The inate competitive nature that early pioneers needed to survive is why the National Party appears to be doing so well. The obsession with winning and sport ( media has turned into a mere sport between journos scoring points, regardless of the impact on people’s lives)prevents any tangible cooperation required to create a groundswell to counter the corruption. Tragic to watch such blatantly bad people lording it, while others struggle to survive, like a 3rd world country, which we will be if this carries on
I think it’s articulated pretty well in the article:
the ideals are empathy, interdependence, co-operation, communication, authority that is legitimate and proves its legitimacy with its openness to interrogation.
I haven’t had time yet to read the whole article, so thanks for that bit. It covers ideals which are interrelated, but also sufficiently differentiated to require separate mention. It pretty much articulates what a community, society or nation should be striving for in my opinion.
PS – having now read Tracey’s further comment, IMO it cannot be reduced to everyday speak without losiing its essence and meaning.
Free Nelson Mandela was simple, catchiy and encapsulated an awful lot Glad they didnt wait til everyone understood the underlying academic treatise on his imprisonment.
It goes a lot further than that though. Lakoff isn’t urging some sort of one-size-fits-all left wing media jacket, he’s saying that our strength lies in embodying these principles, and praising emotional authenticity.
the understanding that conservatives are not evil, unintelligent, cynical or grasping. Rather, they act according to the moral case as they see it.
Conservative politicians are authoritarians (cf. Robert Altemeyer’s “The Authoritarian Spectre” – anyone who hasn’t read this, ought to, especially the graph of authoritarianism by party). The Left’s problem is that it sees politics as a sport governed by rules that protect the integrity of the game, and is mystified when it’s opponent continually engages in foul play and wins because of it.
There is no referee, and the left’s opponent cares nothing for the integrity of the game, so the left needs to stop pretending otherwise if it wants things to change.
Some politicians engage in foul play to win the game
Some politicians are conservative
ergo
Politicians engaging in foul play to win the game may be conservative
That’s a very different belief from what Sosoo appears to be proclaiming – namely that conservatives are evil, unintelligent, cynical, or grasping. I simply seek clarification.
That said, I’m not sure what Sosoo’s definition of “conservative” is. I’ve found that at places like The Standard “conservative” is simply a label that means “that thing I don’t like”. For instance, John Key is not by any sensible political definition a conservative – but he’s not liked here, therefore he is labelled as a conservative. Which makes the word meaningless.
Further: John Key has expressed a belief that a New Zealand republic is inevitable, has proposed that we change our national flag, voted in support of a bill extending marriage equality to homosexuals, and proposed a radical change to NZ’s schools system. He can’t do those things and be a conservative at the same time. John Key is in no way a conservative, and to label him as such is to show ignorance of what conservatism actually is.
Conservatism doesn’t have a non-trivial definition that isn’t plainly idiotic.
There are basically two reasons for that: either (a) the people espousing it aren’t particularly bright; or (b) the vagueness is intentional and designed to hide the fact that it’s just a cloak for views that can’t be openly stated.
That’s why “Conservative Intellectual” is an oxymoron and “conservative political philosophy” is mostly flatulence.
I find that well constructed exposition of your views very convincing, Sosoo. Conservative political philosophy has come to mean making excuses for greed. Sadly, social democratic political philosophy has come to mean making excuses for inaction at best and abject surrender at worst.
I was watching the Aussie current affairs show “Q&A” back in 2010 and wanting to punch various people in the face, and then this hip young Melbourne academic-slash-muso-slash-author came on and basically wiped the floor with everyone.
You watch now.
(Cultural context: then-Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott had at that time of the show just proposed a generous paid-parental-leave scheme; the “Workchoices” referred to in the discussion is the Howard Government’s 2005 overhaul of industrial-relations legislation, stripping away lots of worker protections)
SHG, it sounds extreme, when you put it that way, but on the other hand recent clinical studies have demonstrated the link between low IQ and right wing beliefs, the fact that wealth erodes personal ethics, the engorged amygdalae of conservatives.
Then have a look at actual right wing proposals: voter suppression, entrenched discrimination (youth rates, disenfranchisement of prison inmates, etc), the refusal to abide by human rights legislation (cf: Paula Bennett), mass surveillance, the adoption of proven failure (Charter schools, National’s Standards).
It’s a lot easier to assume that people who do evil are evil, than that they are victims of stupidity and ignorance, but doing so is a right wing thought pattern in itself.
Personally I tend more towards Lakoff’s interpretation, but remember that even the road to good intentions leads to hell.
That’s not what I said. People follow political parties for all sorts of reasons, but conservative politicians tend to be authoritarians – that’s just an established scientific fact. Their followers tend to be more like them in this respect, but obviously not every single one. Nor is it the case that all of them exhibit every one of the features you talk about, but most of them exhibit at least one.
Look, if you want to understand conservatives, you just need to know that they are completely right in a strange, inverted sort of way. They’re expert projectors. When they say that there is a sector of society that is aiming to undermine basic freedoms and impose its will on everyone else, they’re completely right. The problem is that it’s them. Their level of self diagnosis is incredible – probably because it’s accompanied by a similar level of self deception.
Yep, you should read the book I referred to earlier: “The Authoritarian Spectre”.
The author is recognised as the authority on psychological authoritarianism (basically, he cleaned up and made scientifically respectable the insights surrounding the old California Fascism scale).
He decided to administer his personality test to as many North American politicians as he could. The results were pretty startling, since the test result like it is sorting for political affiliation when it is really sorting for authoritarianism. I still think it is the most startling graph I have ever seen.
I see the book is called The Authoritarian Spectre. I have come to think of authoritarian as being one type of thinking, and always of the right. But it is a mindset apparently that can be applied to the left or the right.
I guess it always is top-down – that would be a given wouldn’t it? It might be exemplified then in a study called The Authoritarian Sceptre. The thinking seems to lead with certainty to class divisions with the top being entitled to the panolpy of wealth and fiat.
@Sosoo….+100 …very interesting points..and i would like to agree with them
…but i wonder how that meshes in with Kohlberg’s theory of moral development?…(.ie you can get different people at different stages of moral development supporting the same cause but for different moral reasons
eg was Stalin a real socialist/Communist? …..what about a gangster/mobster/mafiaso/ Teamster or trade unionist? … or a psychopath supporting the anti-Springbok protesters simply because he or she wants to settle some scores with the police and have a good stoush?
…on the other hand you can get some Conservatives …who when it comes to the crunch are positively statesmanlike and principled ….eg could you put Holyoak in that category?)
….also people are complex and will act differently at different times…ie one time they are an authoritarian bastard and at another time quite liberal and democratic
I would say Stalin was an authoritarian. Altemeyer divides authoritarians into right wing and left wing, where “right” means “supports established authorities” and “left” means “supports revolutionary authorities”. It’s not an economic definition.
Supporters of the Soviet communist party would be classed as “right” by him, because the communist party was the established authority in the USSR. The “left” authoritarians would be people who submitted to revolutionary movements like the Baader Meinhof gang.
@ Whatever next…..the early British pioneers /settlers survived through cooperation rather than competition…and they set up one of the best cooperative free , secular, high quality State Education systems in the world in the 1800s
…women in NZ were the first to get the vote…and get into the unversities and medical schools etc …..decades before Cambridge and Oxford.
..many of the early pioneers were working class socialists in sympathy….and wanted to leave the British class system way behind
Corruption has come with Neoliberalism in New Zealand….and sad to say some of its proponents are relatively new to New Zealand….it is certainly not the Maori way
New Zealand was essentially an aristocratic state until 1891 when King Dick came to power.
From wikipedia:
The landed gentry and aristocracy ruled Britain at this time. New Zealand never had an aristocracy but it did have wealthy landowners who largely controlled politics before 1891. The Liberal Party set out to change that by a policy it called “populism.” Richard Seddon had proclaimed the goal as early as 1884: “It is the rich and the poor; it is the wealthy and the landowners against the middle and labouring classes. That, Sir, shows the real political position of New Zealand.
well there were a lot of other NZers around apart from the aristocracy….eg Maori, whalers, sailors, ‘Australians’ exported from the UK for stealing a horse or poaching rabbits on the aristocracy estate…who made theri way here, people with TB trying to get a country cure, farmers who had too many older brothers in the old country and wanted a farm…etc etc etc….my ancestors came from this lot
No Shit there were people other then wealthy land owners. That’s the exact point.
It was a nation of haves and have nots.
There were wealthy landowners who ruled the place;
Maori who had next to everything they owned confiscated; and
A majority of settlers who found New Zealand not too disimilar to the country they had left.
The wealthy landowners had control until Seddon came along.
…nevertheless imo….New Zealand has always been a lot more egalitarian than Britain….for a start New Zealand workers have been far more educated …and seen themselves as the equals of those who are wealthier…….they have not been as psychologically stunted by a class structure.
..and where pretentious people ( newcomers?…pommys?) try to impose one it is ignored…part of this comes from our Maori heritage ie the concept of ‘Mana’ ….and part of it has come from our very egalitarian free high quality education system ( which the NACT Neolibs are now trying their best to destroy).
I don’t think the wealthy landowners really had control until around 1850, or maybe even later. In the earlier days, from the first pakeha migrants up to the Treaty, things did seem more egalitarian. Wakefield began to set up a stratified society, which we still see in Christchurch in particular, where the ship your family came on is almost as important as the ancestral waka is to Maori.
I’m also not sure that the wealthy landowners lost control with Seddon. In league with the Australian banks, they still control a hell of a lot.
@ Murray Olsen…yes there is that strand to Christchurch ….and you could buy into it or not and send your kid to Christs College if he won a scholarship like Michael Cullen…or if you scraped together enough money…like some other notables’ parents
….. but then again…. more often than not, most people did not want to buy into it, even if they didnt mind it being there….and would happily send their kid off to a high quality, free State School…..There was always a very strong educated working class and anarchist bohemian arts side to Christchurch( it wasnt known as the ‘Socialist Republic of Christchurch’ or some such, for nothing)…i am thinking here of people like Murray Horton(CAFCA), Elsie and Jack Locke…Ngaio Marsh, Rita Angus ,Len Lye, Denis Glover and Caxton Press, Hamish Keith, Fay Weldon (briefly when she was a girl)…..etc etc
in order to survive the early colonialists had to cooperate with the Maori… eg Maori guides in exploration, travel, navigation, food, survival ( there was much inter-marriage also) …they also had to cooperate with their neighbours …eg for support when there was illness, child birth, injury, floods ,storms , wrecks, transport , shelter, food, trade……
this is not to negate the fact of colonial crimes against the Maori…… land theft, wars, killings etc……why the Treaty of Waitangi must be honoured and upheld
very true, so maybe it’s the “survival instinct” thing that has lead to this obsession with sport, winning etc. There is nothing to prove, and winning proves nothing. Trying to make sense of why JK is doing so well at dividing and ruling? It’s a mugs game, but seems to work for him here
I would have thought the early pioneers needed a fair degree of cooperation in order to survive, and a degree of respect for the Tangata Whenua, at least until the military balance changed. The Randian imperative towards individualism was probably seen in elements such as highwaymen and horse thieves, who were seen as something to be exterminated in those days. That’s probably where we’ve gone wrong.
..i wd like to see one of those neo-lib trouts (key will do..even goff..?)..sat down and systematically be asked to answer each of the charges made in what is a very tidy piece of documentary-making by bruce..
..and the doco should really be compulsory-viewing for those too young to know how things were/could be..
..and who have been successfully brainwashed into the there-is-no-alternative! mindset..
..and how about that mindboggling stat-snap from that doco..?
..that there is $23 million of benefit-fraud in nz every year..
..and there is up to $5 billion in (criminally) dodged taxes by the wealthy/corporates..
(there is yr solution to poverty..eh..?..a twofer..
..a financial-transaction-tax on the banksters..
..and a serious effort to get those dodged-taxes..
I’d go along with that! The awful thing is that I knew some of them ….. ‘once were lefties’ till they got a taste of the AMEX Gold. And they actually expected me to feel pity after their (sometimes spectacular) crash. (Some of them even pop-up today from time to time …. often as the commentariat, or in jobs that have been engineered for them – ALL doing the same old shit and expecting a different outcome).
Me too… people find it hard to admit they have been duped… they start off believing the con, then little chinks appear, they rationalise them… by the time they realise their account is empty… they dont sue for fear of revealing their own foolishness… until there is a group action…
Did Shane Jones just replace David Cunliffe as leader of the Labour Party?
