing a very slight growth in GDP in the December quarter. ...4 days ago
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The Green Party is calling for the compassionate release of Dean Wickliffe, a 77-year-old kaumātua on hunger strike at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility, after visiting him at the prison. ...5 days ago - Another failed ETS auction, another indictment on the Govt’s climate credibility
The ETS auction’s failure today is yet another clear sign that the Government is failing us all on climate action. ...5 days ago
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Christopher Luxon seems to have thrown New Zealand’s principled anti-nuclear advocacy under a bus. ...5 days ago
- NZ must act on Israel’s slaughter of children
The Green Party is calling on Government MPs to support Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence and illegal actions in Palestine, following another day of appalling violence against civilians in Gaza. ...5 days ago
- Release: Still no certainty for disability communities
One year on from the Government’s abrupt and callous changes to disability funding, the community still has no idea what the future holds. ...6 days ago
- Green Party backs volunteer firefighters in their call for ACC recognition
The Green Party stands in support of volunteer firefighters petitioning the Government to step up and change legislation to provide volunteers the same ACC coverage and benefits as their paid counterparts. ...6 days ago
- Stand Up for Palestine: A Call to Action Against Israels Treacherous Attack
At 2.30am local time, Israel launched a treacherous attack on Gaza killing more than 300 defenceless civilians while they slept. Many of them were children. This followed a more than 2 week-long blockade by Israel on the entry of all goods and aid into Gaza. Israel deliberately targeted densely populated ...6 days ago
- MP Views: Living Strong, The Economy, Servicing Our Nation, The Golden Egg, and 4 Year Terms
Living Strong, Aging Well There is much discussion around the health of our older New Zealanders and how we can age well. In reality, the delivery of health services accounts for only a relatively small percentage of health outcomes as we age. Significantly, dry warm housing, nutrition, exercise, social connection, ...7 days ago - Shane Jones has no shame
Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. ...1 week ago
- Release: National botches health funding numbers
Health Minister Simeon Brown’s claim that the Government has put $16.68 billion into the health system over three years is wrong. ...1 week ago
- Government tramples on the rights of disabled migrant children
The Green Party is condemning the Government’s move to tighten access to visas for disabled children. ...1 week ago
- Release: Auckland needs second harbour crossing
Labour supports Minister Chris Bishop’s call for input on the second Waitematā Harbour crossing. ...1 week ago
- Speech: Barbara Edmonds’ speech to NZ Investment Summit 2025
I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak to you today about how we make overseas investment work for all New Zealanders. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour does not support PPPs for prisons
Labour does not support the private ownership of core infrastructure like schools, hospitals and prisons, which will only see worse outcomes for Kiwis. ...1 week ago
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The newly released report on the South Dunedin Future Programme must be a wake-up call for our Government. ...1 week ago
- Release: Members’ Bill makes wage theft a crime
Workers will now be able to go to the Police and report their employer if they are not being paid wages they’re owed. ...2 weeks ago
- Missed opportunity to stop the stealing of Māori land
The Green Party is disappointed the Government voted down Hūhana Lyndon’s member’s Bill, which would have prevented further alienation of Māori land through the Public Works Act. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports sanctions against Israel’s illegal occupation
The Labour Party will support Chloe Swarbrick’s member’s bill which would allow sanctions against Israel for its illegal occupation of the Palestinian Territories. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt procurement plan cuts wages and trashes the environment
The Government’s new procurement rules are a blatant attack on workers and the environment, showing once again that National’s priorities are completely out of touch with everyday Kiwis. ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party is concerned by the impact the Government’s proposed changes to procurement processes could have on people and planet. ...2 weeks ago
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With Labour and Te Pāti Māori’s official support, Opposition parties are officially aligned to progress Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick’s Member’s Bill to sanction Israel for its unlawful presence in Palestine. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour’s approach to Māori economy benefits all
Under Labour, the Māori economy went from strength to strength according to the latest report released by MBIE. ...2 weeks ago
- 20 Years of Success Down the Drain: Govt Gut Whānau Ora
