A YouTube clip I can relate to Adrian. Many of us have not said much while the Monarchial circus has done its ceremonial thing. Some out of basic decency for the deceased, and others sensing that many people, even the politicised, had some regard for whatever reason for QEII.
Indigenous people around the world have already weighed in on the reality of their post colonial fallout thanks to British Imperialist actions under the “Butchers Apron” flag. As the sentiment fades political reality will kick back in. UK strikes will be back on, and a number of countries will have a Republican debate.
Several Judges on the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal published dissenting opinions on the Tribunal' military police prosecutors refusal to bring charges of war crimes against the Japanese emperor Hirohito.
General MacArthur and his military and political advisers considered Hirohito useful to their occupation of Japan.
The Japanese imperialists thought the same of the Chinese Emperor Puyi keeping him on as their puppet ruler of China.
The German Nazis would probably have made the same use of King Edward.
King Edward spent the entire period of the war living a life of luxury in nazi occupied France. There can be little doubt that if Germany had conquered England, Edward VIII would have been reinstalled as Monarch at the head of a puppet nazi government.
King Edward the Nazi:
….the extent of his betrayal could never be fully verified due to the secrecy of the Royal Archives.
…..30 archives all over the world that are open. Intelligence reports and German, Spanish and Russian documents show members of the British royal family were indeed far closer to Nazi Germany than has previously been recognised….
……The Soviet intelligence services were convinced of the Duke of Windsor’s treachery when war broke out. It is probable that they had an informer on his staff. In 1940 they reported that he was conducting negotiations with Hitler to form a new English government and conclude a peace with Germany contingent on a military alliance against the USSR.
Even more evidence of Windsor’s treachery was hidden in Spanish archives. Like his relative Coburg, the Duke of Windsor was anti-Semitic. In June 1940 Don Javier Bermejillo, a Spanish diplomat and old friend of Windsor – he had known him since the 1920s – reported a conversation he had had with the Duke to his superiors.
Bermejillo reported that the Duke of Windsor blamed “the Jews, the Reds and the Foreign Office for the war”. Windsor added that he would like to put Anthony Eden and other British politicians “up against a wall”. Bermejillo stated that Windsor had already made similar remarks about the Reds and the Jews to him long before he became King in 1936. In another conversation on June 25 1940 Bermejillo reported that Windsor stressed if one bombed England effectively this could bring peace. Bermejillo concluded that the Duke of Windsor seemed very much to hope that this would occur: “He wants peace at any price.” This report went to Franco and was then passed on to the Germans. The bombing of Britain started on 10 July.
Well the NZHerald and TV1 didn't seem to cover it, but the big conference on NZ business and climate change had pretty useful papers and leaders at it.
The problem is not one of not understanding the negative aspects of the British legacy. The problem is that nothing sensible yet has convinced me that changing to a republic will make things better than they are now.
It doesn't help that a majority of the vocal supporters of moving to a republic seem to be just anti-treaty wallies. The American disaster of vested interested and money talks doesn't endear me to the notion of a republic either.
Fundamentally I can see no good reason why we would want to hand an individual more power than our hereditary monarch currently has and if the purpose to to give a president more power than the monarch currently has, which is sweet FA, then what is the point and what are the powers that we would like a president to have?
The fact is is that our parliament makes all the decisions in reality and they handed themselves – Labour and National together – the right to do this some years back.
Nor do I think joyfully about having to elect a president and all the nonsense that goes with that. The only point seems to be to stick someone up on a pedestal and hail Caesar.
Seriously what would be the point of becoming a republic apart from making a pious but ultimately quixotic statement to say we are no longer part of the commonwealth?
I have not heard anybody say that we should leave the Commonwealth when we become a republic. When people say this i just take it that they haven't actually looked into the issue and are just being ignorant.
I once heard someone say that it is not the power the monarch has, it is the power that is denied to others. Our armed forces, MPs, police, even boy scouts and girl guides swear allegiance to the crown, that won't happen with a politically appointed president. Do they have have to then swear to a bit of rag (flag) that would have to be changed? What about the loyal toast at formal functions, etc?
Those entities swear allegiance to the New Zealand Crown of which the Queen is the head.In effect they are swearing allegiance to the Governor General as it is this person who actually does the job of Head of State. Can't see it would work any differently without the King.
Some good points there. Politicians may see capital in voicing support for a republic, but I can't see any gains from a system that allows people like Nixon and Trump to access the White House and abuse the office.
Too much scope for pork barrel politics and a handshake behind the barn.
