Open mike 20/11/2019

Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, November 20th, 2019 - 78 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

The usual rules of good behaviour apply (see the Policy).

Step up to the mike …

78 comments on “Open mike 20/11/2019 ”

  • Comments are now closed

  1. mosa 1
    20 November 2019 at 7:46 am

    First debate of the U.K election campaign 8pm ( 9am our time )

    Only Johnson and Corbyn too take part.

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/election-debate-itv-live-stream-watch-tonight-johnson-corbyn-when-time-a9208656.html

  2. Blazer 2
    20 November 2019 at 7:55 am

    What a difference John Campbell makes on TVNZ Mornings.

    A huge upgrade.Had Carmel Sepuloni on this morning and asked the right questions.

    Carmel's not too dusty …either.

  3. francesca 3
    20 November 2019 at 8:16 am

    The Swedish rape case dropped for the third time .

    https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/19/world/europe/sweden-julian-assange.html

    :‘My assessment is that all investigative measures that can be taken have been taken. But… the evidence is not strong enough to file an indictment.’

    Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2019/11/19/julian-assange-rape-case-dropped-swedish-prosecutors-11181739/?ito=cbshare

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

    • francesca 3.1
      20 November 2019 at 9:06 am

      A fuller quote

      "Deputy Chief Prosecutor Eva-Marie Persson said the alleged victim’s complaint was credible. However, she added: ‘My assessment is that all investigative measures that can be taken have been taken. But… the evidence is not strong enough to file an indictment.’"

      As the NYT observes, this clears the way for the US extradition case.

      Thats the end of my commenting for the day, people to see, life to be lived ,wish Assange had the same freedom

      • Kevin 3.1.1
        20 November 2019 at 10:29 am

        So just now they realise the 'evidence' was not strong enough.

        How convenient.

        • McFlock 3.1.1.1
          20 November 2019 at 2:32 pm

          Not enough for an indictment for rape, alone.

          Of course, there was still enough evidence to charge him for rape alongside the lesser sexual assault offences that he ran the clock out on.

          There's a certain poetry that his desire to avoid those charges put him in a worse situation than if he'd been found guilty. Bit of a Greek tragedy, there.

      • Sabine 3.1.2
        20 November 2019 at 10:32 am

        Well i guess it goes to serve as a warning to others.

        Don't consent to a thing you don't intend to do. Poeple might take offense. Or even better, don't fuck without a condom when you agreed to only fuck with a condom in a country that has 'consent' laws.

        For a supposedly intelligent man he has shown absolute fucking poor decision making when it comes to sex and sex partners.

        Question: would he be were he is now had he not decided that he can just fuck any which way he wants to and his partners pleasure, comfort, and consent be damned.

        in fact this reminds me of the lamentations of my neighbourgh who got a ticket for a parking in a non parking spot. Who is at fault? She for parking were she ought not too – ‘her parking’ as she calls it – even tho there is plenty of legal parking about. Or the ticket man who does what is his job to do and hands her a ticket – after he gives her a warning and asks her to move the car – which she refused to do on account of ‘her parking’.

        this guy would have had a completely different life had he decided to keep his willy in the trousers or maybe he could have shoved an aspirin between his knees. I think some call this personal responsibility.
        Especially if you know that someone is out to get him.

        • Brigid 3.1.2.1
          20 November 2019 at 11:55 am

          So Sabine you think this " ‘My assessment is that all investigative measures that can be taken have been taken. But… the evidence is not strong enough to file an indictment.’"

          Should say " ‘My assessment is that all investigative measures that can be taken have been taken. But… the evidence is not strong enough to file an indictment but someone in a little country at the bottom of the globe says he's guilty of rape under Swedish law. Similarities to a parking infringement is given as proof’"

          Have you advised the Swedish authorities?

          • Sabine 3.1.2.1.1
            21 November 2019 at 12:59 pm

            Nah,

            My assesment is simple that had he engaged his brain rather then his penis he might not be in the predicament he is today.

    • Adrian Thornton 3.2
      20 November 2019 at 9:16 am

      Thanks for that update Francesca,that is good news I guess, however I get a little depressed whenever I hear news about Assange, it just reminds me how easily led and manipulated so many good people on the Left have become, and you can be sure that the same gullible ones who turned on Assange with such vitriol are the same ones who buy lock stock and barrel into the CIA/FBI fueled Russiagate rubbish.

  4. Sanctuary 4
    20 November 2019 at 9:07 am

    Worth watching. Promotional gold for NZ.



  5. Jimmy 5
    20 November 2019 at 9:20 am

    Great for tourism

  6. WeTheBleeple 6
    20 November 2019 at 9:35 am

    Solar breakthrough. Industrial heating processes once too hot for solar now an option. This is very good news. I've heard people argue if Tiwai was off the grid we'd have capacity for an electric fleet. Well it looks like we might (in future) have our cake and eat it too.

    https://edition.cnn.com/2019/11/19/business/heliogen-solar-energy-bill-gates/index.html

  7. Adrian Thornton 7
    20 November 2019 at 9:57 am

    Great to see at least one politician taking a moral stand on the right wing Bolivian coup'…seems our own lot are more interested in perceived optics than taking any boring old moral and/or ethical stand on international affairs…

    Bernie Sanders' Stance on Bolivia Matters

    https://www.truthdig.com/articles/bernie-sanders-stance-on-bolivia-matters/

  8. Sabine 8
    20 November 2019 at 10:30 am

    who would have thought that people might not want to pay a ransom note just because the shitty one in the shitty house feels the need to feel bigly. Or something.

    Oh well, I guess we will all in due time learn to appreciate our new over lords, same as the other overlords but with better food.

    https://news.yahoo.com/china-signs-defense-agreement-south-005403276.html

  9. Agora 9
    20 November 2019 at 11:23 am

    Leonardo da Vinci’s personal vineyard has been re-created

    https://www.economist.com/node/21774512?fsrc=rss%7Ceur

  10. Dukeofurl 10
    20 November 2019 at 11:42 am

    New draft electoral boundaries published

    https://vote.nz/map/index.html?id=6&modified=20191115033549

    New electorate in South Auckland – Flat Bush . But some others keep their name or similar and have big changes

    • Dukeofurl 10.1
      20 November 2019 at 12:04 pm

      Usual gerrymandering from last maps. Taranaki is divided into 3 . Whanganui like Timaru is cut off from its traditional hinterland

      Central North Island electorates wander off to unnconnected areas

      Queenstown is cut off from rest of central Otago and remains mostly with Southland.

      New Flatbush includes Conifer Peninsula and Up to Mission Hieghts , yet Botany has part of Flatbush near Motorway and part of Howick on coast ,but excludes Whitford

      North Shore , I havent looked closely but Bennetts old electorate wanders from Back of Henderson across the Upper Harbour to Rosedale by the motorway…just weird.

  12. Peter 12
    20 November 2019 at 2:11 pm

    Gerry Brownlee got up as a cunning stunt when Jacinda Ardern attempted to answer a question. He succeeded.