He’s doing everything the leader should in election year: push a populist issue, build a whispering campaign against faceless corporations, mince his parliamentary opponent, and hit the sweet spot in the political economy that says “sure parts of the economy are booming, but it’s no way enough.”
Jones is doing what an opposition MP should be doing in election year. Unleashing a relentless, torrid attack forcing the Government to respond by opening an enquiry. An effective front bench needs their heavy weights lifting the teams overall game. I see this has having a positive effect with some strong showings by other Labour MP’s. Bloody good stuff it’s now or never time to show the Kiwi public they are ready to govern.
He signaled during the Labour Party leadership challenge that things were seriously wrong in the supermarket sector.
The 2 supermarket chains have increasingly stifled how far the consumers dollar goes. Squeezing out the little guy in favour of multi national corporates. I am heartened listening to morning report on Radio NZ that things are broadening out.
Yeah Phillis an Penny usually get the ”scroll on by” treatment from me too, Phillis’s efforts give every appearance of someone brain damaged attempting to pass that damage on,
Worse, attempting to read ‘its’ disjointed ramblings seems to give you a dose, of brain damage that is…
risil What would making douglas’s title a priority do for the people in need and jobless and underpaid? Revenge and punishment may be sweet but they are not filling.
And phil ure
I don’t know why you have to put down Jones and Labour. Jones is doing good, hard hitting, it’s the only way that Labour will make any impact. Something positive for Labour and you are bad-mouthing it.
I disagree entirely. As mentioned above Jones is doing what every Labour front-bencher should be doing in an election year.
My wife works in the supermarket industry, and it needs a major shakeup. Most pay minimum wage to staff yet they really are licenses to print money.
That is why groceries are expensive, sheer greed.
When my previous employer shifted their manufacturing operations to Auckland (and China, although half it came back, but that’s another story) one of the factory team leaders ended up on the checkouts at the local Pak n Save. When I next saw her, her stories about the way in which management abused the naivety of their mainly young and/or immigrant workforce were quite illuminating.
I’m still shopping at Countdown, however; their staff are our friends and neighbours and I’d hate to see them lose their jobs over something their management did, especially before it was proven.
When I next saw her, her stories about the way in which management abused the naivety of their mainly young and/or immigrant workforce were quite illuminating.
Came to the conclusion ages ago that the young were being abused through their ignorance and inexperience. The effects of this abuse by employers will cause those young people to lose trust in other people, likely teach them to be just as abusive and thus contribute to the continuing downfall of civilisation.
It’s never the young that are the bane of civilisation as the elders throughout history have proclaimed but the greedy elders themselves.
This lady became the union rep and got stuck in to the management; I don’t think I’ve seen her since so I don’t know how well she did.
A family member got hounded out of another Pak n Save for being a “trouble maker” over some other employee condition, so it seems to be fairly endemic.
Shane Jones has been superb in the last week taking the fight to the corporate scum (not elite, I detest that description of them, they are scum) on behalf of the workers of this country.
He has been inspiring and I have no doubt his campaign is having an effect on the number of customers entering Countdown. Lets hope he can extend that campaign to the government.
Give DC a chance though. He is doing allright notwithstanding the fact the polls havent really changed. I just think he is a bit shell shocked after the seies of gaffes this year. He will come right though. He just needs to look over at what Jones is doing at the moment. A simple directed meaningful campaign against a target.
It’s well established that if he doesn’t there is a significant section of the media which will simply make them up. Solution: stay on message – the electorate is quite capable of noticing that the “evidence” that “Cunliffe hides his house” is “John Key says”.
Did Shane Jones just replace David Cunliffe as leader of the Labour Party?
Not at all. This should be the way the party operates where MPs raise issues and score publicity and embarrass the Government. The more of them that achieve this the better.
I’ve been catching up on news of recent weeks since I returned last week and it was good this morning to hear David Cunliffe sounding direct, principled and strong, while giving a good rebuttal and also making clear his values:
Sweet zombie jesus, someone tell the guy to STOP FUCKING TALKING ABOUT PARNELL AND HERNE BAY. To draw attention to this entire line of discussion is nothing but fail.
Who the fuck is advising Cunliffe? Is the Incense of Bad Decisions burning 24/7 in his office?
LoL – is it really Mr Cunliffe talking about Herne bay that is getting you so shouty – or is it Mr Cunliffe’s reference to “pulling up ladders” and how it is Mr-spoilsport-Key’s favourite pastime?
But when he tried criticising Prime Minister John Key in Parliament earlier this week for living in a Parnell mansion, Mr Key used Mr Cunliffe’s own words against him.
“I live in Parnell and I am proud of it,” Mr Key told Parliament. “That member [Mr Cunliffe] lives in Herne Bay. He just does not want his supporters to know.”
The comment in the house (immediately preceding this but omitted by 3 News) was:
When the Prime Minister gets out more in the leafy suburbs of Parnell and St Stephens Avenue, I am sure he will notice that rents have gone up…
It’s hardly the attack of the century, is it?
I did like this though:
Mr SPEAKER: Would the member just proceed with his supplementary question.
Hon David Cunliffe: I think it’s the commute to Helensville that’s getting him down, Mr Speaker.
Mr SPEAKER: And that is not helpful. Would the member just ask his supplementary question.
Hon David Cunliffe: Perhaps he just takes the helicopter view.
AND, to add some more context, the previous exchange went like this:
Hon David Cunliffe: …Does the Salvation Army’s finding that housing availability is rated as “no progress or going backwards” concern him, or does he think that is good news too?
Rt Hon JOHN KEY: If the author of that report really meant what they said, then the author actually needs to get out a bit more…
Labour supporters, especially the activists have been very slow to react, in no small part Progressive Enterprises is unionised. However the Aussie corporate appears to be up to no good so riding on the general public’s resentment of their conduct and now flows onto Food Stuff, the duopoly are both practicing anti competitive behavior we know it’s not all about the suppliers, employment- slave wages, too much profits made off consumers. These are only a few of the broader issues that need resolving. Get on board Labour supports it’s all about lifting quality of lives.
Public approval gains votes and enough votes changes Governments, simple as that really.
As I understand it Foodstuffs is owned by the individuals so when you go into your neighbourhood New World it is owned by the person running the store.
Where as Progressive stores are owned by an Australian Company.
That may account for why one is unionised and the other is not.
It’s much easier to unionise a company that has many branches throughout Australia and NEw Zealand. Not so easy to do the same in many small owner operated stores
Someone may be able to confirm my understanding of the two companies
Yes that is quite correct PE were thumped in a dispute, very solid campaigning by Unions culminating in a very public month long campaign in Auckland. So it was a great result with the PE unionised members having a CA and on average $2 more per hour. Food Stuff is a split deal with private owners. Most are aggressively opposed to Unions reflected in poor working conditions. While they are currently basking in their oppositions misery, they know their time is coming very soon. Campaigns are being arranged to get better terms for the slave workers. All this bad press is the time to act. How do I know? I am in boots and all.
Thanks Phil very kind offer after my zero to a hundred grumpy spray at you earlier today. My apologies, as you rightly pointed out I misread your post thinking you were calling for the hammer to be struck over my head lol.
Not a Thursday person worst day of the week for a drone worker like me, the long days on the tools..sort of. Yes that would be great gesture in unity and all. It will be all hands to the pump and the more the better for fire at will effect!
Shane Jones doing what he is supposed to be doing in parlament,representing the voters
Current parliamentary roles
Member, Finance and Expenditure Committee
Member, Primary Production Committee
Spokesperson, Building and Construction
Spokesperson, Economic Development
Spokesperson, Forestry
Spokesperson, Maori Affairs
Associate Spokesperson, Finance
Associate Spokesperson, Fisheries
Yeah, yeah, oh-yeah
What condition my condition was in
I woke up this mornin’ with the sundown shinin’ in
I found my mind in a brown paper bag within
I tripped on a cloud and fell eight miles high
I tore my mind on a jagged sky
I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in
dear phil a man is made of lotsa bits
supermarkets is just 1 of Jones
fishing is another dark side of the man
Herald online leading with a len brown piece harking back to the “scandal” and a profile of a CEO. Nothing about Key misleading during question time. Nice juxtaposition for those who get the connection.
“Let us be honest: its programme of mismanaging the economy drove interest rates up and drove people out of their homes. ” John Key 19 Feb 2014
Honest
free of deceit; truthful and sincere.
“Bill English had to swallow the proverbial dead rat this morning and effectively acknowledge that Michael Cullen had done something right in his stewardship of the Government’s finances in the past nine years.
Having condemned his predecessor for many years for paying off debt too quickly, English said: “I want to stress that New Zealand starts from a reasonable position in dealing with the uncertainty of our economic outlook.”” Dec 2008
Cullen came under the same sustained attack that Helen Clark and Winston Peters got…as well as the Greens, Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimmons
….i remember well Sean Plunket on Morning Report…his attack on Left politicians and their policies was relentless and sustained over a period of years…while sucking up to the Nact politicians and an apologist for their policies
It took a long time to get rid of a very obviously right wing NACT biased journalist from State Broadcasting…. a bit ironic considering how swiftly they have moved on Maori Television….seems as if there are two rules in operation here…
I don’t think he was stupid, I think he was greedy. He wanted a political career, wanted to use the professional networks and facilities of a media company to organise political events and fundraising, and he wanted the security of a politically-neutral job’s paycheque. All at once.
Oh come now. he used a room and stationery, hardly the great train robbery. he was stupid, end of. Could have used his own home, was lazy and stupid.
“He wanted a political career, wanted to use the professional networks and facilities of a media company to organise political events and fundraising” Sounds like National’s number 4.
Shane would not be the first person that used department resources for private business. I have seen many others working for the same company using email and photocopy machines to run things like
1. Rugby games for a church organisation
2. Organising holiday camps for same outfit
3. Yachting regattas for a yacht club
4. Ski trips etc etc
Have also seen private meetings held on TVNZ premises. At night its a handy site and if you have an after work meeting what loss is it to the firm
It is not uncommon in many firms for staff to use company facilities for private purposes and many firms turn a blind eye to it because it makes for a harmonious work place. Also most staff these days are working 24 hour jobs in the sense that emails come into your phone even when you are not working and you are expected to deal with them, Many staff have vpn’s Citrix etc and are working using their home PC all hours of the night and holidays. It is just something one does so it would be churlish for employer to complain about private work done on company premises.
The fact that it was a political business might seem a tad unwise in hindsight but it is hardly the crime of the century. If the trawl of the email systems is carried out using proper search tools it might be just amazing how much non company stuff will get found. I am guessing that if other emails indicate others were doing similar things maybe even for other political parties it will be quietly put aside.
One is campaigning for a political party using state resources.
One is asking questions from a right wing bias.
Who accused him of being a bully by the way I missed that.
I have no problem with interviewers asking hard questions from a biased position. It gives the person the opportunity to show how the interviewer is wrong and demonstrate why they are right.
Editorial bias is different to an interviwer shooting from one side or the other.
Stuart Nash confirmed as Labour candidate for napier.
Running in the seat previously held by Chris Tremain, some of the aging “dead wood” from National.
Tremain is 47 and been in parliament since 2005. YUP that’s gotta be the definition of “dead wood” right? Nothing to see here…
While we are talking about the Labour Party, they have an Obamaesque online presence–“I’m In” and some LECs at least according to my contacts, a street level “be a Labour Neighbour” tactic, but who knew?
Perhaps who knows and intend to keep it under their hats are the same bozos that organised David Cunliffe’s Kelston address which I attended, and the mangled aftermath. The passive aggressive demeanour of the roped in ABC MPs in the hall really showed what the new leader is up against in contrast to the hundreds of happy clappy rank and file members.
Labour has to break free from plotting and scheming mode and get out there like Greens and Mana do.
Thousands turned out on South Island beaches recently to show their feelings about off shore drilling not that you would know that from our tame cat media. That is the type of engagement that will see the Key gang denied another term.
…especially in the Social Welfare /devt ..kids , unemployment,beneficiaries, low incomes areas …there needs to be fighting talk and high profile attention grabbing spokepeople who are attractive to the 800,000+ nonvoters last time
Trouble is no seems to be willing to tell those past the use by date that they must move over and let new people in . National has been very consistent in kicking our under performing and replacing with new people. If we cannot do likewise we will never regain Treasury Benches.
There are too many people that seem to think it is there God given right to remain as a MP for ever. All MP’s need to have regular reviews by the party and if they don’t measure up they should be gone.