I think we need to slow up there. I’ve not heard anyone say we WILL become a republic without debate … other than a throw away line in a BBC interview from someone who in 12 months will be an ex PM.
Single payer is provenly the most efficient and cost effective way of delivering public services. Public Health Care, Public Education, Public Policing and our country’s Defence Force are all funded by Single Payer.
Why should public transport be any different?
Especially when traffic congestion, air pollution, resource use and climate change emissions will all be better addressed with greater use of public transport.
Addressing these issues is what is called a public good. We will all pay way more in health and environmental costs if these public goods are not addressed.
The definition of a rich country, is not a country where everyone owns a car, A rich country, is a country where both rich and poor both ride the sub-way.
That would be Korea, which not only has the best subway system in the world (it's profitable and cheap too), but also high speed rail which is so cheap and convenient everybody uses it.
There's also the argument that free public transport is of less cost than expanding the capacity of the roading network.
We've got $2.00 bus fares in Queenstown because of that dynamic. Increasing the capacity of Frankton Road, the main road into town, was going to be prohibitively expensive and may not even be possible, so NZTA, ORC and QLDC stumped up for effectively free fares
Don't tell me we'll soon be bereft of articles about "Sad Corgies Attend Funeral" or "Eight Legged Surprise Mourner" only to replace such utter journalistic gems with:
"I blew 2000 sailors and brought a house, so what's stopping you"
and
"We put our inheritances in managed funds and a house popped out!"
Followed by Luxon's sound bite on the latest sound bite.
I just can't even with our media anymore. Garbage is a bit flattering, I can recycle most of that and put it to some use.
I'm not going to link the latest swill, none of it deserves linking to.
Well the first story is one of 'sex work is work' and sex work is empowering and blowing 200 sailors got a mortgage and in a house that would be totally fine in todays world.
As would be putting an inheritance in a managed fund and thus have enough money to buy a house.
I can't wait for 'blow jobs' being a job advertised by unemployment offices the world over. Oh you don't want to blow 200 dudes in uniform or civvies for money? Here have a 12 week stand down. That'll teach you not only to blow but to suck. 🙂
The news reflect our times. Some get to suck dicks and others are dicks to be sucked.
I read with frustation some of the reports on prostitution that try to avoid any mention of exploitation, objectification, coercion, degradation or desperation.
If acknowledged, it is with an air of surprise – ..so, this unintended consequence happened…
These aspects are part of the DNA of prostitution.
Germany is a shit show when it comes to empowering prostitution. Absolutely inhuman and degrading and these are kind words as all other would probably a bannable offense.
A family member in Australia told me that she sold a unit recently, for $2mil plus to a young female buyer who said she made literally 100,000's on a site called…Only Fans.
I had a conversation with a friend involved in sex clubs in Auckland who used the assertion of one of the other members who worked in the industry that prostitution was "empowering and profitable".
It's an individualistic perspective that deliberately ignores the wider harms. Gambling is similar.
We had recently returned from overseas when the decriminalisation bill was discussed and passed.
My partner was on shift work, and went through a mix of commercial, residential, industrial areas to get to work. His late night commute – after the bill passed – became increasingly hard to do. He recollects the apparent ages of those standing on the streets becoming younger, and the queue of cars with men his age – cruising the streets getting longer.
One of his work colleagues – who had been raised in the area – and lived with his own family in his childhood home – eventually moved, after repeated calls to police about public sex acts, and increasing amounts of condom litter were not able to be dealt with by any authorities.
There is a good book by Julie Bindel where she interviews NZ prostitutes.
Given our inability to protect workers of any type, I don't expect prostitutes imported from overseas with limited language are adequately protected or supported.
I sometimes wish I could return to the days when I believed that having processes, in and of themselves, indicated that those processes were well designed and effective.
Unfortunately, am not longer there. Also, no longer living in the area where this was occurring, so can't pop out and check.
Don't really have to though. Exploitation of young girls by old men, allowed by legislation is a tale as old as time. Even older than 20 years.
”The purpose of this Act is to decriminalise prostitution (while not endorsing or morally sanctioning prostitution or its use) and to create a framework that –
A. Safeguards the human rights of sex workers and protects them from exploitation:
B. Promotes the welfare and occupational health and safety of sex workers:
C. Is conducive to public health:
D. Prohibits the use in prostitution of persons under 18 years of age:
E. Implements certain other related reforms.
If you are under the age of 18, you are not breaking the law if you are in sex work. However, it is illegal for anyone to pay someone under the age of 18 for sex. Brothel operators, clients and even friends or workers aged 18 or over can be fined or imprisoned for facilitating people under the age of 18 into sex work. Even giving someone under the age of 18 a ride to work or making sure they have condoms may be considered to be facilitating.