  13. McFlock 13
    20 November 2019 at 3:26 pm

    All those dead rats and other animals on the West Coast? Tests for 1080 came back negative.

    So no idea on the cause. Next best theory is maybe casualties of floods and stormy weather.

  14. Exkiwiforces 14
    20 November 2019 at 3:48 pm

    These two links are part of 4 part series host by the ABC's Alan Kohler who does the nightly finance report on the 7o'clock weekday news. It's quite interesting watch at what is happening here in Oz atm, with NZ's economy is very similar to Oz right now, you could drop the word Australia and insert New Zealand to get the same result.

    Atm the Australian economy isn't all beers and skittles and I won't be advising anyone to make the move over here right now unless you have a big bag full of money to fall back on if and when we do go under.

    Part 1: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-18/what-is-happening-with-the-australian-economy/11715748

    Part 2: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-19/how-australia-became-the-world-record-holder-for/11719624?section=business

  15. Gosman 15
    20 November 2019 at 4:34 pm

    On the request of Drowsy M. Kram here is a discussion about the term "indigenous" and why it is Eurocentric.

    Here was the request:

    "My question ["Indigenous people" a ridiculous concept? How so?] preceded yours. You responded to my question with several questions of your own.

    Your response or (if you prefer) ‘answer’ seems to be that you think "indigenous people" is a ridiculous concept because it is "Eurocentric".

    Could you please lead me (briefly) through your line of reasoning (maybe on Open Mike), because I’m genuinely not following it.

    As Incognito points out (and I agree), not all eurocentric concepts are ridiculous, so what is it about this one (the origins of which can be traced to classical Greek culture a few centuries B.C.) that irks you so?"

    The answer to your question about how is the term both ridiculous and Eurocentic was in the questions I asked you (Which were "Who are the indigenous people of England, France, and Germany?").

    The fact is there is no pure indigenous people really in Europe and neither can there be. There have been too many people intermingling with each other and sharing both their cultures and their DNA with each other. The English are no more "Indigenous" to England than the Germans are to Germany. Even the Celtic people are not “indigenous” in the modern sense of the word to the places they live in now.

    That then leads on to how the term came to be used given it's irrelevance in the continent from which spawned the concept. The background to this is basically a people became Indigenous to an area at the moment the Europeans "discovered" them living in an area. Hence Black African Tribes are deemed indigenous to Southern Africa despite only migrating to the area around 1000 or so years ago (in many places less time than Anglo-Saxons have lived in England). This is why the term "Indigenous" is Eurocentric. It only makes sense through a European World view.

    • Drowsy M. Kram 15.1
      20 November 2019 at 5:00 pm

      Gosman, thanks for taking this to OM and for setting out your reasoning so expansively. Personally I find the "Indigenous peoples" concept easy to understand and so quite useful, and wonder if you would find synonymous terms [First peoples, Aboriginal peoples or Native peoples] equally ridiculous.

      If I'm understanding your reasoning, you consider "indigenous people" to be a ridiculous concept because it is not relevant to "the continent from which spawned the concept."

      IMHO that's not good reason to label a concept 'ridiculous', so we’ll have to agree to disagree.

      • Gosman 15.1.1
        20 November 2019 at 5:16 pm

        [My humble apologies! I was meant to reply but instead overwrote your comment. In my defense, it was a ridiculous comment but that doesn’t make it right – Incognito]

        • Drowsy M. Kram 15.1.1.1
          20 November 2019 at 5:28 pm

          Your definition of 'ridiculous term/concept‘ appears to be one that "is not universal and has different applications depending on what part of the World you are in."

          We clearly have different world views; what seems 'ridiculous' to you just seems normal (in common use all over the world) and sensible to me. Still happy to agree to disagree.

          • In Vino 15.1.1.1.1
            20 November 2019 at 7:41 pm

            I would suggest that Gosman has a nit-picking point, but is probably well aware of the below, and indulging in his usual diversionary, tergiversatory and provocative behaviour.

            Basically (explaining what I think Gosman already knows bloody well) the term 'indigenous' is now used to apply to populations afflicted by European colonialism over the last 600 years or so, when with superior technology, Europeans took over and colonised just about every country in the world.

            At school, I learned that the French word for 'Native' (the word normally used until late 1960s) was 'Indigène', so at first I saw 'indigenous' as simply a synonym. But no – I have since understood that it is used for any people conquered by European colonialists. ('Native' is now so tainted that it is almost gone from our vocabulary, and we instead use 'indigenous' for plants and animals, where 'native' used to be a perfectly good, non-pejorative term.)

            Gosman, silly nit-picking is not a big achievement.

            • solkta 15.1.1.1.1.1
              20 November 2019 at 7:59 pm

              Yes, 'native' is one of those words like 'mankind', only used by the old and ignorant.

              • In Vino …
                20 November 2019 at 8:12 pm

                Thank God I am old!

              • Anne …
                20 November 2019 at 8:35 pm

                And what pray tell me is wrong with the word "mankind"? It is usually used when the topic under discussion refers to a specific species called mankind. Are you suggesting we use humankind? Too much of a mouthful thank-you.

                And yeah… I'm old too. 🙂

                • solkta …
                  20 November 2019 at 8:53 pm

                  What is wrong with 'mankind' is exactly the same thing that is wrong with 'native'. They were used in a time when people of colour were considered inferior to white people and women were considered inferior to men. As social relations change language changes as a reflection.

                  You must have a very small mouth to be overcome by two more letters.

                  • In Vino …
                    20 November 2019 at 9:34 pm

                    Personally, I prefer 'personkind' – a warmer term than that clinical 'human' one. In fact, 'human' should be changed to 'huperson', leading us to the beautifully multisyllabic 'hupersonkind'.

                    How blessedly correct we would then be!

                    • Anne …
                      20 November 2019 at 10:30 pm

                      Its quite funny how we all have different reactions to nomenclature.

                      I have never thought of ‘mankind’ in the same way as solkta. It was used in an historical or scientific sense in my day. Our teachers and superiors talked of mankind… learning to make tools for hunting and receptacles for storing food etc. It was never seen as an expression of gender inequality so I will continue to use it when it is the appropriate term.

                • Paaparakauta …
                  20 November 2019 at 8:57 pm

                  What's wrong with ‘womankind’ ? If you wish to avoid gender ‘human’ does the job nicely.

                  [You are using too many different aliases and e-mail addresses. This raises suspicions with Moderators on this site. Please explain yourself – Incognito]

            • Drowsy M. Kram 15.1.1.1.1.2
              20 November 2019 at 11:13 pm

              Thanks In Vino, that makes sense. Would "First peoples" be a 'safer' term, i.e. less/not pejorative and typically less disputable given recent advances in molecular anthropology?

              • In Vino …
                20 November 2019 at 11:32 pm

                First from when, as Gosman would ask? Maybe 'Previous people' or, if that sounds like zombies, 'Prior people' adds an aura of importance… but I doubt if any term will be safe for long in our very woke era.