Yup….time to kick them back to the back benches…that is one thing NACT seems better at than Labour …it can make ruthless decisions and take action….people are always expendable …when yu are old or no good yu are off to the knackers
…however for the good of the country and for the future of the Labour Party some ruthless pruning has to commence
”It is the expected market prices,(of electricity),which drive asset values, not the other way round”, so says NZHerald economics editor Brian Gaynor in the Herald online this morning,
The, (of electricity), was inserted by me to provide clarification to Gaynor’s bizarre ramblings which far from being the considered words of a professional economist look to me akin to the mouthing’s a shyster lawyer would put to a court attempting to defend your average mobster from racketeering charges,
Gosh!, what an enlightenment, here was i of the belief, a false one at that if Brian is to be believed, that the Power Generation Companies, a multi-monoploy provider of one of the necessities of life, based it’s pricing around an arbitrary valuation of its assets,(in other words a guess from a vested interest hired by another vested interest to provide a valuation that will please the other vested interest),
The problem with Brian’s whole little thesis, encapsulated within the sentence i opened this comment with, is it’s failure to address ”expected market prices” and from which crystal ball such future ”expectations” are measured,
In light of the absence of the slightest hint of clarification from Gaynor on the question posed in the paragraph above we have to assume that such ”expected market prices” for wholesale electricity are arrived at by the well known ‘market mechanism of measurement’ GUESSING,
The dogs of the market, in other words, involved in a fantasizing exercise of chasing their tails round and round in an upward spiral, ”guessing” what ”expected market prices” will be, while being proved correct 100% of the time as when these dogs of the market come back to Earth from the exercise of chasing their tails so as to work themselves into the required mental state from which to produce such ”guesses” they all simply, being in control, set the prices of wholesale electricity to align with the guess,
Voodoo economics 101, and you and me pay for this…
Workplace sexual harassment, rape culture in NZ – What a shocker and eye opener.
Regular readers will know my views on the ‘men’ that do this rubbish to women, and now I can speak from personal experience to add weight to my previously stated opinions here.
My current employer, though not for long as it seems (now he has git legal beagles involved), has, unbeknown to me, been patting the bum (amongst other acts of harassment) of a demure, quiet, young woman over a sustained period of months and she subsequently couldn’t take any more and left.
I have had issues with this idiot for a few months myself in the workplace, such as over my illegal contracts, poor working conditions, harsh and unfair treatment and so on, so no love lost between us, even though I’ve always upheld my side of the employee/employer agreement.
When I found out what he’d done, a month after she had left, I went nuts on him, calling him for what he is, a dirty old man and a pervert, and I told him, as a man, I’m sickened by his actions. Six times he touched her bum and twice her breast, so not just one momentary lapse of judgement here. He said, it’s her word against mine and smiled.
Giving it some consideration, I later told him I would be taking a personal grievance against him and seek mediation. Since then he’s got his solicitor to draw up a four page letter full of made up nonsense about me, clearly designed as a prelude to dismissal. No worries that I now have to sell my car to pay 2/3 of the legal fees to defend myself against his allegations, because sometimes one just has to make a stand. Me, I have him on numerous counts, so I’m not bothered about my end game. Him, his problems only just started.
Fortunately, this brave young woman has on my recommendation, has seen my legal rep and is now in the process of taking a case of her own against him, which I’m told is rock solid. So proud of her 🙂
Blokes, if you see this crud going down, you’re just as bad if you say nothing.
Enable less and respect our wives, mothers, sisters and daughters.
He thought he’d got away with it, but first thing I did Monday, after after an enforced 2 week holiday, was make sure all the female staff, including the girls at the cafe that share the premises knew the score.
Which was lucky, because after getting the 4 page letter at 9 am on Monday morning informing me of a meet with him and his rep the following morning, to which I couldn’t arrange my own, I was gagged with a non disclosure agreement first thing Tuesday under the threat of instant dismissal.
A worried man I hope. Much more than I am of facing the dole and losing my $15 ph job.
Heh you should have let them instantly dismiss you for not signing the non-disclosure on the spot, that would make their eventual pay out to you even greater lol
I had to ring my guy and he said sign, no worries, so I did.
Money isn’t my motive, even for my own employment situation, though I’d take his money, but not at mediation where the outcome is confidential and comes wrapped in non disclosure. I’m headed full hearing and take what I get, even if it’s a small award, or nothing, or nowhere near as much as he’ll likely try and buy my silence with, just so it can be reported and his offending is outed.
It’s the young woman’s call to make, not mine, but I’ve so wanted to go to the police. Maybe they’ll get involved after it’s all come out in the wash. Hope so.
@ the Allen+100…yu are very brave!…i once faced sexual harassment and it was very subtle ( girlie penthouse mags left on my desk, a fire in my rubbish bin…not acknowledged for the professional work i did…poorly paid and overworked in a job i loved and did well…it can be very insidious….and horrible to fight!.(luckily I had support from a boyfriend, other women and the harasser’s ex wife!)…….All power to you and the girls…and boys….. who want to get into this scrum and fight this behaviour!…i think sometimes the harrasser does not realise the damage they are doing until they are brought to account ….for them it can be just fun….but sometimes there is a far more insidious intent and they have a personality disorder
Dude, good on you for slamming this guy. Perhaps you could ask lprent or someone to designate a bank account within which money for a legal fighting fund for you could be deposited. I’d be the first contributor. And I also bet that the young woman you spoke of is not the only female employee that he has sexually harrassed.
Cheers Tat, but I think I’m good for most of the cash to get it to moderation when I sell my car, and I’ll be eligible for legal aid should it go to full hearing, so keep your money in your little/big piggy. 🙂
No, apparently she isn’t, but most worrying to me is that he also employs a special needs girl and her sister. Not having that on my conscience.
Thanks, will do. Anyway, I’m not the gaggable sort.
My man is away all next week and has requested information from my boss about the things he put in the Monday letter, but though I have informed him (and with much more notice than I was given by some 5 days), he may insist I attend and have his way for the moment.
Scary with a mortgage and stuff, but was born feet first, kicking and screaming as I came, so holding it all together for now. 🙂
I have a solicitor on it now, but have used the Labour office for advice about the same employer over a different contract issue, more to confirm what I already knew, and they were friendly enough.
The thing is I have spent a greater part of my life campaigning for the rights of women and trying to think of ways we might end rape and violence against women. It has only occurred to me in the last year or so, the violence is never going to decrease or stop unless we seriously address how we are raising young men.
It’s out of order full stop, but I have a 12 year old daughter, and the thought of her ending up working for a bloke like this, well, you get the idea.
I hate pricks like this. They give men in general and smear all the good employers with their filth. Can’t your union represent you ?, saves on the lawyers fees.
Although the Serious Fraud Agency is purportedly the ‘lead’ agency to whom bribery and corruption complaints are supposed to be referred, in the first instance (according to a Memorandum of Understanding between the Police and SFO) – this is NOT based in statute.
It also doesn’t help when the SFO treats bribery and corruption complaints as ‘serious and complex fraud’ complaints, as I have experienced on more than one occasion.
Perhaps this is a major reason why New Zealand is ‘perceived’ to be the ‘least corrupt country in the world’?
Hoe are alleged corruption offences even investigated – let alone prosecuted?
John keys friend’s brother says sorry. So, let’s all move on aye.
“The head of the GCSB spy agency, Ian Fletcher, has apologised to Prime Minister John Key for making embarrassing errors in its 2013 annual report on the number of interception warrants and access authorisations in force and issued.
In each case it under-stated the number.
The errors are particularly embarrassing given the assurances Prime Minister John Key has given that its systems had been cleaned up after the Rebecca Kitteridge review of the agency.
An erratum to the annual report was tabled in Parliament today.”
Yeah but consider the difficulty for a moment wont you, just how hard would any of them find it to enumerate past the number five with one hand continuously stuck down the back of the Y fronts leaving only four digits and a thumb,
For a start there would be the ethical conundrum for your average GCSB operative to come to terms with, whether the use of the thumb was allowed within the rules of mathematics to reach a conclusion or not is one question reliable information says that they are still debating…
It’s the result of Thursday night being ‘shit night’ across all the free to air TV channels, while i do realize that the clinic full of cynics have judged Thursday night to be the one night of the week that the slaves need to be rested so as to enable them to still have the energy to push capitalism’s heavy wheel for the full 8 all day Friday without collapsing from exhaustion,
There is choice involved here so why punish us all, they could have chosen to revolt befor the boot came crashing down on their necks 30 years ago ensuring their bondage and far far worse to come for their grand-children…
This is where the Left should be nailing the government for all its worth. As you point out Tracey such a plan should be to remove sub-standard housing and not just from the state supply but from the private supply. A simple policy of all rental properties must comply with a WOF would be great for the left to promote. Not a poxy pilot. Cost and practicality should be a given consideration for any policy. It is a no brainer for the improvement of the quality of peoples lives which is what government is about.
Flip-ping hell, you are joking are you not, what a grand idea, lets have a warrant of fitness for every rental property in the land,
What exactly do you all think is going to happen to the tenants or are they simply an inconvience to everyone’s thinking about how punishing this WOF scheme for rentals could become for the rentier class in New Zealand…
Really, how bout they get tossed out in the street coz the landlord would rather sell the place than spend any money on fixing whats necessary to get that WOF,
How bout they get tossed out in to the street because the landlord starts racking the rent to pay for the fixing of whats necessary to gt that WOF,
Where do you think the poorest of renters are to be found???, in the worst of houses is where they are to be found because that’s the cheapest dive to rent,
i have NO time whatsoever for the Tory landlords, but, when you start advocating for the dicking round of the housing stock available while wearing your rose tinted’s do have one little thought for the negative effects of what your proposing wont you,
Good for their health alright, nothing like a good breath of fresh air for mum and the kids when the landlord decides stuff the repairs and sells the joint…
OK. That is one scenario. Lets say the landlord does decide they are not going to fix and then sell. So they hock off the dive. Then what?
It’ll be cheap for obvious reasons. Someone either fixes and rents it because they are in a better people or in a better financial situation than the miserly landlord. Or it goes to a someone who wants to own their own home who is likely to improve its quality anyway.
It both outcomes housing stock quality increases.
So what about the tenants who have been turfed out. Isn’t that where state housing is supposed to kick in? If they cannot find a house at an affordable price then their income is insufficient or there is insufficient supply or too much demand which are all different problems requiring different remedies.
Obviously no policy stands on its own and it is the job of the government and those in waiting to compile a set that work together to improve the quality of peoples lives. The parties that do that the best and communicate that the best win the election.
I travel back and forward between Philippines and NZ and have to say NZ doesn’t have poverty as is believed by the Labour/Greens. I see poverty everyday here in PH and have to say the people effected by this keep smiling,don’t blame the Govt, keep trying to better themselves and don’t require Sky dishes, playstation and more than one pair of shoes for their kids.
From over here I think the Labour party have made a big mistake in voting a leader who makes big mistakes everyday ,who lives a life only afforded by the top 5% of the citizens and then tries to say he is a man of the common people.
You have to look at the polls in an all inclusive manner and say the average is maybe 47% Nat 31% Lab and 12% Greens, does this not tell you that the current Govt is doing a lot right
They have also taken arms in the Phillipines against government in the past, to get rid of the Marcoses. Now they may feel that what they have is as good as they can get. It;s a different sort of poverty, but they have wealthy doing really well, and the poor scraping by. Whether you smile or frown, the situation is the same.
@mark rennie
Inequity exists around the world. NZ is not the Philippines and really they are not comparable in any meaningful way. Just because those that suffer from poverty smile does not make it OK. Really! People smile for all sorts of reasons, perhaps they are trying to con you as a Western to offer them something? Maybe they are nice people. You have no idea as to the reason for the smile. Or have you asked them to talk about their situation.
“…does this not tell you that the current Govt is doing a lot right”
Perhaps it is because the left are not offering a credible alternative yet in spite of all the good advice they get from thestandard.org.nz web site.
I see vernon small condoning john key consorting with wail boil.
He [key] would do well to ponder on showbiz personalites consorting with criminals in the US. in the end it was the finish of them all.
Then there is poll- becalmed David Cunliffe, suggesting his $2.5 million- plus Herne Bay pile puts him in a different category when it comes to understanding Kiwi battlers, than the prime minister in his $10m mansion.
His next stroke of genius was to ask in Parliament’s Question Time about Key’s claim there were jobs out there, if people looked for them.