The bullshit talked about sex work is extraordinary.
It isn't empowering to have sex with people that you really don't want to (otherwise you would be doing it without the money).
The white washing of the sex industry is sickening. It is one of the most dangerous occupations for women.
There was an article recently on Stuff I think and the "sex worker" was saying it was such a great job, but sometimes when men wanted things she didn't want to do it triggered her PTSD. Enough said
Only Fans sits on a spectrum, not that far distant from the dark web that sells child porn and rape porn. Only Fans enables the dark web, it doesn't replace it (and it has its own set of issues).
Twitter has a problem that a. their safety can't / won't detect child abuse, b. when reported they often do not much, and when it is too late.
But if you know what to look for you can have any type of porn on Twitter. And once twitter finds a way to 'safeguard' it will then monetize porn directly.
edit: Twitter profits of porn on its site. It just can’t outright monetize it as of now as their safety features can not distinguish between a consenting adult and a non consenting tiny human, and obviously non consenting trafficked humans.
His point might be that the marriage statistics show those of Oz/Enzed having the oldest age for a first marriage – and the reason seems to be housing affordability.
Your jokes about the sex industry Blazer, leave me cold.
If you had a daughter, grand daughter, wife, partener would you be all good about them working in the sex industry? If the answer is yes, then the problem is much worse than I thought.
I do judge prostitution. There I have said it. The sex industry sanitizes what is an exploitative, mysogynistic arrangement. I judge the men who pay to have sex with (usually) young women who may be drug addicts or have a history of sexual abuse. The objectification needed by men of these women requires a complete lack of empathy that this is another human being who doen'st really want to be having sex with you.
What I also can't comprehend is why men don't find it deeply humiliating to have to pay for sex. I know I would
Another expression of solidarity from the "allies". Gap in posting examples not due to lack of current incidents (can't keep up), but for those who can handle it:
Fred's crime was he had a placard at the Pride march he helped found saying "Gay Not Queer". He believes the use of 'queer' obscures worrying attitudes to child safeguarding.
A leading Gay – as in homosexual, as in sexually attracted to only men, as in no transmen need to apply for sex- icon/elder. 70+ years old. Oh the kindness, the inclusion and the acceptance of diversity.
Unfortunately, his first person account of the Stonewall riots, negates the familiar gender ideology revisionist history of the event, so he must be condemned:
And yes, the very nice and kind and inclusive non male person shouting at the fascist tiny human is a non male person who works for some Labour MP in the UK. Ahhhh, the kindness of the 'left'. So kind, so gracious, so loving. They did shut down their account and changed their bio. Cause…..i guess people might take offend at persons who work for MPs to be seen and filmed shouting abuse at Ejaculators (we can’t really call that person a birthing body, after all they did only ejaculate) and the result of that ejaculation.
edit: a better word for non birthing body parent is needed. Ejaculator sounds so biological and biology is so phobic really.
Really, because that sounds like just the kind of thing which would go down as a real zinger on Twitter. Has she considered quiting her day job and posting such tweets full time instead?
Coroner Sue Johnson this morning released her first findings into the death, determining the vaccine caused Nairn's death.
"I find that Rory James Nairn, aged 26, died on 17 November 2021 at … Dunedin. The cause of his death was myocarditis, due to vaccination with the Comirnaty TM Pfizer/BioN Tech Covid-19 vaccine," the coroner said.
"National is also still refusing to release the “terms of reference” that the party gave to Dew when it employed her to investigate Uffindell. This is very suspicious – because the public is not seriously able to interpret anything about the report’s supposed findings without knowing what she was told to investigate and what she wasn’t allowed to investigate.
The details of how the investigation was carried out, and it’s parameters are important. We don’t even know who was interviewed. Moir explains this well: “It would be a big call for Dew to conclude Uffindell didn’t do anything wrong at university if the only people she spoke to were friendly allies who support the MP’s version of events. It’s also unknown whether any other allegations surfaced about his time at King’s College or St Paul’s Collegiate, Hamilton, the school he moved to after being asked to leave King’s College.”"
The terms of reference are important. Investigations directly address those and those only. Which often mean in the wash-up that other pertinent things are parked in the back of the shed out the back.
Like the Michael Heron QC investigation into the Covid-19 patient privacy breach.
He chased what he had to chase. That led to Michelle Boag and National MP Hamish Walker both being found responsible for the unauthorised disclosure of the personal information. The findings stated that the motivation for each disclosure was political. Game over.