                • McFlock …
                  21 November 2019 at 12:07 am

                  Actually, I'm beginning to think that maybe Gossies' approach is itself "Eurocentric". Looking at some of the historically-disputed areas around China, we see the same relationaships between the invading and occupying culture, and the pre-existing culture of that area.

                  Despite the earnest wishes of the EDL, Europe isn't under threat of being occupied any time soon. So to use a term in the vein of "indiginous" is farcical, because the term is a distinction between two or more ethnic populations in the same land, and the extant one that was there earliest is usually the one with least power in that land.

                • Drowsy M. Kram …
                  21 November 2019 at 12:30 am

                  'First' as in the first people to arrive/settle in a given region/island, including any descendants through to present day. Could be a can of worms, but worthwhile at least trying to develop acceptable terms (for each region/island) IMHO.

                  https://bccampus.ca/2019/10/11/first-nations/

                  I (still) don't consider "indigenous people" to be a ridiculous concept – 'difficult/complex' possibly; 'ridiculous' no.

                  • Gosman …
                    21 November 2019 at 9:01 am

                    Why is it worth while? It is only worthwhile if you think there is some benefity to tie a particular group to a geographic area and bestow upon them special rights based on that link.

              • McFlock …
                20 November 2019 at 11:53 pm

                In North America especially the generally preferred expression seems to be "first nations". Really rubs in the "we had developed societies you guys tried to obliterate" factor.

                • Drowsy M. Kram …
                  21 November 2019 at 12:54 am

                  Could Gossie's 'reasoning' be: Once assimilation is complete, concepts such as indigenous peoples, first peoples/nations, aboriginal peoples or native peoples (and any 'special' rights/privileges deriving from distinctive cultural practices/beliefs) will be irrelevant? Oh, what a 'perfect' world.

                  • Gosman …
                    21 November 2019 at 8:59 am

                    You keep avoiding my question about who are the indigenous people in Europe. There is an argument to be made that there are some in the far north (The Sámi) however even in this case the DNA evidence suggests that there may well have been a pre-existing culture and people that mixed with later peoples. Certainly the Celtic, Germanic and Slavic people of Northern, Western, Central, and Eastern Europe were not "indigenous" to the areas that they now call home. Maybe the Greeks have a claim to be indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean. It is a push though given there is evidence that the Greeks today are not the same as the Greeks of the Minoan era.

                    • Drowsy M. Kram …
                      21 November 2019 at 10:49 am

                      Gosman, I don't know enough about the topic of indigenous people in Europe to answer your question (so can only cut and paste), but the accounts you're providing suggest that it's difficult to tell.

                      "In Europe, present-day indigenous populations as recognized by the UN are relatively few, mainly confined to its north and far east. Notable minority indigenous populations in Europe include the Basque people of northern Spain and southern France, the Sami people of northern Fennoscandia, the Nenets, Samoyedic and Komi peoples of northern Russia, and the Circassians of southern Russia and the North Caucasus."
                      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Indigenous_peoples_of_Europe

                      You and I live in NZ – do you think that the concept of people that are indigenous to NZ (or Australia) is "ridiculous"?

                      To reiterate, I don’t find the concept of ‘indigenous people‘ ridiculous – rather I find it useful. No doubt there are other concepts that you consider ridiculous and I consider useful – there may even be a few concepts that you consider useful and I consider ridiculous. smiley

                    • Gosman …
                      21 November 2019 at 11:54 am

                      This is a facinating discussion. I would like to continue it on today's OM.

            • Gosman 15.1.1.1.1.3
              21 November 2019 at 8:48 am

              Thank you for making the point. The term "indigenous" doesn't mean what many people think it means (which is the original people of a particular area). It means instead people who were occupying a particular area when they Europeans first came in to contact with them.

  16. Eco maori 16
    21 November 2019 at 8:44 am

    Kia Ora Breakfast.

    Birds are fascinating creatures they play a big positive role in our environment.

    Its great to see the Koala being treated with care and kindness.

    Ka kite Ano

  17. Eco maori 17
    21 November 2019 at 10:49 am

    This is the technology we need to grow to turn our plastic waste into a valuable commodity. This system gives us the opportunity to keep plastics in a closed loop system. Use recycled we need closed loop system for everything we use.

    Australian recycling technology aims to handle all plastics

    Australian scientists have developed a technology they say could make all plastic recyclable, as the country grapples with how to deal with its waste crisis.

    The patented technology was created by Dr Len Humphreys and Sydney University Professor Thomas Maschmeyer, who say it could process plastics that cannot currently be recycled.

    Australians throw out 3.5 million tonnes of plastic each year, but currently only about 10 percent of it is recycled.

    The rest is either burned, buried or shipped overseas

    Dr Humphreys said the Cat-HTR technology he and his co-founder patented was different from existing plastic-to-oil technologies like pyrolysis, which is a process that involves heating materials at a very high temperature.

    Unlike traditional physical recycling, it does not require plastics to be separated according to type and colour, and can recycle anything from milk cartons to wetsuits and even wood by-products.

    It also means plastic products can be recycled again and again

    Ka kite Ano link below.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/403699/australian-recycling-technology-aims-to-handle-all-plastics

  18. Eco maori 18
    21 November 2019 at 11:52 am

    Sugar should be banned to our fuel tanks our tamariki consume way to much of the stuff.

    Later on in their lives once their bodys system have been wrecked by sugar the real problems start diabetes heart problems that's the reality of high sugar consumption.

    Sweet spot: Norwegians cut sugar intake to lowest level in 44 years

    Norway has had a sugar tax since 1922 and more recently has created separate taxes for confectionary and sugary drinks

    The directorate’s annual report on the Norwegian diet said that average annual consumption of sugar had plummeted from 43kg to 24kg per person between 2000 and 2018 – including a 27% reduction in the past decade – to a level lower than that recorded in 1975.

    Norway has had a generalised added sugar tax – introduced at the time as a means of raising revenue for the state, rather than reducing the consumption of what critics call the “pure, white and deadly” substance – since as early as 1922

    Ka kite Ano link below.

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/20/norwegians-cut-sugar-intake-to-lowest-level-in-44-years

    • Sabine 18.1
      21 November 2019 at 11:56 am

      nah, mate, sugar is doing nothing wrong.

      What should be banned is selling sugary drinks cheaper then milk or water.

      And what should be done is getting parents to understand that if they make the children, and if they birth the children then they have to actually raise them, feed them, clothes them.

      Non of that is the fault of sugar.

      If we continue to demand stuff be banned because grown ass adults don't give a shit aobut their children we will have no more food/drink etc left and the world be littered with starving children.

  19. Eco maori 19
    21 November 2019 at 6:28 pm

    Kia Ora 1 News.

    I think that's a great idea compulsorily reduncy income insurance some.

    Yes report it to the police if you get scammed so they know the scam and worn others about it.