Cunliffe’s timing – when he was seeking a new chief of staff, had lost a senior member of his research team and had seen his potential candidate for Tamaki Makaurau, Shane Taurima, fall on his sword at Television New Zealand – was, shall we say, not ideal.
It says nothing about the genius of press gallery reporters that they had pretty much rehearsed Key’s slapdown of Cunliffe before it came.
“Most Labour MPs, however, argued that Key would certainly unseat Brash before the next election. If it was inevitable that Key rather than Brash would lead National into the next election, the argument went, it was in Labour’s interest to have Key in the opposition leader’s seat as soon as possible so that the friction of politics could rub away some of his glow. Better to run against Key when he’s been opposition leader for 18 months rather than only 4-6 months. Therefore Labour kept the heat on Brash, doing whatever they could to speed his downfall.”
I know we’re all wise after the event but maybe not Labours best plan 🙂
“Commerce Minister Craig Foss has confirmed that the Commerce Commerce will launch a formal investigation into supermarket sector in New Zealand.
Mr Foss confirmed it while facing questions from Labour MP Shane Jones who has made allegations under Parliamentary privilege about Countdown demanding payments from New Zealand suppliers.”
… “The Commerce Commission administer the Commerce Act. If any member gets in the way of that process or prejudices its outcome, there may be an unintended outcome as far as that process is concerned as it moves through the Commerce Commission. I’m very cautious of trying to let the Commerce Commission do what it is proscribed to do.”
I heard that foolish Foss on RNZ. He said he didn’t know how a retrospective payment would work without assistance from a time-machine. Suppose he doesn’t understand retrospective legislation either.
METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister for Social Development: What papers or reports, if any, did her office produce in the last 12 months relating to the measurement of child poverty?
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development) : In respect of the measurement, none.
Metiria Turei: Can the Minister confirm for the House that she did not seek any reports on the Children’s Commissioner’s $500,000 project to measure and monitor child poverty, or even seek advice on whether such a measure was necessary?
Hon PAULA BENNETT: I have definitely received reports on child poverty. I am part of the Ministerial Committee on Poverty, but I have not sought from my department an argument on the measurements. We are more interested in the actions that need to be taken, and those are the reports that I expect from my department.
Metiria Turei: Upon whose expert advice did the Minister write off the Children’s Commissioner’s child poverty monitor work?
Hon PAULA BENNETT: It was certainly discussed at the Ministerial Committee on Poverty. That is where the discussion took place. That is the advice that I sought.
Metiria Turei: Does the Minister see, then, any connection between the Salvation Army’s D ranking of her failure over child poverty with her express refusal to engage with the Children’s Commissioner’s child poverty monitor project?
Rt Hon John Key: You mean D as in Dotcom?
Hon PAULA BENNETT: I have heard it said that it might be D for Dotcom, but what I would say is that the Ministry of Social Development household income report comes out. It does an accurate analysis of a number of measures. We report it transparently and publicly. It is certainly what we, on this side of the House, take notice of. As I say, it is very transparent. The member can get a copy of it any time. It is that advice that I take.
Metiria Turei: If a parent was given a D for looking after their child, would she consider that they were doing a good job, or not?
Hon PAULA BENNETT: For me this gets to the heart of the actual issue. So the member thinks that it is only the Government’s throwing money around and getting into every household and giving them 60 bucks a week for a newborn baby that is going to make the difference. I actually think it is not about just the Government; it is about the Government, community, and parents themselves actually putting their children first in many instances. It is about what is happening in the streets. It is about what organisations like the Salvation Army do. So I do not think it is a D for the Government. In fact, what the Salvation Army did say was that “as a national community, we have made credible and worthwhile social progress. It is important to acknowledge and celebrate this because, for the most part, it is intentional and hard won. The Government should be applauded for its contribution to this progress.”
Metiria Turei: Well, then, how does the Minister explain that for all her rhetoric and chest-thumping and political bluster, the reality remains—[Interruption]
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Would the member like to start her question again.
Metiria Turei: Thank you, Mr Speaker. How, then, does the Minister explain that for all her rhetoric, chest-thumping, and political bluster, the reality remains that one in every five children in this country remains living in poverty after 5 long years of her Government?
Hon PAULA BENNETT: What we have seen by every measure is that it has flat-lined. What we have done through the worst global financial crisis—and people might like to write that off and pretend it did not happen, but actually what we did was we put more money, more support, into those families that really needed it. We are seeing improvements when we look at the number of jobs that are on board and the opportunities for people to take them up. I am very confident that you are going to see the real results of that.
Metiria Turei: Is the Minister refusing to acknowledge the seriousness of having one in every five New Zealand children still living in poverty, and is she actively snubbing the commissioner’s work on monitoring child poverty because she does not want to be held accountable for her failure to make any improvement in the lives of those one in five New Zealand children?
Hon PAULA BENNETT: And that, ladies and gentlemen, was chest-thumping. Right, so what we have here is, actually, I do not agree with the member. This is the Government that has introduced the Children’s Action Plan. This is the Government that has put more emphasis on early childhood education and that has increased the amount that goes into accommodation help. It has put an emphasis on rheumatic fever, which, quite frankly, we have not seen at all. We have got after-hours for under-6-year-olds now. We have got food in any school that wants to take it for breakfast. More than $500,000 is going to KidsCan to actually help those children. I do take it seriously. I want to see every child in this country thriving and achieving and having the best possible start that they can.
i hope that Metiria was suitable attired in sack-cloth when asking such questions of Bennett, we don’t want to have Nationals effete sensibilities over improper attire offended now do we,
Gee thanks Paula, we did notice the rain of crumbs that were quickly and quietly swept from the table in the general direction of the most needy kids in our society, the whole loaf tho is really what’s required to fix the Neo-liberal mess…
Today’s New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows National (48%, up 1%) increasing its lead over a potential Labour/ Greens alliance (42%, down 2%). Support for Key’s Coalition partners shows the Maori Party 0.5% (down 1%), ACT NZ (1%, up 1%) and United Future 0.5% (up 0.5%).
Support for the Labour Party has fallen sharply to 30% (down 3%), while the Greens have risen to 12% (up 1%), New Zealand First 5.5% (up 1%), Mana Party 1% (unchanged), Conservative Party of NZ 1% (down 0.5%) and Internet Party (0.5%, unchanged) while support for Others is now 0% (unchanged).
If a National Election were held now the latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows that National would be returned to power.
Interesting, although the most prolific of polls and making an interesting indication of the track of the various Parties Roy Morgan unfortunately is conflicted,
It would seem the son of Roy, no not an axe murderer, the Pollster, has deep monetary ties to the Australian mining industry, and, we all can assume that our favorite Roy Morgan is likely to become the head cheerleader for the ‘National can Govern alone brigade’,
Pity that cos for me Roy Morgan seemed to provide a counter to the NZ mass media use of polls, pollsters who could be considered suspect…
yawn Disraeli Gallstone,we got this National has enough support to Govern all mind-wash of the electorate at about the same time in the cycle pre-2011 election,
Myself i prefer new lies over the same old same old tired ones, it appears tho that the defenders of the Neo-Liberal faith are either slow at making them up or perhaps have lost the ability having choked their ‘intellects’ on a diet of previously distributed bullshit…
We all get sucked into the minute of politics but IMHO the most important statistic is, absent major scandal, how optimistic people are feeling. Kiwis are feeling really optimistic right now. Hence the Government is thought to be doing a good job. Hence Labour is finding it tough.
The Government Confidence Rating is up 1pt with 63.5% of New Zealanders saying New Zealand is ‘heading in the right direction’ compared to 23.5% that say New Zealand is ‘heading in the wrong direction’.
People power is about people, and music is the expression of people, this may happen to a degree here in NZ, but I see stronger cultures express themselves more profoundly, right so:
While I wrote this my browser was seized, I wonder why, and we have NO free internet, we are NOT without surveillance, we are checked here 24/7, dear friends, better get used to it!
This is NOT a FREE country, it is a surveilled, controlled country! Fuck NZ! 5 Eyes and more bullshit, we have it here, and you are ALL being checked all the time.
The 5 Eyes association is NOT free, democratic and transparent, they are liars and manipulators, for the elite in power, that have a crap view of you and me reading this.
If this may have failed attention, here we have two traditional revolutionary bands or groups of musicians from Chile perform together, to celebrate the defeat of Pinochet and the regime after that dictator. It is about hymns about freedom and social justice in Chile, worth listening to and watching:
Hah, I appreciate your suggestion bad12, with my personal background, they will not bother, as I am too much a “risk” factor, no matter how honest and reliable I am as a person.
But thanks for reminding, and for giving me credit. I never expected Cunliffe and his team to contact me, as they are too much geared into the “mainstream” flow, I am afraid. I may also like to please the “mainstream”, but I also have absolute PRINCIPLES!
X, but do you have other principles in case folks do not like the first set, as Slippery the PM has shown you need a well provisioned carpet-bag to get ahead these days…
My principles are absolute honesty and integrity, and that is part of what is missing in some of those that want to challenge principle void Key, that is why they now also hammer Shane Jones, questioning his “sincere” motives re supermarket deals. Politics is damned difficult, and we here can easily slam and criticise, but we need to also have ones that stand for principles, to be supported. Sadly some want support and attention, but they fall over, Labour and even Greens (Russel’s recent media savvy comments).
It may be time for a game changer, but that will never be such an idiot wannabe like Colin Colon Cringe, as he is wanting to be a “saint” to get others into line.
The left should really have a rather easy game, if only they would be totally honest, committed and straight with promoting a fair, honest and sharing society, the middle class perk agenda is only “corrupting” the left, I am sorry. It will not work. the “right” will only compete with more “perks”.
CONSIDER ME, my humble self, as an “outside” and free of charge “advisor”, I live off a benefit, and offer support and ideas to many, so Labour could learn a lot just listening to people like me, but they won’t, that is why I (and many) will rather support Greens or Mana!
Joyce was answering questions put to him by Campbell this evening.
Not once have I heard this Mr Fixit, apologise directly to those affected by the shortcomings of Novopay. And he is now blaming the pay structure of the education sector for the problems.
The previous payroll system managed all these complexities quite satisfactorily.
Novopay tendered for the payroll and would have seen all the nuances involved. They have come up short and caused many people a huge amount of angst. But as always it is everyone else’s fault but the government.
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Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
Stuff’s Political Editor Luke Malpass - A Fellow at New Zealand IniativeLast week I half-joked that Stuff / The Post’s Luke Malpass1 always sounded like he was auditioning for a job at the New Zealand Initiative.Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. For a limited time, subscriptions are 20% off. Thanks ...
At a funeral on Friday, there were A4-sized photos covering every wall of the Dil’s reception lounge. There must have been 200 of them, telling the story in the usual way of the video reel but also, by enlargement, making it more possible to linger and step in.Our friend Nicky ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. This fact brief was written by Sue Bin Park from the Gigafact team in collaboration with members from our team. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is methane the ...
The Government’s idea is that the private sector and Community Housing Providers will fund, build and operate new affordable housing to address our housing crisis. Meanwhile, the Government does not know where almost half of the 1,700 children who left emergency housing actually went. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong ...
Oh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youOh, home, let me come homeHome is wherever I'm with youSongwriters: Alexander Ebert / Jade Allyson CastrinosMorena,I’m on a tight time frame this morning. In about an hour and a half, I’ll need to pack up and hit the road ...
This is a post about the Mountain Tui substack, and small tweaks - further to the poll and request post the other day. Please don’t read if you aren’t interested in my personal matters. Thank you all.After oohing-and-aahing about how to structure the Substack model since November, including obtaining ...
This transcript of a recent conversation between the Prime Minister and his chief economic adviser has not been verified.We’ve announced we are the ‘Yes Government’. Do you like it?Yes, Prime Minister.Dreamed up by the PR team. It’s about being committed to growth. Not that the PR team know anything about ...
The other day, Australian Senator Nick McKim issued a warning in the Australian Parliement about the US’s descent into fascim.And of course it’s true, but I lament - that was true as soon as Trump won.What we see is now simply the reification of the intention, planning, and forces behind ...
Among the many other problems associated with Musk/DOGE sending a fleet of teenage and twenty-something cultists to remove, copy and appropriate federal records like social security, medicaid and other supposedly protected data is the fact that the youngsters doing the data-removal, copying and security protocol and filter code over-writing have ...
Jokerman dance to the nightingale tuneBird fly high by the light of the moonOh, oh, oh, JokermanSong by Bob Dylan.Morena folks, I hope this fine morning of the 7th of February finds you well. We're still close to Paihia, just a short drive out of town. Below is the view ...