His glib treatment of Michael Woodhouse? Did Woodhouse dodge a bullet though a lack of intent and rigour? On the surface the job was done to identify the heart of the issue so the subsidiary became ho-hum?
Whatever, Woodhouse shut up, disappeared into the background and tried to be inconspicuous. Two weeks after the story broke someone else with an involvement resigned, any participation in the incident removed from reference, wiped off the blackboard. Nikki Kaye.
Asked on Tuesday at Parliament if she was a bully, Lorck replied: "I'm working hard to be the best MP I can possibly be". – that doesn't really answer the question.
"I have a professional leadership coach and together we're working on how I can work to be a better MP," she said. – So obviously her management style needs to change.
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
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 ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
Labour productivity has been receding rapidly over the past two years, reversing a post-lockdown rise. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy as at 6:26am on Tuesday, March 26 include:Workers have been treading water in output per hour worked for 12 years, ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to April 2 include:Today, Parliament resumes sitting at 2pm for the second week of a two-week session. Officials for SIS and GCSB report their annual reviews in public to the Intelligence and Security Select Committee from 5.10pm.Tomorrow, ...
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
The Local Government, Transport and Auckland Minister hasthreatened councils with intervention if they don’t merge water assets to take them off balance sheet, just as the now-repealed Three Waters plan directed. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My six things of note this morning for Monday, March 25 include:Simeon ...
A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Comment: Every year on February 2, a dozen men in tuxedos and top hats approach the burrow of a groundhog in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania and entice the beaver-like rodent to emerge and predict the weather. If the groundhog, named Punxsutawney Phil, sees its own shadow when it is summoned, legend ...
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Auckland Council has put a deadline on new weather-impacted property owners applying for categorisation as government funding looks set to run out. Councillors have voted to support a deadline of September 30 for property owners who haven’t accessed support to come forward and engage with the council’s recovery office. It ...
NONFICTION 1 BBQ Economics by Liam Dann (Penguin Random House, $40) “It’s official,” wrote Dann nine days ago in the Herald, where he works as business editor at large, “we’re in recession.” Yeah, great. He delivered the bad stats: “GDP fell 0.1 percent in the December 2023 quarter, compared with ...
By Anneke Smith, RNZ News political reporter A petition urging the New Zealand government to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people has been tabled in the House. More than 200 people gathered on Parliament’s forecourt today and they were met by MPs from Labour, the Greens and Te ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
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 A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
Asia Pacific Report A New Zealand investigative journalist and author says the US spy system hosted by the Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) appears to be a controversial intelligence system used in global capture-kill operations. Writing a commentary for RNZ News today, Nicky Hager, author of Secret Power, a 1996 ...
While Nicola Willis wouldn’t give any details on its size, she said a package of tax cuts is definitely still coming in this year’s budget, writes Catherine McGregor in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s morning news round-up. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming the investigation into the Department of Internal Affairs after it was revealed that the Department’s Chief Executive personally reached out to expedite a DJs passport application. Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns ...
Finance minister Nicola Willis delivers her first budget statement, and unwittingly helps Joel MacManus save his relationship. Nicola Willis strode into the Beehive Theatrette. Around me, on the green foldout seats, were the country’s top business and political journalists. They were all here to see her announce the Budget Policy ...
Twenty years ago today, Māori Television launched after much controversy. Jamie Tahana looks back on its survival and impact across two decades. Chad Chambers stepped onto the stage, the brim of his cap casting a shadow across his face. His smile beamed as bright as his white freezing works gumboots, ...
Tauranga, Rotorua, Wellsford, Onehunga, Westhaven marina – Gavin Strawhan walks the meanish streets of New Zealand in his entertaining debut novel The Call, almost sure to roar into the number 1 position on the Nielsen bestseller chart, its front cover bearing a rave from somebody: “A really good and genuinely ...
On a Thursday in February, at Wellington’s Conservation House, the Conservation Authority, a statutory body advising the eponymous department and minister, Tama Potaka, opened its 195th meeting. Under consideration that afternoon was an agenda item written by Tim Bamford, chief advisor in the Department of Conservation’s biodiversity, heritage and visitors ...
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As a young gymnast, Aimee Didierjean was always conscious of making sure her underwear wasn’t showing on the competition floor. A peek of a bra strap, or briefs if a leotard rode up, would cost a gymnast points in her routines. “When I was growing and going through puberty, it ...
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Amid Tributes to Queen Elizabeth, Deadly Legacy of British Colonialism Cannot Be Ignored….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UD8eMpmlkhI
A YouTube clip I can relate to Adrian. Many of us have not said much while the Monarchial circus has done its ceremonial thing. Some out of basic decency for the deceased, and others sensing that many people, even the politicised, had some regard for whatever reason for QEII.