    Ka kite Ano

  20. Eco maori 20
    21 November 2019 at 6:53 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.

    Gambling is a big problem for some tangata whenua I have seen the effects of people putting all their money in those machines.

    Awsome that Whakatane Iwi is getting there Taonga back from Auckland University. I believe in the Maori version of old taonga wairua.

    There are some great programs on Maori TV they give me a sore face.

    Ka kite Ano

  21. Eco maori 21
    22 November 2019 at 8:46 am

    Kia Ora Breakfast.

    Our economy is based on housing the old saying As Safe As Whare.

    We have stopped the single use of plastic bags that should be just the start on our journey to a closed loop system.

    Its good to see A huge multi nation company held accountable for their Actions.

    Ka kite Ano

  22. Eco maori 22
    22 November 2019 at 5:07 pm

    Some Eco Maori Music For The Minute.

    https://youtu.be/tgIqecROs5M

  23. Eco maori 23
    22 November 2019 at 6:31 pm

    Kia Ora 1 News.

    I was told about the mass mice problems.

    Orange dust storm in Australia.

    Im not surprised about the amount of CCT cameras I have seen them going up all over the place.

    Ka kite Ano

  24. Eco maori 24
    22 November 2019 at 6:47 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.

    Its great to see 20 indigenous tangata meeting in Aotearoa.

    Ka kite Ano

  25. Eco maori 25
    23 November 2019 at 3:54 pm

    Some Eco Maori Music For The Minute.

    https://youtu.be/Xo7WjnC8ekQ

  26. Eco maori 26
    23 November 2019 at 6:29 pm

    Kia Ora 1 News.

    Its was a good day in Kaikoura.

    We must pay respect to our Tipuna.

    It looks like Steven vist to Aotearoa is a good thing.

    Luck there was not more causalitys with that train crash I'm very careful on the roads now days

    Those old costumes bring back the past lol.

    Ka kite Ano

  27. Eco maori 27
    23 November 2019 at 6:50 pm

    Kia Ora Te Ao Maori News.

    Condolences to Michael Wi whanau for their loss.

    That's awesome a Wai testing kit that is only $50.

    Ka kite Ano

Recent Comments

Recent Posts

  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 27

    Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 27 were:1. The Minister for Ford Rangers strikes againTransport Minister Simeon Brown was again the busiest of the Cabinet ministers this week, announcing an ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 hour ago
  • Ticket To Anywhere

    You got a fast carAnd I want a ticket to anywhereMaybe we make a dealMaybe together we can get somewhereAny place is betterYesterday’s newsletter, Trust In Me, on the report of abuse in state care, and by religious organisations, between 1950 and 2019, coupled with the hypocrisy of Christopher Luxon ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 hours ago
  • Stories of varying weight

    Hello! Here comes the Saturday edition of More Than A Feilding, catching you up on anything you may have missed. Share Read more ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    7 hours ago
  • Balancing External Security and the Economy

    New Zealand is again having to reconcile conflicting pressures from its military and its trade interests. Should we join Pillar Two of AUKUS and risk compromising our markets in China? For a century after New Zealand was founded in 1840, its external security arrangements and external economics arrangements were aligned. ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    19 hours ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: The unravelling of the offsets

    The ‘50 Shades of Green’ farmers’ protest in 2019 was heavy on climate change denial, but five years on, scepticism and criticism about the idea that pine forests can save us is growing across the board. File photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Here’s the top six news items of note in climate ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • What makes us tick

    This morning the sky was bright.The birds, in their usual joyous bliss. Nature doesn’t seem to feel the heat of what might angst humans.Their calls are clear and beautiful.Just some random thoughts:MāoriPaul Goldsmith has announced his government will roll back the judiciary’s rulings on Māori Customary Marine Title, which recognises ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 day ago
  • Foreshore and seabed 2.0

    In 2003, the Court of Appeal delivered its decision in Ngati Apa v Attorney-General, ruling that Māori customary title over the foreshore and seabed had not been universally extinguished, and that the Māori Land Court could determine claims and confirm title if the facts supported it. This kicked off the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 day ago
  • Gordon Campbell on the Royal Commission report into abuse in care

    Earlier this week at Parliament, Labour leader Chris Hipkins was applauded for saying that the response to the final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care had to be “bigger than politics.” True, but the fine words, apologies and “we hear you” messages will soon ring ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: In news breaking this morning:The Ministry of Education is cutting $2 billion from its school building programme so the National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government has enough money to deliver tax cuts; The Government has quietly lowered its child poverty reduction targets to make them easier to achieve;Te Whatu Ora-Health NZ’s ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Weekly Roundup 26-July-2024

    Kia ora. These are some stories that caught our eye this week – as always, feel free to share yours in the comments. Our header image this week (via Eke Panuku) shows the planned upgrade for the Karanga Plaza Tidal Swimming Steps. The week in Greater Auckland On ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 day ago
  • God what a relief

    1. What's not to love about the way the Harris campaign is turning things around?a. Nothingb. Love all of itc. God what a reliefd. Not that it will be by any means easye. All of the above 2. Documents released by the Ministry of Health show Associate Health Minister Casey ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    1 day ago
  • Trust In Me

    Trust in me in all you doHave the faith I have in youLove will see us through, if only you trust in meWhy don't you, you trust me?In a week that saw the release of the 3,000 page Abuse in Care report Christopher Luxon was being asked about Boot Camps. ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 day ago
  • The Hoon around the week to July 26

    TL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers last night features co-hosts and talking about the Royal Commission Inquiry into Abuse in Care report released this week, and with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on a UN push to not recognise carbon offset markets and ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 26

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 26, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Transport: Simeon Brown announced $802.9 million in funding for 18 new trains on the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines, which ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 day ago
  • Radical law changes needed to build road

    The northern expressway extension from Warkworth to Whangarei is likely to require radical changes to legislation if it is going to be built within the foreseeable future. The Government’s powers to purchase land, the planning process and current restrictions on road tolling are all going to need to be changed ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    1 day ago
  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #30 2024

    Open access notables Could an extremely cold central European winter such as 1963 happen again despite climate change?, Sippel et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics: Here, we first show based on multiple attribution methods that a winter of similar circulation conditions to 1963 would still lead to an extreme seasonal ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • First they came for the Māori

    Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedFirst they came for the doctors But I was confused by the numbers and costs So I didn't speak up Then they came for our police and nurses And I didn't think we could afford those costs anyway So I ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Join us for the weekly Hoon on YouTube Live

    Photo by Joshua J. Cotten on UnsplashWe’re back again after our mid-winter break. We’re still with the ‘new’ day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when we have our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm.Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Will the real PM Luxon please stand up?

    Notes: This is a free article. Abuse in Care themes are mentioned. Video is at the bottom.BackgroundYesterday’s report into Abuse in Care revealed that at least 1 in 3 of all who went through state and faith based care were abused - often horrifically. At least, because not all survivors ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    2 days ago
  • Will debt reduction trump abuse in care redress?