Te Pāti Māori extends our deepest aroha to the 500 plus Whānau Ora workers who have been advised today that the govt will be dismantling their contracts. For twenty years , Whānau Ora has been helping families, delivering life-changing support through a kaupapa Māori approach. It has built trust where ...2 weeks ago
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The Green Party is launching a petition calling on the Government to extend visa-free travel to visitors from Pacific Island nations. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour welcomes reinstatement of Heath NZ board
Labour welcomes Simeon Brown’s move to reinstate a board at Health New Zealand, bringing the destructive and secretive tenure of commissioner Lester Levy to an end. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ’s Public Health system dealt yet another blow
This morning’s announcement by the Health Minister regarding a major overhaul of the public health sector levels yet another blow to the country’s essential services. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Chris Hipkins’ State of the Nation address
Ngā mihi ki a koutou katoa It is a great pleasure to be here with you this morning. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ First Introduces Bill to Remove Woke ‘DEI’ Regulations from Public Service
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- Release: Labour outlines priorities of next Govt
The next Labour Government will prioritise jobs, health and homes so Kiwis and Kiwi businesses have the opportunity to thrive. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Refreshed team to drive Labour’s 2026 priorities
Labour leader Chris Hipkins has unveiled a new economic team as part of a caucus reshuffle. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for end to police referrals to Destiny programmes
Police have referred 20 offenders to Destiny Church-affiliated programmes Man Up and Legacy as ‘wellness providers’ in the last year, raising concerns that those seeking help are being recruited into a harmful organisation. ...3 weeks ago
- Good Riddance: Prebble Resigns from Waitangi Tribunal
Te Pāti Māori welcomes the resignation of Richard Prebble from the Waitangi Tribunal. His appointment in October 2024 was a disgrace- another example of this government undermining Te Tiriti o Waitangi by appointing a former ACT leader who has spent his career attacking Māori rights. “Regardless of the reason for ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls on Govt to condemn Israel’s aid blockade
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No feed items found.
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So John Key has twitched the puppet’s strings and Luxury Luxon has finally, unequivocally said the Natz will not support the Treaty Principles Bill beyond first reading!
Which raises the question – why go through the farce of introducing it in the first place?
Doesn’t that represent a huge waste of both Parliament’s time, and hard earned taxpayers’ dollars?
This CoC is a cruel joke in so many many ways!
a couple of potential reasons?
It was was bargaining power with ACT.
National have things to gain from the culture war that creates division and friction in society.
The Taxpayers Union is proposing legislation requiring media to take political adverts, proposing it as condition for receiving public money (the irony, given they opposed the public funding of privately owned media)
https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/donate_bill_media?utm_campaign=240814_nzme_ad&utm_medium=email&utm_source=taxpayers
They also want TVNZ sold off.
A first world nation has public service radio and television media.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2024/08/16/mediawatch-just-as-tdb-predicted-here-come-the-tvnz-paywall/
https://www.taxpayers.org.nz/pay_it_back
Paving the way for Rupert probably. Like oz and the uk freely available to all.
ZB on TV.
Aka GB News or Fox TV.
The MRA/MGTOW mob won’t be happy.
https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/extreme-misogyny-to-be-treated-as-terrorism-under-new-government-plans-381387/
Does it really matter if the National Party member "forgot to swap back to their personal Facebook page before making the comments"?
This is just a little sunlight on the values of National Party members regardless of what account they were using.
"They do not reflect the National Party's views". Yeah, right.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/525644/maori-can-never-be-united-people-national-party-facebook-page-comments-on-koroneihana-livestream
Probably a good idea we don't see Labour saying too much at the moment.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350384575/chris-hipkins-distances-himself-labour-mps-endorsement-benefit-sanctions
Battle lines are drawn. This is one of the things I do not like about MMP. Tana is only in parliament as she was on the Greens list. She was not voted in.
She should resign.
MP Darleen Tana vows to fight Green Party’s possible use of waka-jumping law – NZ Herald
A first time for everything lol – I agree with you Jimmy!
She should resign, she won't and I hope she is quickly kicked to the kerb on this.
MMP feels good but the resulting list MPs are mostly sludge.
A small price to pay for getting a more diverse set of our peers into government, but the greens seriously need to waka jump tana, the greens need to develop a spun if they want the big slice of left
"…is a reality that I joined the Green party for the values of the Green party.