Indigenous people around the world have already weighed in on the reality of their post colonial fallout thanks to British Imperialist actions under the “Butchers Apron” flag. As the sentiment fades political reality will kick back in. UK strikes will be back on, and a number of countries will have a Republican debate.
The aristocracy do have their uses.
Several Judges on the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal published dissenting opinions on the Tribunal' military police prosecutors refusal to bring charges of war crimes against the Japanese emperor Hirohito.
General MacArthur and his military and political advisers considered Hirohito useful to their occupation of Japan.
The Japanese imperialists thought the same of the Chinese Emperor Puyi keeping him on as their puppet ruler of China.
The German Nazis would probably have made the same use of King Edward.
King Edward spent the entire period of the war living a life of luxury in nazi occupied France. There can be little doubt that if Germany had conquered England, Edward VIII would have been reinstalled as Monarch at the head of a puppet nazi government.
King Edward the Nazi:
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"…..Windsor stressed if one bombed England effectively this could bring peace."
Sounds a lot like something a modern Putin troll doll would argue in reference to Ukraine
Nice to see the usual suspects livers and gall bladders are working well.
I watched 3 minutes of video clip highlights of the funeral this morning…that was more than enough.
Well the NZHerald and TV1 didn't seem to cover it, but the big conference on NZ business and climate change had pretty useful papers and leaders at it.
Climate Change Commission chair Dr Rod Carr calls for reform of emissions trading scheme | RNZ News
Dr Rod Carr calls for reform of emissions trading scheme | Otago Daily Times Online News (odt.co.nz)
Sometimes the timing just doesn't work. But the content was very good.
Shared these earlier with my councillors etc.
Very powerful stuff from Carr, Orr et al.
I'm going to throw up a quick post, but would be great if you can do one with a more in depth perspective.
post up now.
https://thestandard.org.nz/climate-commision-chair-its-time-to-reform-the-plant-and-pollute-emissions-trading-scheme/
The problem is not one of not understanding the negative aspects of the British legacy. The problem is that nothing sensible yet has convinced me that changing to a republic will make things better than they are now.
It doesn't help that a majority of the vocal supporters of moving to a republic seem to be just anti-treaty wallies. The American disaster of vested interested and money talks doesn't endear me to the notion of a republic either.
Fundamentally I can see no good reason why we would want to hand an individual more power than our hereditary monarch currently has and if the purpose to to give a president more power than the monarch currently has, which is sweet FA, then what is the point and what are the powers that we would like a president to have?
The fact is is that our parliament makes all the decisions in reality and they handed themselves – Labour and National together – the right to do this some years back.
Nor do I think joyfully about having to elect a president and all the nonsense that goes with that. The only point seems to be to stick someone up on a pedestal and hail Caesar.
Seriously what would be the point of becoming a republic apart from making a pious but ultimately quixotic statement to say we are no longer part of the commonwealth?
Post going up shortly
https://thestandard.org.nz/we-need-a-proper-constitution/
I have not heard anybody say that we should leave the Commonwealth when we become a republic. When people say this i just take it that they haven't actually looked into the issue and are just being ignorant.
I once heard someone say that it is not the power the monarch has, it is the power that is denied to others. Our armed forces, MPs, police, even boy scouts and girl guides swear allegiance to the crown, that won't happen with a politically appointed president. Do they have have to then swear to a bit of rag (flag) that would have to be changed? What about the loyal toast at formal functions, etc?
Those entities swear allegiance to the New Zealand Crown of which the Queen is the head.In effect they are swearing allegiance to the Governor General as it is this person who actually does the job of Head of State. Can't see it would work any differently without the King.
Some good points there. Politicians may see capital in voicing support for a republic, but I can't see any gains from a system that allows people like Nixon and Trump to access the White House and abuse the office.
Too much scope for pork barrel politics and a handshake behind the barn.
I have not heard anyone suggest that we should go with the USarian model when we become a republic. I have heard many people argue anything but.
I think we need to slow up there. I’ve not heard anyone say we WILL become a republic without debate … other than a throw away line in a BBC interview from someone who in 12 months will be an ex PM.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/11380/nz-republic-inevitable,-says-key
'
"There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come"
Victor Hugo
Vote Efeso Collins for free trains
A vote for Socialism has a cost
Nothing is free. Someone has to pay.
Single payer is provenly the most efficient and cost effective way of delivering public services. Public Health Care, Public Education, Public Policing and our country’s Defence Force are all funded by Single Payer.