    Luxon speaks in Parliament yesterday about the Abuse in Care report. Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:PM Christopher Luxon said yesterday in tabling the Abuse in Care report in Parliament he wanted to ‘do the ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • Olywhites and Time Bandits

    About a decade ago I worked with a bloke called Steve. He was the grizzled veteran coder, a few years older than me, who knew where the bodies were buried - code wise. Despite his best efforts to be approachable and friendly he could be kind of gruff, through to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    2 days ago
  • Why were the 1930s so hot in North America?

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson Those who’ve trawled social media during heat waves have likely encountered a tidbit frequently used to brush aside human-caused climate change: Many U.S. states and cities had their single hottest temperature on record during the 1930s, setting incredible heat marks ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 days ago
  • Throwback Thursday – Thinking about Expressways

    Some of the recent announcements from the government have reminded us of posts we’ve written in the past. Here’s one from early 2020. There were plenty of reactions to the government’s infrastructure announcement a few weeks ago which saw them fund a bunch of big roading projects. One of ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Thursday, July 25 are:News: Why Electric Kiwi is closing to new customers - and why it matters RNZ’s Susan EdmundsScoop: Government drops ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • The Possum: Demon or Friend?

    Hi,I felt a small wet tongue snaking through one of the holes in my Crocs. It explored my big toe, darting down one side, then the other. “He’s looking for some toe cheese,” said the woman next to me, words that still haunt me to this day.Growing up in New ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    2 days ago
  • Not a story

    Yesterday I happily quoted the Prime Minister without fact-checking him and sure enough, it turns out his numbers were all to hell. It’s not four kg of Royal Commission report, it’s fourteen.My friend and one-time colleague-in-comms Hazel Phillips gently alerted me to my error almost as soon as I’d hit ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    2 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Thursday, July 25

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Thursday, July 25, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day were:The Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry published its final report yesterday.PM Christopher Luxon and The Minister responsible for ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    2 days ago
  • A tougher line on “proactive release”?

    The Official Information Act has always been a battle between requesters seeking information, and governments seeking to control it. Information is power, so Ministers and government agencies want to manage what is released and when, for their own convenience, and legality and democracy be damned. Their most recent tactic for ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago
  • 'Let's build a motorway costing $100 million per km, before emissions costs'

    TL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:Transport and Energy Minister Simeon Brown is accelerating plans to spend at least $10 billion through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to extend State Highway One as a four-lane ‘Expressway’ from Warkworth to Whangarei ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Lester's Prescription – Positive Bleeding.

    I live my life (woo-ooh-ooh)With no control in my destinyYea-yeah, yea-yeah (woo-ooh-ooh)I can bleed when I want to bleedSo come on, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)You can bleed when you want to bleedYea-yeah, come on (woo-ooh-ooh)Everybody bleed when they want to bleedCome on and bleedGovernments face tough challenges. Selling unpopular decisions to ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    3 days ago
  • Casey Costello gaslights Labour in the House

    Please note:To skip directly to the- parliamentary footage in the video, scroll to 1:21 To skip to audio please click on the headphone icon on the left hand side of the screenThis video / audio section is under development. ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    3 days ago
  • Why is the Texas grid in such bad shape?

    This is a re-post from the Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler Headline from 2021 The Texas grid, run by ERCOT, has had a rough few years. In 2021, winter storm Uri blacked out much of the state for several days. About a week ago, Hurricane Beryl knocked out ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell on a textbook case of spending waste by the Luxon government

    Given the crackdown on wasteful government spending, it behooves me to point to a high profile example of spending by the Luxon government that looks like a big, fat waste of time and money. I’m talking about the deployment of NZDF personnel to support the US-led coalition in the Red ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:40 am on Wednesday, July 24 are:Deep Dive: Chipping away at the housing crisis, including my comments RNZ/Newsroom’s The DetailNews: Government softens on asset sales, ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • LXR Takaanini

    As I reported about the city centre, Auckland’s rail network is also going through a difficult and disruptive period which is rapidly approaching a culmination, this will result in a significant upgrade to the whole network. Hallelujah. Also like the city centre this is an upgrade predicated on the City ...
    Greater AucklandBy Patrick Reynolds
    3 days ago
  • Four kilograms of pain

    Today, a 4 kilogram report will be delivered to Parliament. We know this is what the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care weighs, because our Prime Minister told us so.Some reporter had blindsided him by asking a question about something done by ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    3 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Wednesday, July 24

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Wednesday, July 24, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Beehive: Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced plans to use PPPs to fund, build and run a four-lane expressway between Auckland ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    3 days ago
  • Luxon gets caught out

    NewstalkZB host Mike Hosking, who can usually be relied on to give Prime Minister Christopher Luxon an easy run, did not do so yesterday when he interviewed him about the HealthNZ deficit. Luxon is trying to use a deficit reported last year by HealthNZ as yet another example of the ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    3 days ago
  • A worrying sign

    Back in January a StatsNZ employee gave a speech at Rātana on behalf of tangata whenua in which he insulted and criticised the government. The speech clearly violated the principle of a neutral public service, and StatsNZ started an investigation. Part of that was getting an external consultant to examine ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago
  • Are we fine with 47.9% home-ownership by 2048?

    Renting for life: Shared ownership initiatives are unlikely to slow the slide in home ownership by much. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy today are:A Deloitte report for Westpac has projected Aotearoa’s home-ownership rate will ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • Let's Win This

    You're broken down and tiredOf living life on a merry go roundAnd you can't find the fighterBut I see it in you so we gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsWe gonna walk it outAnd move mountainsAnd I'll rise upI'll rise like the dayI'll rise upI'll rise unafraidI'll rise upAnd I'll ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    4 days ago
  • Waimahara: The Singing Spirit of Water

    There’s been a change in Myers Park. Down the steps from St. Kevin’s Arcade, past the grassy slopes, the children’s playground, the benches and that goat statue, there has been a transformation. The underpass for Mayoral Drive has gone from a barren, grey, concrete tunnel, to a place that thrums ...
    Greater AucklandBy Connor Sharp
    4 days ago
  • A major milestone: Global climate pollution may have just peaked

    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections Global society may have finally slammed on the brakes for climate-warming pollution released by human fossil fuel combustion. According to the Carbon Monitor Project, the total global climate pollution released between February and May 2024 declined slightly from the amount released during the same ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Tuesday, July 23 are:Deep Dive: Penlink: where tolling rhetoric meets reality BusinessDesk-$$$’s Oliver LewisScoop: Te Pūkenga plans for regional polytechs leak out ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Tuesday, July 23

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Tuesday, July 23, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:Health: Shane Reti announced the Board of Te Whatu Ora- Health New Zealand was being replaced with Commissioner Lester Levy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    4 days ago
  • HealthNZ and Luxon at cross purposes over budget blowout

    Health NZ warned the Government at the end of March that it was running over Budget. But the reasons it gave were very different to those offered by the Prime Minister yesterday. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon blamed the “botched merger” of the 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) to create Health ...
    PolitikBy Richard Harman
    4 days ago
  • 2500-3000 more healthcare staff expected to be fired, as Shane Reti blames Labour for a budget defic...