It’s been an eventful week as always, so here’s a few things that we have found interesting. We also hope everyone had a happy and relaxing Waitangi Day! This week in Greater Auckland We’re still running on summer time, but provided two chewy posts: On Tuesday, a guest ...
Queuing on Queen St: the Government is set to announce another apparently splashy growth policy on Sunday of offering residence visas to wealthy migrants. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February 7:PM Christopher ...
The fact that Waitangi ended up being such a low-key affair may mark it out as one of the most significant Waitangi Days in recent years. A group of women draped in “Toitu Te Tiriti” banners who turned their backs on the politicians’ powhiri was about as rough as it ...
Hi,This week’s Flightless Bird episode was about “fake seizure guy” — a Melbourne man who fakes seizures in order to get members of the public to sit on him.The audio documentary (which I have included in this newsletter in case you don’t listen to Flightless Bird) built on reporting first ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk The 119th Congress comes with a price tag. The oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in January 3, 2025, according to a ...
Early morning, the shadows still long, but you can already feel the warmth building. Our motel was across the road from the historic homestead where Henry Williams' family lived. The evening before, we wandered around the gardens, reading the plaques and enjoying the close proximity to the history of the ...
Thanks folks for your feedback, votes and comments this week. I’ll be making the changes soon. Appreciate all your emails, comments and subscriptions too. I know your time is valuable - muchas gracias.A lot is happening both here and around the world - so I want to provide a snippets ...
Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “The latest data shows that employment fell in Aotearoa at its fastest rate since the GFC. Unemployment rose in 8 ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
Labour is relieved to see Children’s Minister Karen Chhour has woken up to reality and reversed her government’s terrible decisions to cut funding from frontline service providers – temporarily. ...
It is the first week of David Seymour’s school lunch programme and already social media reports are circulating of revolting meals, late deliveries, and mislabelled packaging. ...
The Green Party says that with no-cause evictions returning from today, the move to allow landlords to end tenancies without reason plunges renters, and particularly families who rent, into insecurity and stress. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
For the Government, 2025 will bring a relentless focus on unleashing the growth we need to lift incomes, strengthen local businesses and create opportunity. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon today laid out the Government’s growth agenda in his Statement to Parliament. “Just over a year ago this Government was elected by ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour welcomes students back to school with a call to raise attendance from last year. “The Government encourages all students to attend school every day because there is a clear connection between being present at school and setting yourself up for a bright future,” says Mr ...
The Government is relaxing visitor visa requirements to allow tourists to work remotely while visiting New Zealand, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford and Tourism Minister Louise Upston say. “The change is part of the Government’s plan to unlock New Zealand’s potential by shifting the country onto ...
The opening of Kāinga Ora’s development of 134 homes in Epuni, Lower Hutt will provide much-needed social housing for Hutt families, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I’ve been a strong advocate for social housing on Kāinga Ora’s Epuni site ever since the old earthquake-prone housing was demolished in 2015. I ...
Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay will travel to Australia today for meetings with Australian Trade Minister, Senator Don Farrell, and the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum (ANZLF). Mr McClay recently hosted Minister Farrell in Rotorua for the annual Closer Economic Relations (CER) Trade Ministers’ meeting, where ANZLF presented on ...
“We’re not here to interfere in people’s property rights,” Ngāi Tahu’s Te Maire Tau has told the High Court.Tau, a historian, Upoko (traditional leader) of Ngāi Tūāhuriri, and a university professor of history, is the lead witness in a case designed to force the Crown to recognise the tribe’s rangatiratanga ...
Pacific Media Watch Trump administration officials barred two Associated Press (AP) reporters from covering White House events this week because the US-based independent news agency did not change its style guide to align with the president’s political agenda. The AP is being punished for using the term “Gulf of Mexico,” ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific Presenter/Bulletin editor France’s top diplomat in the Pacific region says talks around the “unfreezing” of New Caledonia’s highly controversial electoral roll are back on the table. The French government intended to make a constitutional amendment that would lift restrictions prescribed under the Nouméa Accord, which ...
By bringing these global voices to the fight for free expression in New Zealand, we’ll continue to protect and expand our culture of free speech, says Nathan Seiuli, the Free Speech Union's Events Manager. ...
The issue is no longer a hypothetical one. US President Donald Trump will not explicitly suggest death camps, but he has already consented to Israel’s continuing a war that is not a war but rather a barbaric assault on a desolate stretch of land. From there, the road to annihilation is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cecelia Cmielewski, Research Fellow, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University To be selected as the artist and curator team to represent Australia at the Venice Biennale is considered the ultimate exhibition for an artistic team. To have your selection rescinded, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steve Turton, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Geography, CQUniversity Australia Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is bearing down on the northwest coast of Australia and is likely to make landfall early Friday evening. It’s a monster storm of great concern to Western Australia. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Danielle Ireland-Piper, Associate Professor, ANU National Security College, Australian National University A Victorian government decision to allow dingo culling in the state’s east until 2028 has reignited debate over what has been dubbed Australia’s most controversial animal. Animals Australia, an animal welfare ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University Overnight, Robert F. Kennedy Jr was confirmed as the secretary of the US Health and Human Services Department. Put simply, this makes him the most influential figure in overseeing the health and wellbeing of more ...
Everything you missed from day five of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard eight hours of submissions.Read our recaps of the previous hearings here.It was another work from home day for the Justice Committee, the only people in Room 3 being security guards, committee ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Associate Professor & Principal Fellow in Urban Risk & Resilience, The University of Melbourne Juris Teivans/Shutterstock In Australia, fatal road crashes are climbing again, especially since the pandemic, and despite years of attempts to reduce road trauma, the numbers ...
In its eagerness to appease supporters of Israel, the media is happy to ride roughshod over due process and basic rights. It’s damaging Australia’s (and New Zealand’s?) democracy.COMMENTARY:By Bernard Keane Two moments stand out so far from the Federal Court hearings relating to Antoinette Lattouf’s sacking by the ...
“The reality is we’re getting poorer. The government this year is leaning heavy on chasing economic growth, which is absolutely the right thing to do.” ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 The Vegetarian by Han Kang (Granta, $28) Han Kang’s astounding novel was based on an ...
This new docuseries about two single comedians looking for love is also a joyful celebration of female friendship. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. “How many people do you think are boning right now?” Kura Forrester asks Brynley Stent as the bright ...
A new poem by Freya Turnbull. Hunger Song – After Kaveh Akbar (Untitled With Hunger And Matcheads) I hold my age in ripped fishnet hold an empty vessel oldyoung body cracks like gunshot like killa i was a father ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dominik Koll, Honorary Lecturer, Australian National University View of the Pacific Ocean from the International Space Station.NASA Earth must have experienced something exceptional 10 million years ago. Our study of rock samples from the floor of the Pacific Ocean has found ...
Troy Rawhiti-Connell reviews Kia Tupu Te Ara, a documentary chronicling the meteoric rise of Aotearoa’s groundbreaking metal band. “Two brothers attempt to storm the world of thrash metal with the Māori language, despite the fact they’re both still teenagers,” reads the synopsis of Kent Belcher’s documentary, Kia Tupu Te Ara. ...
Three freelance writers have been awarded grants to work on their ambitious journalism projects. In January, The Spinoff announced the Vince Geddes In-Depth Journalism Fund, supported by the Auckland Radio Trust (ART). The fund was established to provide much-needed financial and editorial support to talented freelance journalists, empowering them to ...
By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist in Avarua, Rarotonga China has confirmed details of its meeting with Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown for the first time, saying Beijing “stands ready to have an in-depth exchange” with the island nation. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters during his ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ 2023 strategic foreign policy assessment, “Navigating a shifting world”, accurately foresaw a more uncertain and complex time ahead for New Zealand. But already it feels out of date. The ...
Our parliamentary throuple may be the longest running in the country, but cracks are showing. Gabi Lardies wonders if differing attachment styles may be to blame. Though no one ever anticipated happiness or roses in the three-way coalition, the relationship has wobbled on for over a year without breaking up. ...
As Mike White’s dark satire returns for a third season, we look back on some of The White Lotus’s most memorable characters. The White Lotus looks like a dream holiday, but this resort is anything but paradise. Set in an exclusive five star hotel resort, HBO’s award-winning series is a ...
Analysis: Would the last scientist to leave the building please turn out the lights? Because the confirmation of Robert F Kennedy Jr as US Secretary of Health suggests we’re heading back to the dark ages.It’s a sad irony that President John F Kennedy propelled America into the space age; now his nephew ...
The crux of my message today is that New Zealand needs to bend two curves. One is the long-term economic growth trajectory, which needs to bend upwards to expand our productive capacity and national real incomes. The second is our net public debt ...
Away from the tense scenes on the paepae, under a closely guarded canvas tent, te iwi Māori do the real work of Waitangi: talking. We were invited inside to listen. ...
The Jono & Ben star is self-aware and surrounded by extraordinary women in Three’s latest local comedy series. The first episode of Vince, written by and starring Jono Pryor, opens with intrigue, a loincloth and a man in the middle of some kind of breakdown. As the titular character, a ...
The inate competitive nature that early pioneers needed to survive is why the National Party appears to be doing so well. The obsession with winning and sport ( media has turned into a mere sport between journos scoring points, regardless of the impact on people’s lives)prevents any tangible cooperation required to create a groundswell to counter the corruption. Tragic to watch such blatantly bad people lording it, while others struggle to survive, like a 3rd world country, which we will be if this carries on
I just finished this Guardian interview with Lakoff, who has a go at explaining it.
so what is the left’s “moral standpoint?”
I think it’s articulated pretty well in the article:
that’s quite mouthful. How does that look in everyday speak?
Very good point. It looks like this:
We do not forget our neighbours and we do not leave our neighbours behind.
GREAT. thanks
That is well articulated OAB.
I haven’t had time yet to read the whole article, so thanks for that bit. It covers ideals which are interrelated, but also sufficiently differentiated to require separate mention. It pretty much articulates what a community, society or nation should be striving for in my opinion.
PS – having now read Tracey’s further comment, IMO it cannot be reduced to everyday speak without losiing its essence and meaning.
? I doubt that the workers movements of the 19th century relied on using language that required at least 10 or 12 years of schooling to understand.
Yep. Plain simple language is best, and no barrier to complex ideas.
Free Nelson Mandela was simple, catchiy and encapsulated an awful lot Glad they didnt wait til everyone understood the underlying academic treatise on his imprisonment.
It goes a lot further than that though. Lakoff isn’t urging some sort of one-size-fits-all left wing media jacket, he’s saying that our strength lies in embodying these principles, and praising emotional authenticity.
I know, was being facetious.
My point remains, if it cant be put in some pithy messages, it wont penetrate
ever read Das Kapital?
Not exactly lightweight.
Then it is a vacuuous concept for mass change
Lakoff is wrong when he says:
Conservative politicians are authoritarians (cf. Robert Altemeyer’s “The Authoritarian Spectre” – anyone who hasn’t read this, ought to, especially the graph of authoritarianism by party). The Left’s problem is that it sees politics as a sport governed by rules that protect the integrity of the game, and is mystified when it’s opponent continually engages in foul play and wins because of it.
There is no referee, and the left’s opponent cares nothing for the integrity of the game, so the left needs to stop pretending otherwise if it wants things to change.
@ sosoo
+1..
phillip ure
Sosoo, do you believe that all conservatives are evil, unintelligent, cynical, or grasping?
Do you believe that no conservatives indulge in foul play to win the “game”?
I certainly dont believe John key is evil.
I believe
Some politicians engage in foul play to win the game
Some politicians are conservative
ergo
Politicians engaging in foul play to win the game may be conservative
That’s a very different belief from what Sosoo appears to be proclaiming – namely that conservatives are evil, unintelligent, cynical, or grasping. I simply seek clarification.
That said, I’m not sure what Sosoo’s definition of “conservative” is. I’ve found that at places like The Standard “conservative” is simply a label that means “that thing I don’t like”. For instance, John Key is not by any sensible political definition a conservative – but he’s not liked here, therefore he is labelled as a conservative. Which makes the word meaningless.
agree. like socialist, commie, lefty, loonie etc… all meaningless indeed.
Further: John Key has expressed a belief that a New Zealand republic is inevitable, has proposed that we change our national flag, voted in support of a bill extending marriage equality to homosexuals, and proposed a radical change to NZ’s schools system. He can’t do those things and be a conservative at the same time. John Key is in no way a conservative, and to label him as such is to show ignorance of what conservatism actually is.