Why should public transport be any different?
Especially when traffic congestion, air pollution, resource use and climate change emissions will all be better addressed with greater use of public transport.
Addressing these issues is what is called a public good. We will all pay way more in health and environmental costs if these public goods are not addressed.
The definition of a rich country, is not a country where everyone owns a car, A rich country, is a country where both rich and poor both ride the sub-way.
both rich and poor both ride the sub-way
That would be Korea, which not only has the best subway system in the world (it's profitable and cheap too), but also high speed rail which is so cheap and convenient everybody uses it.
There's also the argument that free public transport is of less cost than expanding the capacity of the roading network.
We've got $2.00 bus fares in Queenstown because of that dynamic. Increasing the capacity of Frankton Road, the main road into town, was going to be prohibitively expensive and may not even be possible, so NZTA, ORC and QLDC stumped up for effectively free fares
Some things are – the air you and I breathe for one – but neolibs are working on it.
Don't tell me we'll soon be bereft of articles about "Sad Corgies Attend Funeral" or "Eight Legged Surprise Mourner" only to replace such utter journalistic gems with:
"I blew 2000 sailors and brought a house, so what's stopping you"
and
"We put our inheritances in managed funds and a house popped out!"
Followed by Luxon's sound bite on the latest sound bite.
I just can't even with our media anymore. Garbage is a bit flattering, I can recycle most of that and put it to some use.
I'm not going to link the latest swill, none of it deserves linking to.
Well the first story is one of 'sex work is work' and sex work is empowering and blowing 200 sailors got a mortgage and in a house that would be totally fine in todays world.
As would be putting an inheritance in a managed fund and thus have enough money to buy a house.
I can't wait for 'blow jobs' being a job advertised by unemployment offices the world over. Oh you don't want to blow 200 dudes in uniform or civvies for money? Here have a 12 week stand down. That'll teach you not only to blow but to suck. 🙂
The news reflect our times. Some get to suck dicks and others are dicks to be sucked.
I read with frustation some of the reports on prostitution that try to avoid any mention of exploitation, objectification, coercion, degradation or desperation.
If acknowledged, it is with an air of surprise – ..so, this unintended consequence happened…
These aspects are part of the DNA of prostitution.
Uni students taking up sex work is more common than you'd think
Study reveals the sad secret world of child prostitution
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/sex-work-online-shows-pay-uni-bills
It's also a key facet of human trafficking. The supposedly free prostitution of Amsterdam is supported by a dark web of trafficking.
It would be surprised if that was not true in any country.
Watching videos of German clients recently, honestly talking to interviewers was sobering.
Germany is a shit show when it comes to empowering prostitution. Absolutely inhuman and degrading and these are kind words as all other would probably a bannable offense.
Your first and second links are the same.
Here you go.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/uni-students-taking-up-sex-work-is-more-common-than-youd-think/OR7GEZKGHCKJFCP567IYQTG4AU/
A family member in Australia told me that she sold a unit recently, for $2mil plus to a young female buyer who said she made literally 100,000's on a site called…Only Fans.
I had a conversation with a friend involved in sex clubs in Auckland who used the assertion of one of the other members who worked in the industry that prostitution was "empowering and profitable".
It's an individualistic perspective that deliberately ignores the wider harms. Gambling is similar.
These days alot of people think marriage is…another.
56 Marriage Statistics: 2020/2021 Global Data, Analysis & Trends | CompareCamp.com
There would be more harm in nations like the USA than here and Oz or the UK.
We had recently returned from overseas when the decriminalisation bill was discussed and passed.
My partner was on shift work, and went through a mix of commercial, residential, industrial areas to get to work. His late night commute – after the bill passed – became increasingly hard to do. He recollects the apparent ages of those standing on the streets becoming younger, and the queue of cars with men his age – cruising the streets getting longer.
One of his work colleagues – who had been raised in the area – and lived with his own family in his childhood home – eventually moved, after repeated calls to police about public sex acts, and increasing amounts of condom litter were not able to be dealt with by any authorities.
There is a good book by Julie Bindel where she interviews NZ prostitutes.
Given our inability to protect workers of any type, I don't expect prostitutes imported from overseas with limited language are adequately protected or supported.
That was near 20 years ago. And there is no provision for importing sex workers from overseas, for they are not allowed to work in the industry.
Only citizens and residents can do sex work and no one gets residency as a sex worker.
https://communitylaw.org.nz/community-law-manual/chapter-20-starting-and-leaving-a-job/sex-workers-your-rights/who-can-do-sex-work/
I sometimes wish I could return to the days when I believed that having processes, in and of themselves, indicated that those processes were well designed and effective.