    Long ReadKey Summary: Although National increased the health budget by $1.4 billion in May, they used an old funding model to project health system costs, and never bothered to update their pre-election numbers. They were told during the Health Select Committees earlier in the year their budget amount was deficient, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    4 days ago
  • Might Kamala Harris be about to get a 'stardust' moment like Jacinda Ardern?

    As a momentous, historic weekend in US politics unfolded, analysts and commentators grasped for precedents and comparisons to help explain the significance and power of the choice Joe Biden had made. The 46th president had swept the Democratic party’s primaries but just over 100 days from the election had chosen ...
    PunditBy Tim Watkin
    5 days ago
  • Solutions Interview: Steven Hail on MMT & ecological economics

    TL;DR: I’m casting around for new ideas and ways of thinking about Aotearoa’s political economy to find a few solutions to our cascading and self-reinforcing housing, poverty and climate crises.Associate Professor runs an online masters degree in the economics of sustainability at Torrens University in Australia and is organising ...
    The KakaBy Steven Hail
    5 days ago
  • Reported back

    The Finance and Expenditure Committee has reported back on National's Local Government (Water Services Preliminary Arrangements) Bill. The bill sets up water for privatisation, and was introduced under urgency, then rammed through select committee with no time even for local councils to make a proper submission. Naturally, national's select committee ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago
  • Vandrad the Viking, Christopher Coombes, and Literary Archaeology

    Some years ago, I bought a book at Dunedin’s Regent Booksale for $1.50. As one does. Vandrad the Viking (1898), by J. Storer Clouston, is an obscure book these days – I cannot find a proper online review – but soon it was sitting on my shelf, gathering dust alongside ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago
  • Gordon Campbell On The Biden Withdrawal

    History is not on the side of the centre-left, when Democratic presidents fall behind in the polls and choose not to run for re-election. On both previous occasions in the past 75 years (Harry Truman in 1952, Lyndon Johnson in 1968) the Democrats proceeded to then lose the White House ...
    WerewolfBy lyndon
    5 days ago
  • Joe Biden's withdrawal puts the spotlight back on Kamala and the USA's complicated relatio...

    This is a free articleCoverageThis morning, US President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the Presidential race. And that is genuinely newsworthy. Thanks for your service, President Biden, and all the best to you and yours.However, the media in New Zealand, particularly the 1News nightly bulletin, has been breathlessly covering ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    5 days ago
  • Why we have to challenge our national fiscal assumptions

    A homeless person’s camp beside a blocked-off slipped damage walkway in Freeman’s Bay: we are chasing our tail on our worsening and inter-related housing, poverty and climate crises. Photo: Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • Existential Crisis and Damaged Brains

    What has happened to it all?Crazy, some'd sayWhere is the life that I recognise?(Gone away)But I won't cry for yesterdayThere's an ordinary worldSomehow I have to findAnd as I try to make my wayTo the ordinary worldYesterday morning began as many others - what to write about today? I began ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    5 days ago
  • A speed limit is not a target, and yet…

    This is a guest post from longtime supporter Mr Plod, whose previous contributions include a proposal that Hamilton become New Zealand’s capital city, and that we should switch which side of the road we drive on. A recent Newsroom article, “Back to school for the Govt’s new speed limit policy“, ...
    Greater AucklandBy Guest Post
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 7:00 am on Monday, July 22 are:Today’s Must Read: Father and son live in a tent, and have done for four years, in a million ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Monday, July 22

    TL;DR: As of 7:00 am on Monday, July 22, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:US President Joe Biden announced via X this morning he would not stand for a second term.Multinational professional services firm ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    5 days ago
  • 2024 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #29

    A listing of 32 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, July 14, 2024 thru Sat, July 20, 2024. Story of the week As reflected by preponderance of coverage, our Story of the Week is Project 2025. Until now traveling ...
    Skeptical Science
    6 days ago
  • I'd like to share what I did this weekend

    This weekend, a friend pointed out someone who said they’d like to read my posts, but didn’t want to pay. And my first reaction was sympathy.I’ve already told folks that if they can’t comfortably subscribe, and would like to read, I’d be happy to offer free subscriptions. I don’t want ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • For the children – Why mere sentiment can be a misleading force in our lives, and lead to unex...

    National: The Party of ‘Law and Order’ IntroductionThis weekend, the Government formally kicked off one of their flagship policy programs: a military style boot camp that New Zealand has experimented with over the past 50 years. Cartoon credit: Guy BodyIt’s very popular with the National Party’s Law and Order image, ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    6 days ago
  • A friend in uncertain times

    Day one of the solo leg of my long journey home begins with my favourite sound: footfalls in an empty street. 5.00 am and it’s already light and already too warm, almost.If I can make the train that leaves Budapest later this hour I could be in Belgrade by nightfall; ...
    More Than A FeildingBy David Slack
    6 days ago
  • The Chaotic World of Male Diet Influencers

    Hi,We’ll get to the horrific world of male diet influencers (AKA Beefy Boys) shortly, but first you will be glad to know that since I sent out the Webworm explaining why the assassination attempt on Donald Trump was not a false flag operation, I’ve heard from a load of people ...
    David FarrierBy David Farrier
    6 days ago
  • It's Starting To Look A Lot Like… Y2K

    Do you remember Y2K, the threat that hung over humanity in the closing days of the twentieth century? Horror scenarios of planes falling from the sky, electronic payments failing and ATMs refusing to dispense cash. As for your VCR following instructions and recording your favourite show - forget about it.All ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Bernard’s Saturday Soliloquy for the week to July 20

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts being questioned by The Kākā’s Bernard Hickey.TL;DR: My top six things to note around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the week to July 20 were:1. A strategy that fails Zero Carbon Act & Paris targetsThe National-ACT-NZ First Coalition Government finally unveiled ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Pharmac Director, Climate Change Commissioner, Health NZ Directors – The latest to quit this m...

    Summary:As New Zealand loses at least 12 leaders in the public service space of health, climate, and pharmaceuticals, this month alone, directly in response to the Government’s policies and budget choices, what lies ahead may be darker than it appears. Tui examines some of those departures and draws a long ...
    Mountain TuiBy Mountain Tui
    1 week ago
  • Flooding Housing Policy

    The Minister of Housing’s ambition is to reduce markedly the ratio of house prices to household incomes. If his strategy works it would transform the housing market, dramatically changing the prospects of housing as an investment.Leaving aside the Minister’s metaphor of ‘flooding the market’ I do not see how the ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago
  • A Voyage Among the Vandals: Accepted (Again!)