No true Scotsman would do this.
he can, if his conservative part is financial/economic… he trades your list for the things he wants.
he is a royalist of the highest order…
the flag was a populist diversion…
blahblah
BUT I do agree…. that he is to t he left of the USA Democrat party, which some republicans think is socialist or communist.
You’re falling into a logical-fallacy trap.
I don’t like conservatives
I don’t like John Key
ergo
John Key is a conservative
It doesn’t work that way.
Reading is a skill, you obviously didnt read to the end of my post
Conservatism doesn’t have a non-trivial definition that isn’t plainly idiotic.
There are basically two reasons for that: either (a) the people espousing it aren’t particularly bright; or (b) the vagueness is intentional and designed to hide the fact that it’s just a cloak for views that can’t be openly stated.
That’s why “Conservative Intellectual” is an oxymoron and “conservative political philosophy” is mostly flatulence.
I find that well constructed exposition of your views very convincing, Sosoo. Conservative political philosophy has come to mean making excuses for greed. Sadly, social democratic political philosophy has come to mean making excuses for inaction at best and abject surrender at worst.
I was watching the Aussie current affairs show “Q&A” back in 2010 and wanting to punch various people in the face, and then this hip young Melbourne academic-slash-muso-slash-author came on and basically wiped the floor with everyone.
You watch now.
(Cultural context: then-Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott had at that time of the show just proposed a generous paid-parental-leave scheme; the “Workchoices” referred to in the discussion is the Howard Government’s 2005 overhaul of industrial-relations legislation, stripping away lots of worker protections)
@sgh..
i thought the point that was being made that the two sides of the ideological-game play differently..
..and that national usually out-play labour..
..phillip ure.
he did not provide evidence that he is or is not an alien shapeshifter Lizard
SHG, it sounds extreme, when you put it that way, but on the other hand recent clinical studies have demonstrated the link between low IQ and right wing beliefs, the fact that wealth erodes personal ethics, the engorged amygdalae of conservatives.
Then have a look at actual right wing proposals: voter suppression, entrenched discrimination (youth rates, disenfranchisement of prison inmates, etc), the refusal to abide by human rights legislation (cf: Paula Bennett), mass surveillance, the adoption of proven failure (Charter schools, National’s Standards).
It’s a lot easier to assume that people who do evil are evil, than that they are victims of stupidity and ignorance, but doing so is a right wing thought pattern in itself.
Personally I tend more towards Lakoff’s interpretation, but remember that even the road to good intentions leads to hell.
PS: and please excuse the mangled metaphor 🙂
That’s not what I said. People follow political parties for all sorts of reasons, but conservative politicians tend to be authoritarians – that’s just an established scientific fact. Their followers tend to be more like them in this respect, but obviously not every single one. Nor is it the case that all of them exhibit every one of the features you talk about, but most of them exhibit at least one.
Look, if you want to understand conservatives, you just need to know that they are completely right in a strange, inverted sort of way. They’re expert projectors. When they say that there is a sector of society that is aiming to undermine basic freedoms and impose its will on everyone else, they’re completely right. The problem is that it’s them. Their level of self diagnosis is incredible – probably because it’s accompanied by a similar level of self deception.
” that’s just an established scientific fact. ” really?
Yep, you should read the book I referred to earlier: “The Authoritarian Spectre”.
The author is recognised as the authority on psychological authoritarianism (basically, he cleaned up and made scientifically respectable the insights surrounding the old California Fascism scale).
He decided to administer his personality test to as many North American politicians as he could. The results were pretty startling, since the test result like it is sorting for political affiliation when it is really sorting for authoritarianism. I still think it is the most startling graph I have ever seen.
I see the book is called The Authoritarian Spectre. I have come to think of authoritarian as being one type of thinking, and always of the right. But it is a mindset apparently that can be applied to the left or the right.
I guess it always is top-down – that would be a given wouldn’t it? It might be exemplified then in a study called The Authoritarian Sceptre. The thinking seems to lead with certainty to class divisions with the top being entitled to the panolpy of wealth and fiat.
@Sosoo….+100 …very interesting points..and i would like to agree with them
…but i wonder how that meshes in with Kohlberg’s theory of moral development?…(.ie you can get different people at different stages of moral development supporting the same cause but for different moral reasons
eg was Stalin a real socialist/Communist? …..what about a gangster/mobster/mafiaso/ Teamster or trade unionist? … or a psychopath supporting the anti-Springbok protesters simply because he or she wants to settle some scores with the police and have a good stoush?
…on the other hand you can get some Conservatives …who when it comes to the crunch are positively statesmanlike and principled ….eg could you put Holyoak in that category?)
….also people are complex and will act differently at different times…ie one time they are an authoritarian bastard and at another time quite liberal and democratic
@ Sosoo….i was replying to your 10.27 am comment…(.i see you have covered my questions somewhat in yur later comment)
I would say Stalin was an authoritarian. Altemeyer divides authoritarians into right wing and left wing, where “right” means “supports established authorities” and “left” means “supports revolutionary authorities”. It’s not an economic definition.
Supporters of the Soviet communist party would be classed as “right” by him, because the communist party was the established authority in the USSR. The “left” authoritarians would be people who submitted to revolutionary movements like the Baader Meinhof gang.
Sosoo
Good analogy. A way of explaining deeply puzzling thinking from the right and also on the left.
@ Whatever next…..the early British pioneers /settlers survived through cooperation rather than competition…and they set up one of the best cooperative free , secular, high quality State Education systems in the world in the 1800s
…women in NZ were the first to get the vote…and get into the unversities and medical schools etc …..decades before Cambridge and Oxford.
..many of the early pioneers were working class socialists in sympathy….and wanted to leave the British class system way behind
Corruption has come with Neoliberalism in New Zealand….and sad to say some of its proponents are relatively new to New Zealand….it is certainly not the Maori way
What is your basis for claiming the early British pioneers /settlers survived through cooperation rather than competition.
They colonised a foreign country and tried to decimate the indigenous people.
bullshit…read your history books
New Zealand was essentially an aristocratic state until 1891 when King Dick came to power.
From wikipedia:
The landed gentry and aristocracy ruled Britain at this time. New Zealand never had an aristocracy but it did have wealthy landowners who largely controlled politics before 1891. The Liberal Party set out to change that by a policy it called “populism.” Richard Seddon had proclaimed the goal as early as 1884: “It is the rich and the poor; it is the wealthy and the landowners against the middle and labouring classes. That, Sir, shows the real political position of New Zealand.
moderation?
[lprent: Was out by the time I got to it. Oh I see a type – “mediation”. ]
Only for drink, drugs and wankers 🙂
No names mentioned, not even my own.
well there were a lot of other NZers around apart from the aristocracy….eg Maori, whalers, sailors, ‘Australians’ exported from the UK for stealing a horse or poaching rabbits on the aristocracy estate…who made theri way here, people with TB trying to get a country cure, farmers who had too many older brothers in the old country and wanted a farm…etc etc etc….my ancestors came from this lot
No Shit there were people other then wealthy land owners. That’s the exact point.
It was a nation of haves and have nots.
There were wealthy landowners who ruled the place;
Maori who had next to everything they owned confiscated; and
A majority of settlers who found New Zealand not too disimilar to the country they had left.
The wealthy landowners had control until Seddon came along.
…nevertheless imo….New Zealand has always been a lot more egalitarian than Britain….for a start New Zealand workers have been far more educated …and seen themselves as the equals of those who are wealthier…….they have not been as psychologically stunted by a class structure.
..and where pretentious people ( newcomers?…pommys?) try to impose one it is ignored…part of this comes from our Maori heritage ie the concept of ‘Mana’ ….and part of it has come from our very egalitarian free high quality education system ( which the NACT Neolibs are now trying their best to destroy).
I don’t think the wealthy landowners really had control until around 1850, or maybe even later. In the earlier days, from the first pakeha migrants up to the Treaty, things did seem more egalitarian. Wakefield began to set up a stratified society, which we still see in Christchurch in particular, where the ship your family came on is almost as important as the ancestral waka is to Maori.
I’m also not sure that the wealthy landowners lost control with Seddon. In league with the Australian banks, they still control a hell of a lot.
@ Murray Olsen…yes there is that strand to Christchurch ….and you could buy into it or not and send your kid to Christs College if he won a scholarship like Michael Cullen…or if you scraped together enough money…like some other notables’ parents
….. but then again…. more often than not, most people did not want to buy into it, even if they didnt mind it being there….and would happily send their kid off to a high quality, free State School…..There was always a very strong educated working class and anarchist bohemian arts side to Christchurch( it wasnt known as the ‘Socialist Republic of Christchurch’ or some such, for nothing)…i am thinking here of people like Murray Horton(CAFCA), Elsie and Jack Locke…Ngaio Marsh, Rita Angus ,Len Lye, Denis Glover and Caxton Press, Hamish Keith, Fay Weldon (briefly when she was a girl)…..etc etc
http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/political-parties/page-16
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rewi_Alley
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita_Angus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Lye
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngaio_Marsh
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsie_Locke
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Glover
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1103/S00295/murray-horton-new-zealand-is-not-for-sale.htm
…and there was a lot of intermingling between Christchurch and countryside
in order to survive the early colonialists had to cooperate with the Maori… eg Maori guides in exploration, travel, navigation, food, survival ( there was much inter-marriage also) …they also had to cooperate with their neighbours …eg for support when there was illness, child birth, injury, floods ,storms , wrecks, transport , shelter, food, trade……
this is not to negate the fact of colonial crimes against the Maori…… land theft, wars, killings etc……why the Treaty of Waitangi must be honoured and upheld
very true, so maybe it’s the “survival instinct” thing that has lead to this obsession with sport, winning etc. There is nothing to prove, and winning proves nothing. Trying to make sense of why JK is doing so well at dividing and ruling? It’s a mugs game, but seems to work for him here
I would have thought the early pioneers needed a fair degree of cooperation in order to survive, and a degree of respect for the Tangata Whenua, at least until the military balance changed. The Randian imperative towards individualism was probably seen in elements such as highwaymen and horse thieves, who were seen as something to be exterminated in those days. That’s probably where we’ve gone wrong.
Yep, the rich are getting richer, meanwhile those in need:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11205836
Some people don’t forget how tough life was when you had nothing:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11204627
re that brian bruce doco on inequality..
..i wd like to see one of those neo-lib trouts (key will do..even goff..?)..sat down and systematically be asked to answer each of the charges made in what is a very tidy piece of documentary-making by bruce..
..and the doco should really be compulsory-viewing for those too young to know how things were/could be..
..and who have been successfully brainwashed into the there-is-no-alternative! mindset..
..and how about that mindboggling stat-snap from that doco..?
..that there is $23 million of benefit-fraud in nz every year..
..and there is up to $5 billion in (criminally) dodged taxes by the wealthy/corporates..
(there is yr solution to poverty..eh..?..a twofer..
..a financial-transaction-tax on the banksters..
..and a serious effort to get those dodged-taxes..
..that’ll see poverty done and dusted..)
phillip ure..
Id much rather see Sir roger Douglas’s Sir title taken off him and the bastard thrown inside…..
@risildown..
..the footage of douglas in bruces’ doco is so ‘telling’..
..especially his ever-so-hollow promise that neo-liberalism/rogernomics..
..would make life better for all…(that was a fucken jaw-dropper..)
..that was the biggest con-job ever..played on the people of new zealand..
..wide-boys and spivs…
..all of them..
..from both national and labour..
..and i am fast coming to the conclusion this current labour party..
..so sodden as it is with those same neo-lib faces that preached that vile/dystopia-inducing ideology at us..
..can only be renewed/reborn..
..after they have gone..
..(but funny story..!..i don’t think they themselves realise that..yet..
..or else they are that hubris-drenched..that they know..
..but it still suits them..to be there..
..i dunno which is worse..
..their ignorance..or their hubris..)
phillip ure..
….. wide boys and spivs …..
They should show “Mind the Gap” , followed by “Class of 87”
I’m betting on the hubris.
@ draco..
..aye..!..i was just giving them the ignorance-card to play..
..as they exit..
..”..i didn’t know..!..i’ll go..!..shall i..?..”
phillip ure..
I’d go along with that! The awful thing is that I knew some of them ….. ‘once were lefties’ till they got a taste of the AMEX Gold. And they actually expected me to feel pity after their (sometimes spectacular) crash. (Some of them even pop-up today from time to time …. often as the commentariat, or in jobs that have been engineered for them – ALL doing the same old shit and expecting a different outcome).