Unfortunately, am not longer there. Also, no longer living in the area where this was occurring, so can't pop out and check.
Don't really have to though. Exploitation of young girls by old men, allowed by legislation is a tale as old as time. Even older than 20 years.
It is not allowed by legislation, men are not able to pay money to those under 18 for sex.
https://www.nzpc.org.nz/The-New-Zealand-Model#:~:text=It%20is%20not%20against%20the,Zealand%20on%20a%20temporary%20visa.
Yes. The legislation says that.
The bullshit talked about sex work is extraordinary.
It isn't empowering to have sex with people that you really don't want to (otherwise you would be doing it without the money).
The white washing of the sex industry is sickening. It is one of the most dangerous occupations for women.
There was an article recently on Stuff I think and the "sex worker" was saying it was such a great job, but sometimes when men wanted things she didn't want to do it triggered her PTSD. Enough said
Only Fans sits on a spectrum, not that far distant from the dark web that sells child porn and rape porn. Only Fans enables the dark web, it doesn't replace it (and it has its own set of issues).
Twitter sells child porn and rape porn. They all do. That is what sells.
can you please give me some examples?
https://nypost.com/2022/09/15/twitter-could-face-billions-in-fines-over-not-protecting-minors-from-porn-ex-ftc-officials/
https://metro.co.uk/2022/08/31/twitter-scrapped-porn-subscription-over-inadequate-child-safety-tools-17273636/
https://inc42.com/buzz/twitter-bans-over-34k-accounts-for-content-related-to-child-abuse-terrorism/essentially they can not
Twitter has a problem that a. their safety can't / won't detect child abuse, b. when reported they often do not much, and when it is too late.
But if you know what to look for you can have any type of porn on Twitter. And once twitter finds a way to 'safeguard' it will then monetize porn directly.
This account might be of interest to you. https://twitter.com/elizableu/status/1566255230374842369?cxt=HHwWgsC4oa21urwrAAAA
edit: Twitter profits of porn on its site. It just can’t outright monetize it as of now as their safety features can not distinguish between a consenting adult and a non consenting tiny human, and obviously non consenting trafficked humans.
That's a very long bow to draw.
how so?
Any your point is Blazer? The young woman can buy a $2,000,000 apartment. Is this a recomendation for the sex industry?
His point might be that the marriage statistics show those of Oz/Enzed having the oldest age for a first marriage – and the reason seems to be housing affordability.
It's just an anecdote.
Far be it for me to judge what is known as 'the world's oldest…profession'!
Oldest "profession". Hur hur hur…
Tell me another profession where someone with no experience is of more value to the industry, than someone with decades of experience.
(NB. If you are unable to judge, I have no such problem judging your position.)
A newly contracted professional sports athlete.
Your jokes about the sex industry Blazer, leave me cold.
If you had a daughter, grand daughter, wife, partener would you be all good about them working in the sex industry? If the answer is yes, then the problem is much worse than I thought.
I do judge prostitution. There I have said it. The sex industry sanitizes what is an exploitative, mysogynistic arrangement. I judge the men who pay to have sex with (usually) young women who may be drug addicts or have a history of sexual abuse. The objectification needed by men of these women requires a complete lack of empathy that this is another human being who doen'st really want to be having sex with you.
What I also can't comprehend is why men don't find it deeply humiliating to have to pay for sex. I know I would
Haven't made any jokes…yet.
What I also can't comprehend is why women don't find it deeply humiliating to have to sell sex. I know I would
I restrict myself mostly to RNZ and the ODT, with some forays into Stuff and NZH as needed.
Maga's not big on irony it seems.
https://twitter.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1571567482049298432
Another expression of solidarity from the "allies". Gap in posting examples not due to lack of current incidents (can't keep up), but for those who can handle it:
https://twitter.com/TwisterFilm/status/1571854465312890882?s=20&t=RSnifNSs0bnBbjOKEfejYA
A leading Gay – as in homosexual, as in sexually attracted to only men, as in no transmen need to apply for sex- icon/elder. 70+ years old. Oh the kindness, the inclusion and the acceptance of diversity.