    As previously noted, my historical fantasy piece, set in the fifth-century Mediterranean, was accepted for a Pirate Horror anthology, only for the anthology to later fall through. But in a good bit of news, it turned out that the story could indeed be re-marketed as sword and sorcery. As of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā's Chorus for Friday, July 19

    An employee of tobacco company Philip Morris International demonstrates a heated tobacco device. Photo: Getty ImagesTL;DR: The top six things I’ve noted around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy on Friday, July 19 are:At a time when the Coalition Government is cutting spending on health, infrastructure, education, housing ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Pick 'n' Mix for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: My pick of the top six links elsewhere around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day or so to 8:30 am on Friday, July 19 are:Scoop: NZ First Minister Casey Costello orders 50% cut to excise tax on heated tobacco products. The minister has ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Roundup 19-July-2024

    Kia ora, it’s time for another Friday roundup, in which we pull together some of the links and stories that caught our eye this week. Feel free to add more in the comments! Our header image this week shows a foggy day in Auckland town, captured by Patrick Reynolds. ...
    Greater AucklandBy Greater Auckland
    1 week ago
  • Weekly Climate Wrap: A market-led plan for failure

    TL;DR : Here’s the top six items climate news for Aotearoa this week, as selected by Bernard Hickey and The Kākā’s climate correspondent Cathrine Dyer. A discussion recorded yesterday is in the video above and the audio of that sent onto the podcast feed.The Government released its draft Emissions Reduction ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago
  • Tobacco First

    Save some money, get rich and old, bring it back to Tobacco Road.Bring that dynamite and a crane, blow it up, start all over again.Roll up. Roll up. Or tailor made, if you prefer...Whether you’re selling ciggies, digging for gold, catching dolphins in your nets, or encouraging folks to flutter ...
    Nick’s KōreroBy Nick Rockel
    1 week ago
  • Trump’s Adopted Son.

    Waiting In The Wings: For truly, if Trump is America’s un-assassinated Caesar, then J.D. Vance is America’s Octavian, the Republic’s youthful undertaker – and its first Emperor.DONALD TRUMP’S SELECTION of James D. Vance as his running-mate bodes ill for the American republic. A fervent supporter of Viktor Orban, the “illiberal” prime ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago
  • The Kākā’s Journal of Record for Friday, July 19

    TL;DR: As of 6:00 am on Friday, July 19, the top six announcements, speeches, reports and research around housing, climate and poverty in Aotearoa’s political economy in the last day are:The PSA announced the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) had ruled in the PSA’s favour in its case against the Ministry ...
    The KakaBy Bernard Hickey
    1 week ago

  • Joint statement from the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia and New Zealand

    Australia, Canada and New Zealand today issued the following statement on the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the risk of expanded conflict between Hizballah and Israel. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The human suffering is unacceptable. It cannot continue.  We remain unequivocal in our condemnation of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    19 hours ago
  • AG reminds institutions of legal obligations

    Attorney-General Judith Collins today reminded all State and faith-based institutions of their legal obligation to preserve records relevant to the safety and wellbeing of those in its care. “The Abuse in Care Inquiry’s report has found cases where records of the most vulnerable people in State and faith‑based institutions were ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    21 hours ago
  • More young people learning about digital safety

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government’s online safety website for children and young people has reached one million page views.  “It is great to see so many young people and their families accessing the site Keep It Real Online to learn how to stay safe online, and manage ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    22 hours ago
  • Speech to the Conference for General Practice 2024

    Tēnā tātou katoa,  Ngā mihi te rangi, ngā mihi te whenua, ngā mihi ki a koutou, kia ora mai koutou. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and the invitation to speak at this 50th anniversary conference. I acknowledge all those who have gone before us and paved the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    24 hours ago
  • Employers and payroll providers ready for tax changes

    New Zealand’s payroll providers have successfully prepared to ensure 3.5 million individuals will, from Wednesday next week, be able to keep more of what they earn each pay, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Revenue Minister Simon Watts.  “The Government's tax policy changes are legally effective from Wednesday. Delivering this tax ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Experimental vineyard futureproofs wine industry

    An experimental vineyard which will help futureproof the wine sector has been opened in Blenheim by Associate Regional Development Minister Mark Patterson. The covered vineyard, based at the New Zealand Wine Centre – Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, enables controlled environmental conditions. “The research that will be produced at the Experimental ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Funding confirmed for regions affected by North Island Weather Events

    The Coalition Government has confirmed the indicative regional breakdown of North Island Weather Event (NIWE) funding for state highway recovery projects funded through Budget 2024, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Regions in the North Island suffered extensive and devastating damage from Cyclone Gabrielle and the 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods, and ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Indonesian Foreign Minister to visit

    Indonesia’s Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, will visit New Zealand next week, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.   “Indonesia is important to New Zealand’s security and economic interests and is our closest South East Asian neighbour,” says Mr Peters, who is currently in Laos to engage with South East Asian partners. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 day ago
  • Strengthening partnership with Ngāti Maniapoto

    He aha te kai a te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero. The government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the aspirations of Ngāti Maniapoto, Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka says. “My thanks to Te Nehenehenui Trust – Ngāti Maniapoto for bringing their important kōrero to a ministerial ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Transport Minister thanks outgoing CAA Chair

    Transport Minister Simeon Brown has thanked outgoing Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority, Janice Fredric, for her service to the board.“I have received Ms Fredric’s resignation from the role of Chair of the Civil Aviation Authority,” Mr Brown says.“On behalf of the Government, I want to thank Ms Fredric for ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Test for Customary Marine Title being restored

    The Government is proposing legislation to overturn a Court of Appeal decision and amend the Marine and Coastal Area Act in order to restore Parliament’s test for Customary Marine Title, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says.  “Section 58 required an applicant group to prove they have exclusively used and occupied ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Opposition united in bad faith over ECE sector review

    Regulation Minister David Seymour says that opposition parties have united in bad faith, opposing what they claim are ‘dangerous changes’ to the Early Childhood Education sector, despite no changes even being proposed yet.  “Issues with affordability and availability of early childhood education, and the complexity of its regulation, has led ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Kiwis having their say on first regulatory review

    After receiving more than 740 submissions in the first 20 days, Regulation Minister David Seymour is asking the Ministry for Regulation to extend engagement on the early childhood education regulation review by an extra two weeks.  “The level of interest has been very high, and from the conversations I’ve been ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government upgrading Lower North Island commuter rail

    The Coalition Government is investing $802.9 million into the Wairarapa and Manawatū rail lines as part of a funding agreement with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, and the Greater Wellington and Horizons Regional Councils to deliver more reliable services for commuters in the lower North Island, Transport Minister Simeon ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    2 days ago
  • Government moves to ensure flood protection for Wairoa

    Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced his intention to appoint a Crown Manager to both Hawke’s Bay Regional and Wairoa District Councils to speed up the delivery of flood protection work in Wairoa."Recent severe weather events in Wairoa this year, combined with damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 have ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • PM speech to Parliament – Royal Commission of Inquiry’s Report into Abuse in Care