Far more worthy causes in my book.
Me too… people find it hard to admit they have been duped… they start off believing the con, then little chinks appear, they rationalise them… by the time they realise their account is empty… they dont sue for fear of revealing their own foolishness… until there is a group action…
Did Shane Jones just replace David Cunliffe as leader of the Labour Party?
He’s doing everything the leader should in election year: push a populist issue, build a whispering campaign against faceless corporations, mince his parliamentary opponent, and hit the sweet spot in the political economy that says “sure parts of the economy are booming, but it’s no way enough.”
Jones is doing what an opposition MP should be doing in election year. Unleashing a relentless, torrid attack forcing the Government to respond by opening an enquiry. An effective front bench needs their heavy weights lifting the teams overall game. I see this has having a positive effect with some strong showings by other Labour MP’s. Bloody good stuff it’s now or never time to show the Kiwi public they are ready to govern.
He signaled during the Labour Party leadership challenge that things were seriously wrong in the supermarket sector.
The 2 supermarket chains have increasingly stifled how far the consumers dollar goes. Squeezing out the little guy in favour of multi national corporates. I am heartened listening to morning report on Radio NZ that things are broadening out.
http://i.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/9741760/Jones-attacked-after-more-Countdown-claims
for about the first time in my life i agree with the ever-oleaginous joyce..(shudder..!..)
..in that jones is over-egging this..and has turned it into a whole dick-waving exercise on his part..
..his smoking-gun letter was a broken pea-shooter in reality..
..(tho’ i am glad the spotlight has been turned on that supermarket duopoly that has been screwing us blind since forever..
..as i want them to be partially-nationalised..with the state taking a 51% controlling share..and leaving the 49% for private-shareholders..
..and of course partially-nationalising this duopoly will also make it so much easier to introduce all the healthy-food regulations..
..that we all know are way overdue..)
..so any good jones has done on this issue..has been purely involuntary..
..phillip ure..
moderation..?
phillip ure..
Moderation? Sorry Phil how rude of me posting on your page ‘Open Mike’ actually bit off putting having to scroll past your fucking dribble!
and a special getting-wrong-end-of-stick award..for skinny…
..and so angry..?..so early in the morning..?
..can i suggest a cup of chamomile tea..and a wee lie-down..?
..phillip ure..
Yeah Phillis an Penny usually get the ”scroll on by” treatment from me too, Phillis’s efforts give every appearance of someone brain damaged attempting to pass that damage on,
Worse, attempting to read ‘its’ disjointed ramblings seems to give you a dose, of brain damage that is…
..algonquin round table candidate..?
..d’yareckon..?
..phillip ure..
All I can say is thank god for the space bar.
weka, shhhhh, don’t tempt Him please, Lol…
Sounds like the perfect pub for a space-cadet..
Fender,LOLZ…
risil What would making douglas’s title a priority do for the people in need and jobless and underpaid? Revenge and punishment may be sweet but they are not filling.
And phil ure
I don’t know why you have to put down Jones and Labour. Jones is doing good, hard hitting, it’s the only way that Labour will make any impact. Something positive for Labour and you are bad-mouthing it.
@ skinny..
..and it’s ‘oft-putting’..eh..?
phillip ure..
I disagree entirely. As mentioned above Jones is doing what every Labour front-bencher should be doing in an election year.
My wife works in the supermarket industry, and it needs a major shakeup. Most pay minimum wage to staff yet they really are licenses to print money.
That is why groceries are expensive, sheer greed.
@ north shore..
..i totally agree the supermarket duopoly is overdue for partial-nationalisation..
..and is an example of institutional-corruption..rotten to the core..
..and it is all of us who pay..from their profiteering..
..have you ever seen recently arrived tourists @ a supermarket..?
..in a state of shock at how expensive the basics of life are here..?
..and to me..that couldn’t be a clearer snapshot of how neo-liberalism got everything wrong..
..we have ended up with the worst of both worlds..
..we have a low-wage/high-cost-of-living economy..
..take a bow..!..mr douglas..!
..and all the rest of you neo-lib trouts..
..behold yr handiwork..eh..?
..you have made new zealand ‘sick’..
..so really..
..fuck you (all) !..
.eh..?
..and you are still preaching this shit at us..?
..phillip ure..
and kinda funny how there are even nuances in this one..
..in that the ‘villains’ of this piece..the aussie supermarkets..
..they pay their staff here above award-wages..(not the living-wage..but on the way there..)
..whereas ‘the good guys’..’our’ half of this profiteering-duopoly..
..they pay their staff minimum-wage..
..arsewipes to the left of us..
..and arsewipes to the right of us..
..partial-nationalise both of them..!
..problems solved..!
..phillip ure..
When my previous employer shifted their manufacturing operations to Auckland (and China, although half it came back, but that’s another story) one of the factory team leaders ended up on the checkouts at the local Pak n Save. When I next saw her, her stories about the way in which management abused the naivety of their mainly young and/or immigrant workforce were quite illuminating.
I’m still shopping at Countdown, however; their staff are our friends and neighbours and I’d hate to see them lose their jobs over something their management did, especially before it was proven.
Came to the conclusion ages ago that the young were being abused through their ignorance and inexperience. The effects of this abuse by employers will cause those young people to lose trust in other people, likely teach them to be just as abusive and thus contribute to the continuing downfall of civilisation.
It’s never the young that are the bane of civilisation as the elders throughout history have proclaimed but the greedy elders themselves.
This lady became the union rep and got stuck in to the management; I don’t think I’ve seen her since so I don’t know how well she did.
A family member got hounded out of another Pak n Save for being a “trouble maker” over some other employee condition, so it seems to be fairly endemic.
+100
I Agree.
Shane Jones has been superb in the last week taking the fight to the corporate scum (not elite, I detest that description of them, they are scum) on behalf of the workers of this country.
He has been inspiring and I have no doubt his campaign is having an effect on the number of customers entering Countdown. Lets hope he can extend that campaign to the government.
Give DC a chance though. He is doing allright notwithstanding the fact the polls havent really changed. I just think he is a bit shell shocked after the seies of gaffes this year. He will come right though. He just needs to look over at what Jones is doing at the moment. A simple directed meaningful campaign against a target.
Give DC a chance…sounds like when people were saying give shearer a chance 🙂
Well it is too late to change course now in any case.
DC has the backing of the activists. That is the key to getting people out to vote.
He just needs to sharpen up, make sure his statements are accirate and stop saying dumb things.
It’s well established that if he doesn’t there is a significant section of the media which will simply make them up. Solution: stay on message – the electorate is quite capable of noticing that the “evidence” that “Cunliffe hides his house” is “John Key says”.
Did Shane Jones just replace David Cunliffe as leader of the Labour Party?
Not at all. This should be the way the party operates where MPs raise issues and score publicity and embarrass the Government. The more of them that achieve this the better.
When the laziest man in politics is your hardest-working front bencher, that means the rest of the front bench are in hiding.
“Sure thing David! Lead the charge, we’re right behind you! You’ve got our complete support!”
I’ve been catching up on news of recent weeks since I returned last week and it was good this morning to hear David Cunliffe sounding direct, principled and strong, while giving a good rebuttal and also making clear his values:
http://www.3news.co.nz/Cunliffe-not-ashamed-of-Herne-Bay-address/tabid/1607/articleID/332929/Default.aspx
Sweet zombie jesus, someone tell the guy to STOP FUCKING TALKING ABOUT PARNELL AND HERNE BAY. To draw attention to this entire line of discussion is nothing but fail.
Who the fuck is advising Cunliffe? Is the Incense of Bad Decisions burning 24/7 in his office?
@ SHG
LoL – is it really Mr Cunliffe talking about Herne bay that is getting you so shouty – or is it Mr Cunliffe’s reference to “pulling up ladders” and how it is Mr-spoilsport-Key’s favourite pastime?
From your link:
The comment in the house (immediately preceding this but omitted by 3 News) was:
It’s hardly the attack of the century, is it?
I did like this though:
😉
AND, to add some more context, the previous exchange went like this:
(emphasis mine)
”Borrowed from the Vella Brothers” should have been His next quip…
Labour supporters, especially the activists have been very slow to react, in no small part Progressive Enterprises is unionised. However the Aussie corporate appears to be up to no good so riding on the general public’s resentment of their conduct and now flows onto Food Stuff, the duopoly are both practicing anti competitive behavior we know it’s not all about the suppliers, employment- slave wages, too much profits made off consumers. These are only a few of the broader issues that need resolving. Get on board Labour supports it’s all about lifting quality of lives.
Public approval gains votes and enough votes changes Governments, simple as that really.
As I understand it Foodstuffs is owned by the individuals so when you go into your neighbourhood New World it is owned by the person running the store.
Where as Progressive stores are owned by an Australian Company.
That may account for why one is unionised and the other is not.
It’s much easier to unionise a company that has many branches throughout Australia and NEw Zealand. Not so easy to do the same in many small owner operated stores
Someone may be able to confirm my understanding of the two companies
Yes that is quite correct PE were thumped in a dispute, very solid campaigning by Unions culminating in a very public month long campaign in Auckland. So it was a great result with the PE unionised members having a CA and on average $2 more per hour. Food Stuff is a split deal with private owners. Most are aggressively opposed to Unions reflected in poor working conditions. While they are currently basking in their oppositions misery, they know their time is coming very soon. Campaigns are being arranged to get better terms for the slave workers. All this bad press is the time to act. How do I know? I am in boots and all.
@ skinny..
..more power to you..!
..if you want me to publish/publicise anything for you/that cause..
..my contact details are @ whoar…
..phillip ure..
Thanks Phil very kind offer after my zero to a hundred grumpy spray at you earlier today. My apologies, as you rightly pointed out I misread your post thinking you were calling for the hammer to be struck over my head lol.
Not a Thursday person worst day of the week for a drone worker like me, the long days on the tools..sort of. Yes that would be great gesture in unity and all. It will be all hands to the pump and the more the better for fire at will effect!
sweet..i know how annoying i can be..
..i would like on my headstone..
..’he was an awkward man’….
..and i do it all for those causes i feel passionately about..
..and there are a few of them..
..that don’t get much of an airing from anyone else..
(..i just went and saw korn..(got a late freebee..)
..whoar..!..)
..and i’m glad that banning email-tree wasn’t there..
..’cos one of the bands before korn had the crowd doing what looked very much like nazi-salutes..
..and i am pretty sure their lyrics would not stand up to much scrutiny..
..(i think they might sometimes advocate violence..eh..?..)
..and i think the scrutineering-email-tree should really be alerted..
..i can see these metal-bands being ‘a very real threat to public-order’..
..eh..?
..so..better ban them..eh..?
(..btw..is anyone else noticing the further we get away from that whole banning episode..
..the sillier it is/we are looking..?
..and what is going to be done about that junkie/smack-smuggler keith richards..?
..he has been a role model for ‘public disorder’..since forever..
..is the banning email-tree beavering away at that one..?
..blue stockings..!..to the fore..!..)
..phillip ure..
reply to Ad 20 February 2014 at 7:14 am
Shane Jones doing what he is supposed to be doing in parlament,representing the voters
Current parliamentary roles
Member, Finance and Expenditure Committee
Member, Primary Production Committee
Spokesperson, Building and Construction
Spokesperson, Economic Development
Spokesperson, Forestry
Spokesperson, Maori Affairs
Associate Spokesperson, Finance
Associate Spokesperson, Fisheries
much as peters was owned by the racing industry..
..jones is owned by the corrupt fishing industry..
..do you ever hear him speaking up for the third world workers being paid slave-wages on those boats plying our economic-zone..?
do you/we hell..!
..the outrage of the jones is both selective and contrived..
..and over-egged/acted..
..there is so much ‘ham’…
..it is almost a full pig..
..phillip ure..
Yeah, yeah, oh-yeah
What condition my condition was in
I woke up this mornin’ with the sundown shinin’ in
I found my mind in a brown paper bag within
I tripped on a cloud and fell eight miles high
I tore my mind on a jagged sky
I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in
dear phil a man is made of lotsa bits
supermarkets is just 1 of Jones
fishing is another dark side of the man
it’s a great song..
..and about the funkiest cheesy ol’ kenny got…
..phillip ure..
Herald online leading with a len brown piece harking back to the “scandal” and a profile of a CEO. Nothing about Key misleading during question time. Nice juxtaposition for those who get the connection.