Unfortunately, his first person account of the Stonewall riots, negates the familiar gender ideology revisionist history of the event, so he must be condemned:
https://youtu.be/AMr3fCrF32s?t=366
However, age is no barrier. Here's a UK Labour policy advisor getting in early with Fascist babies:
https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1571654220532645888?s=20&t=RSnifNSs0bnBbjOKEfejYA
And yes, the very nice and kind and inclusive non male person shouting at the fascist tiny human is a non male person who works for some Labour MP in the UK. Ahhhh, the kindness of the 'left'. So kind, so gracious, so loving. They did shut down their account and changed their bio. Cause…..i guess people might take offend at persons who work for MPs to be seen and filmed shouting abuse at Ejaculators (we can’t really call that person a birthing body, after all they did only ejaculate) and the result of that ejaculation.
edit: a better word for non birthing body parent is needed. Ejaculator sounds so biological and biology is so phobic really.
"Oh, your raising a little fascist as well"
Unfortunately, Starmers Labour is so unthreatening that this gem is unlikely to make the evening news.
Apparently, other Twitter users recognised, and other examples of her abuse and attempts to have people de-platformed have been posted.
Given her policy advisor position, it was worth posting. This is not an individual without influence.
Really, because that sounds like just the kind of thing which would go down as a real zinger on Twitter. Has she considered quiting her day job and posting such tweets full time instead?
The stunning and brave activist, proudly boasting of his actions on Twitter. (Likely posted while Fred Sargeant was getting his brain scan)
https://twitter.com/ilovepreserves/status/1572134242737324033?s=20&t=RSnifNSs0bnBbjOKEfejYA
incel does as incels do.
That's true. (But don't forget they are "allies for women's rights, and homosexuals and lesbians", so we should be grateful).
I feel inspired.
Rare vaccination casualty confirmed.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/475109/man-s-death-ruled-a-result-of-rare-reaction-to-covid-19-vaccine
Uffindell & Luxon; Dodging and Weaving.
"National is also still refusing to release the “terms of reference” that the party gave to Dew when it employed her to investigate Uffindell. This is very suspicious – because the public is not seriously able to interpret anything about the report’s supposed findings without knowing what she was told to investigate and what she wasn’t allowed to investigate.
The details of how the investigation was carried out, and it’s parameters are important. We don’t even know who was interviewed. Moir explains this well: “It would be a big call for Dew to conclude Uffindell didn’t do anything wrong at university if the only people she spoke to were friendly allies who support the MP’s version of events. It’s also unknown whether any other allegations surfaced about his time at King’s College or St Paul’s Collegiate, Hamilton, the school he moved to after being asked to leave King’s College.”"
https://democracyproject.nz/2022/09/20/bryce-edwards-nationals-unsatisfactory-exoneration-of-sam-uffindell/
The terms of reference are important. Investigations directly address those and those only. Which often mean in the wash-up that other pertinent things are parked in the back of the shed out the back.
Like the Michael Heron QC investigation into the Covid-19 patient privacy breach.
He chased what he had to chase. That led to Michelle Boag and National MP Hamish Walker both being found responsible for the unauthorised disclosure of the personal information. The findings stated that the motivation for each disclosure was political. Game over.
His glib treatment of Michael Woodhouse? Did Woodhouse dodge a bullet though a lack of intent and rigour? On the surface the job was done to identify the heart of the issue so the subsidiary became ho-hum?
Whatever, Woodhouse shut up, disappeared into the background and tried to be inconspicuous. Two weeks after the story broke someone else with an involvement resigned, any participation in the incident removed from reference, wiped off the blackboard. Nikki Kaye.
https://www.publicservice.govt.nz/assets/SSC-Site-Assets/Investigation-Report-into-COVID-19-active-cases-privacy-breach.pdf
So, dodging and weaving with Luxon and Uffindell? What's new?
Asked on Tuesday at Parliament if she was a bully, Lorck replied: "I'm working hard to be the best MP I can possibly be". – that doesn't really answer the question.
"I have a professional leadership coach and together we're working on how I can work to be a better MP," she said. – So obviously her management style needs to change.
Robertson says Labour MP's management style may come across 'poorly', Lorck responds to bullying claims (msn.com)
Reporters should ask the same question to Uffindell.
Perhaps National should now put Ufindell with a professional leadership coach.
Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps – Muller flirted with Hooton; could Uffindell do worse?
Luxon's got one already – Key.
for those inclined and interested to make a submission
https://twitter.com/SpeakUp4WomenNZ/status/1572091704085446656
https://www.corrections.govt.nz/news/2022/corrections_is_consulting_on_options_to_improve_rehabilitation,_reintegration,_and_safety_outcomes?fbclid=IwAR0HutFYcaYRRRkJy4LMGwtxUQEfqQM14_4i7SerBkFt452zce60WUE57RQ
1-4 …
2. range of factors …
make a submission, pro or con.