    Mr Speaker, this is a day that many New Zealanders who were abused in State care never thought would come. It’s the day that this Parliament accepts, with deep sorrow and regret, the Report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.  At the heart of this report are the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges torture at Lake Alice

    For the first time, the Government is formally acknowledging some children and young people at Lake Alice Psychiatric Hospital experienced torture. The final report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State and Faith-based Care “Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light,” was tabled in Parliament ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Government acknowledges courageous abuse survivors

    The Government has acknowledged the nearly 2,400 courageous survivors who shared their experiences during the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-Based Care. The final report from the largest and most complex public inquiry ever held in New Zealand, the Royal Commission Inquiry “Whanaketia – through ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Half a million people use tax calculator

    With a week to go before hard-working New Zealanders see personal income tax relief for the first time in fourteen years, 513,000 people have used the Budget tax calculator to see how much they will benefit, says Finance Minister Nicola Willis.  “Tax relief is long overdue. From next Wednesday, personal income ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Paid Parental Leave improvements pass first reading

    Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says a bill that has passed its first reading will improve parental leave settings and give non-biological parents more flexibility as primary carer for their child. The Regulatory Systems Amendment Bill (No3), passed its first reading this morning. “It includes a change ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Rebuilding the economy through better regulation

    Two Bills designed to improve regulation and make it easier to do business have passed their first reading in Parliament, says Economic Development Minister Melissa Lee. The Regulatory Systems (Economic Development) Amendment Bill and Regulatory Systems (Immigration and Workforce) Amendment Bill make key changes to legislation administered by the Ministry ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • ‘Open banking’ and ‘open electricity’ on the way

    New legislation paves the way for greater competition in sectors such as banking and electricity, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Competitive markets boost productivity, create employment opportunities and lift living standards. To support competition, we need good quality regulation but, unfortunately, a recent OECD report ranked New ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago
  • Charity lotteries to be permitted to operate online

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says lotteries for charitable purposes, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, and local hospices, will soon be allowed to operate online permanently. “Under current laws, these fundraising lotteries are only allowed to operate online until October 2024, after which ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Accelerating Northland Expressway

    The Coalition Government is accelerating work on the new four-lane expressway between Auckland and Whangārei as part of its Roads of National Significance programme, with an accelerated delivery model to deliver this project faster and more efficiently, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “For too long, the lack of resilient transport connections ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Sir Don to travel to Viet Nam as special envoy

    Sir Don McKinnon will travel to Viet Nam this week as a Special Envoy of the Government, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced.    “It is important that the Government give due recognition to the significant contributions that General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong made to New Zealand-Viet Nam relations,” Mr ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Grant Illingworth KC appointed as transitional Commissioner to Royal Commission

    Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says newly appointed Commissioner, Grant Illingworth KC, will help deliver the report for the first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 Lessons, due on 28 November 2024.  “I am pleased to announce that Mr Illingworth will commence his appointment as ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ to advance relationships with ASEAN partners

    Foreign Minister Winston Peters travels to Laos this week to participate in a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led Ministerial meetings in Vientiane.    “ASEAN plays an important role in supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Mr Peters says.   “This will be our third visit to ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Backing mental health services on the West Coast

    Construction of a new mental health facility at Te Nikau Grey Hospital in Greymouth is today one step closer, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “This $27 million facility shows this Government is delivering on its promise to boost mental health care and improve front line services,” Mr Doocey says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • NZ support for sustainable Pacific fisheries

    New Zealand is committing nearly $50 million to a package supporting sustainable Pacific fisheries development over the next four years, Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones announced today. “This support consisting of a range of initiatives demonstrates New Zealand’s commitment to assisting our Pacific partners ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Students’ needs at centre of new charter school adjustments

    Associate Education Minister David Seymour says proposed changes to the Education and Training Amendment Bill will ensure charter schools have more flexibility to negotiate employment agreements and are equipped with the right teaching resources. “Cabinet has agreed to progress an amendment which means unions will not be able to initiate ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago
  • Commissioner replaces Health NZ Board

    In response to serious concerns around oversight, overspend and a significant deterioration in financial outlook, the Board of Health New Zealand will be replaced with a Commissioner, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.  “The previous government’s botched health reforms have created significant financial challenges at Health NZ that, without ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Minister to speak at Australian Space Forum

    Minister for Space and Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins will travel to Adelaide tomorrow for space and science engagements, including speaking at the Australian Space Forum.  While there she will also have meetings and visits with a focus on space, biotechnology and innovation.  “New Zealand has a thriving space ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Climate Change Minister to attend climate action meeting in China

    Climate Change Minister Simon Watts will travel to China on Saturday to attend the Ministerial on Climate Action meeting held in Wuhan.  “Attending the Ministerial on Climate Action is an opportunity to advocate for New Zealand climate priorities and engage with our key partners on climate action,” Mr Watts says. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    5 days ago
  • Oceans and Fisheries Minister to Solomons

    Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones is travelling to the Solomon Islands tomorrow for meetings with his counterparts from around the Pacific supporting collective management of the region’s fisheries. The 23rd Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Committee and the 5th Regional Fisheries Ministers’ Meeting in Honiara from 23 to 26 July ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    7 days ago
  • Government launches Military Style Academy Pilot

    The Government today launched the Military Style Academy Pilot at Te Au rere a te Tonga Youth Justice residence in Palmerston North, an important part of the Government’s plan to crackdown on youth crime and getting youth offenders back on track, Minister for Children, Karen Chhour said today. “On the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Nine priority bridge replacements to get underway

    The Government has welcomed news the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has begun work to replace nine priority bridges across the country to ensure our state highway network remains resilient, reliable, and efficient for road users, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.“Increasing productivity and economic growth is a key priority for the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • Update on global IT outage

    Acting Prime Minister David Seymour has been in contact throughout the evening with senior officials who have coordinated a whole of government response to the global IT outage and can provide an update. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has designated the National Emergency Management Agency as the ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New Zealand, Japan renew Pacific partnership

    New Zealand and Japan will continue to step up their shared engagement with the Pacific, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.    “New Zealand and Japan have a strong, shared interest in a free, open and stable Pacific Islands region,” Mr Peters says.    “We are pleased to be finding more ways ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • New infrastructure energises BOP forestry towns

    New developments in the heart of North Island forestry country will reinvigorate their communities and boost economic development, Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones visited Kaingaroa and Kawerau in Bay of Plenty today to open a landmark community centre in the former and a new connecting road in ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago
  • 'Pacific Futures'

    President Adeang, fellow Ministers, honourable Diet Member Horii, Ambassadors, distinguished guests.    Minasama, konnichiwa, and good afternoon, everyone.    Distinguished guests, it’s a pleasure to be here with you today to talk about New Zealand’s foreign policy reset, the reasons for it, the values that underpin it, and how it ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    1 week ago

Page generated in The Standard by Wordpress at 2024-07-27T01:51:03+00:00