"I lived and I breathed those values working alongside members in the ngāhere in Te Tai Tokerau, in the moana, around Te Moana Nui ō Toi."
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/525672/former-green-mp-darleen-tana-says-they-have-no-intention-of-resigning
It would be funny (albeit in a very dark vein) if it weren't real.
There was a knowing breaking of the conditions of a migrant's visa, as well as a confrontation of a former worker at their new place if work.
The idea that this is in line with Green values shows a profound disconnect and an arrogant display of entitlement.
Best of luck to Chloe Swarbrick and the leadership of The Greens in lancing this boil.
I've had boils you can pussy foot around and feel sick and in pain for weeks or you can grab the bugger squeeze it till only blood comes out hurts like hell but then it'll heal.
4th year in a row Fonterra is our largest greenhouse gas emitter, according to the Environment Protection Agency.
2 days ago they were the regenerative agriculture dairy champions of the world.
Does that include the cows or just from pick up of the milk?
Only a speed read of this, but at a glance it seems Penny's own advisors don't recommend Te Pūkenga being dismembered arm and limb.
Can this government can think past ideology. Given their addiction to turning back the clock other areas, and at best lip service to making enduring changes for the better, I can't see it happening.
Otago Polytech to merge with SIT: report
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/otago-polytech-merge-sit-report
Outstanding young Maori woman on a mission to reduce inequality by creating Maori millionaires.
She teaches financial literacy and the basics of wealth creation and has 30,000 followers.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018951764/maori-millionaire-financial-literacy-champion-and-changemaker
Good news everybody!
Clinate change is solved provided we find enough generous wealthy folk with the expertise to restore your red-stickered historic 100 year old Coromandel house. The rest of us, it says here, are fucked.
https://www.oneroof.co.nz/news/caring-auckland-buyer-picks-up-elderly-couples-storm-damaged-home-46063
Oh wait. It’s also a good way to get a cheap land deal, even if there’ll be drawbacks.
Last year Bridson sold an uninhabitable house further along on the Thames Coast, in Thorndon Bay, at a $1 reserve auction. The property, which had been damaged by a slip in the same storm, eventually sold for $375,000 in a competitive auction. The owner cleared the damaged house and has parked a caravan on it.
He said there were more properties in the district that had suffered damage in the storms so he was not expecting more to be listed in ‘as is, where is’ condition.
Meanwhile a one-bedroom, one-bathroom property at 5 Strange Road in Waiomu is for sale and, according to Bridson, was the “cheapest home on the largest bit of land”. It is for sale for $475,000 after having its price slashed from $510,000 and has an RV of $560,000.
Jenny @6.1
19 August 2024 at 10:30 am
Bearded Git @6.1.1
19 August 2024 at 10:49 am
The maximilist demands of the Palestinian resistance to the occupation will not go away while there are Palestinians still alive, but they are not up for discussion in the current negotiations.These negotiations are for a ceasefire and a hostage exchange. That's it. They are not about the maximialist demands of the Palestinaian resistance movement,
As Marwan Bishara said, like the war itself, these negotiations, will be decided on the balance of forces of the two sides.
As I predicted, the illegal Israeli occuption of the border between Egypt and Gaza and the Rafah Crossing which sits on that border, is where the Israelis will have to make concessions if they want to achieve a hostage exchange with Hamas.
Code named the Philadelphi Corridor, the Israelies have announced a partial staggered withdrawal from the Egyptian border with Gaza
Hopefully this will allow the Rafa Crossing to be reopened and the aid trucks held up at the border to cross into Gaza, at least during the period of the ceasefire.
From the Times of Israel
19 August 2024, 1:51 pm
EU says over 2,000 trucks carrying Gaza aid stuck on Rafah border
Border crossing remains closed due to Israeli military operations in southern city since May 6
Yasin Gungor |11.06.2024 – Update : 11.06.2024
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/eu-says-over-2-000-trucks-carrying-gaza-aid-stuck-on-rafah-border/3246904#
These developments give me caustious optimism that a ceasefire deal will be struck
My cautious optimism may have been misplaced. Owen Jones who has a much better handle on these negotiations gives his opinion;