Right wing nut job politicises public event, embarrasses military staff, brings shame upon her family. Granny yells encouragement.
full front page offline.
big bruv must be the herald editor cos only yesterday he complained no media had concentrated on brown.
That paper is out of control.
They want to destroy democracy.
Brown was elected to do a job.
Let him get on and do it for the sake of Auckland and stop this destablising campaign.
“Let us be honest: its programme of mismanaging the economy drove interest rates up and drove people out of their homes. ” John Key 19 Feb 2014
Honest
free of deceit; truthful and sincere.
“Bill English had to swallow the proverbial dead rat this morning and effectively acknowledge that Michael Cullen had done something right in his stewardship of the Government’s finances in the past nine years.
Having condemned his predecessor for many years for paying off debt too quickly, English said: “I want to stress that New Zealand starts from a reasonable position in dealing with the uncertainty of our economic outlook.”” Dec 2008
Tracy +100
Cullen came under the same sustained attack that Helen Clark and Winston Peters got…as well as the Greens, Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimmons
….i remember well Sean Plunket on Morning Report…his attack on Left politicians and their policies was relentless and sustained over a period of years…while sucking up to the Nact politicians and an apologist for their policies
It took a long time to get rid of a very obviously right wing NACT biased journalist from State Broadcasting…. a bit ironic considering how swiftly they have moved on Maori Television….seems as if there are two rules in operation here…
Was Plunket planning National campaign meetings out of a state broadcaster……?
There is a difference between holding a view and doing what Taurima did.
I agree. Taurima was stupid, no defence to that.
I don’t think he was stupid, I think he was greedy. He wanted a political career, wanted to use the professional networks and facilities of a media company to organise political events and fundraising, and he wanted the security of a politically-neutral job’s paycheque. All at once.
Oh come now. he used a room and stationery, hardly the great train robbery. he was stupid, end of. Could have used his own home, was lazy and stupid.
“He wanted a political career, wanted to use the professional networks and facilities of a media company to organise political events and fundraising” Sounds like National’s number 4.
Shane would not be the first person that used department resources for private business. I have seen many others working for the same company using email and photocopy machines to run things like
1. Rugby games for a church organisation
2. Organising holiday camps for same outfit
3. Yachting regattas for a yacht club
4. Ski trips etc etc
Have also seen private meetings held on TVNZ premises. At night its a handy site and if you have an after work meeting what loss is it to the firm
It is not uncommon in many firms for staff to use company facilities for private purposes and many firms turn a blind eye to it because it makes for a harmonious work place. Also most staff these days are working 24 hour jobs in the sense that emails come into your phone even when you are not working and you are expected to deal with them, Many staff have vpn’s Citrix etc and are working using their home PC all hours of the night and holidays. It is just something one does so it would be churlish for employer to complain about private work done on company premises.
The fact that it was a political business might seem a tad unwise in hindsight but it is hardly the crime of the century. If the trawl of the email systems is carried out using proper search tools it might be just amazing how much non company stuff will get found. I am guessing that if other emails indicate others were doing similar things maybe even for other political parties it will be quietly put aside.
@ Enough is Enough
…yeah Taurima was naive as to the political ramifications…i hesitate to say “stupid”….because he was obviously very good at his job
…and no one but Tau Henare has criticised him for his fairness in interviewing style
..This was not the case with Sean Plunket who was obviously and blatantly biased and bullying of the Left
They are two completley different things.
One is campaigning for a political party using state resources.
One is asking questions from a right wing bias.
Who accused him of being a bully by the way I missed that.
I have no problem with interviewers asking hard questions from a biased position. It gives the person the opportunity to show how the interviewer is wrong and demonstrate why they are right.
Editorial bias is different to an interviwer shooting from one side or the other.
Stuart Nash confirmed as Labour candidate for napier.
Running in the seat previously held by Chris Tremain, some of the aging “dead wood” from National.
Tremain is 47 and been in parliament since 2005. YUP that’s gotta be the definition of “dead wood” right? Nothing to see here…
While we are talking about the Labour Party, they have an Obamaesque online presence–“I’m In” and some LECs at least according to my contacts, a street level “be a Labour Neighbour” tactic, but who knew?
Perhaps who knows and intend to keep it under their hats are the same bozos that organised David Cunliffe’s Kelston address which I attended, and the mangled aftermath. The passive aggressive demeanour of the roped in ABC MPs in the hall really showed what the new leader is up against in contrast to the hundreds of happy clappy rank and file members.
Labour has to break free from plotting and scheming mode and get out there like Greens and Mana do.
Thousands turned out on South Island beaches recently to show their feelings about off shore drilling not that you would know that from our tame cat media. That is the type of engagement that will see the Key gang denied another term.
@ Tiger Mountain….agreed Labour desperately needs new FIGHTING BLOOD in the front lines
….suggest replacing Jacinda Adern and Sue Moroney with new options….( bugger waiting until after the election…when Labour will be cooked)
…how about bring forward :- Poto Williams, Louisa Wall , Rino Tirikatene, Meka Whataitiri ?
…especially in the Social Welfare /devt ..kids , unemployment,beneficiaries, low incomes areas …there needs to be fighting talk and high profile attention grabbing spokepeople who are attractive to the 800,000+ nonvoters last time
Trouble is no seems to be willing to tell those past the use by date that they must move over and let new people in . National has been very consistent in kicking our under performing and replacing with new people. If we cannot do likewise we will never regain Treasury Benches.
There are too many people that seem to think it is there God given right to remain as a MP for ever. All MP’s need to have regular reviews by the party and if they don’t measure up they should be gone.
Yup….time to kick them back to the back benches…that is one thing NACT seems better at than Labour …it can make ruthless decisions and take action….people are always expendable …when yu are old or no good yu are off to the knackers
…however for the good of the country and for the future of the Labour Party some ruthless pruning has to commence
…and the best have to go forward as spokespeople
”It is the expected market prices,(of electricity),which drive asset values, not the other way round”, so says NZHerald economics editor Brian Gaynor in the Herald online this morning,
The, (of electricity), was inserted by me to provide clarification to Gaynor’s bizarre ramblings which far from being the considered words of a professional economist look to me akin to the mouthing’s a shyster lawyer would put to a court attempting to defend your average mobster from racketeering charges,
Gosh!, what an enlightenment, here was i of the belief, a false one at that if Brian is to be believed, that the Power Generation Companies, a multi-monoploy provider of one of the necessities of life, based it’s pricing around an arbitrary valuation of its assets,(in other words a guess from a vested interest hired by another vested interest to provide a valuation that will please the other vested interest),
The problem with Brian’s whole little thesis, encapsulated within the sentence i opened this comment with, is it’s failure to address ”expected market prices” and from which crystal ball such future ”expectations” are measured,
In light of the absence of the slightest hint of clarification from Gaynor on the question posed in the paragraph above we have to assume that such ”expected market prices” for wholesale electricity are arrived at by the well known ‘market mechanism of measurement’ GUESSING,
The dogs of the market, in other words, involved in a fantasizing exercise of chasing their tails round and round in an upward spiral, ”guessing” what ”expected market prices” will be, while being proved correct 100% of the time as when these dogs of the market come back to Earth from the exercise of chasing their tails so as to work themselves into the required mental state from which to produce such ”guesses” they all simply, being in control, set the prices of wholesale electricity to align with the guess,
Voodoo economics 101, and you and me pay for this…
+1
Hello, been a while 🙂
Workplace sexual harassment, rape culture in NZ – What a shocker and eye opener.
Regular readers will know my views on the ‘men’ that do this rubbish to women, and now I can speak from personal experience to add weight to my previously stated opinions here.
My current employer, though not for long as it seems (now he has git legal beagles involved), has, unbeknown to me, been patting the bum (amongst other acts of harassment) of a demure, quiet, young woman over a sustained period of months and she subsequently couldn’t take any more and left.
I have had issues with this idiot for a few months myself in the workplace, such as over my illegal contracts, poor working conditions, harsh and unfair treatment and so on, so no love lost between us, even though I’ve always upheld my side of the employee/employer agreement.
When I found out what he’d done, a month after she had left, I went nuts on him, calling him for what he is, a dirty old man and a pervert, and I told him, as a man, I’m sickened by his actions. Six times he touched her bum and twice her breast, so not just one momentary lapse of judgement here. He said, it’s her word against mine and smiled.
Giving it some consideration, I later told him I would be taking a personal grievance against him and seek mediation. Since then he’s got his solicitor to draw up a four page letter full of made up nonsense about me, clearly designed as a prelude to dismissal. No worries that I now have to sell my car to pay 2/3 of the legal fees to defend myself against his allegations, because sometimes one just has to make a stand. Me, I have him on numerous counts, so I’m not bothered about my end game. Him, his problems only just started.
Fortunately, this brave young woman has on my recommendation, has seen my legal rep and is now in the process of taking a case of her own against him, which I’m told is rock solid. So proud of her 🙂
Blokes, if you see this crud going down, you’re just as bad if you say nothing.
Enable less and respect our wives, mothers, sisters and daughters.
Good on you The Allen. A blow for justice.
Thanks for the support.
He thought he’d got away with it, but first thing I did Monday, after after an enforced 2 week holiday, was make sure all the female staff, including the girls at the cafe that share the premises knew the score.
Which was lucky, because after getting the 4 page letter at 9 am on Monday morning informing me of a meet with him and his rep the following morning, to which I couldn’t arrange my own, I was gagged with a non disclosure agreement first thing Tuesday under the threat of instant dismissal.
A worried man I hope. Much more than I am of facing the dole and losing my $15 ph job.
If we don’t fight, we’ll never win. 🙂
Heh you should have let them instantly dismiss you for not signing the non-disclosure on the spot, that would make their eventual pay out to you even greater lol
I had to ring my guy and he said sign, no worries, so I did.
Money isn’t my motive, even for my own employment situation, though I’d take his money, but not at mediation where the outcome is confidential and comes wrapped in non disclosure. I’m headed full hearing and take what I get, even if it’s a small award, or nothing, or nowhere near as much as he’ll likely try and buy my silence with, just so it can be reported and his offending is outed.
It’s the young woman’s call to make, not mine, but I’ve so wanted to go to the police. Maybe they’ll get involved after it’s all come out in the wash. Hope so.
Thanks – you’re a top bloke.
Probably not on balance 😀 But ta anyway.
@ the Allen+100…yu are very brave!…i once faced sexual harassment and it was very subtle ( girlie penthouse mags left on my desk, a fire in my rubbish bin…not acknowledged for the professional work i did…poorly paid and overworked in a job i loved and did well…it can be very insidious….and horrible to fight!.(luckily I had support from a boyfriend, other women and the harasser’s ex wife!)…….All power to you and the girls…and boys….. who want to get into this scrum and fight this behaviour!…i think sometimes the harrasser does not realise the damage they are doing until they are brought to account ….for them it can be just fun….but sometimes there is a far more insidious intent and they have a personality disorder
Definitely disordered and probably, in my opinion, not a little insidious with it.
There are arseholes everywhere, and for whatever reason, they think they can get away with things. Scrum down I say. Thanks for the kindness.
Dude, good on you for slamming this guy. Perhaps you could ask lprent or someone to designate a bank account within which money for a legal fighting fund for you could be deposited. I’d be the first contributor. And I also bet that the young woman you spoke of is not the only female employee that he has sexually harrassed.
Cheers Tat, but I think I’m good for most of the cash to get it to moderation when I sell my car, and I’ll be eligible for legal aid should it go to full hearing, so keep your money in your little/big piggy. 🙂
No, apparently she isn’t, but most worrying to me is that he also employs a special needs girl and her sister. Not having that on my conscience.
Sweet, just keep in touch 🙂
😉
+1
Let us know what happens please Al1en.
Well done.
Thanks, will do. Anyway, I’m not the gaggable sort.
My man is away all next week and has requested information from my boss about the things he put in the Monday letter, but though I have informed him (and with much more notice than I was given by some 5 days), he may insist I attend and have his way for the moment.
Scary with a mortgage and stuff, but was born feet first, kicking and screaming as I came, so holding it all together for now. 🙂
Get it to ‘Mediation’ :doh:
How about the local Cab or Labour office can offer some help.
I have a solicitor on it now, but have used the Labour office for advice about the same employer over a different contract issue, more to confirm what I already knew, and they were friendly enough.
Good on you, Allen. Sorry to hear the struggles it has given you.
Blokes, if you see this crud going down, you’re just as bad if you say nothing.
Enable less and respect our wives, mothers, sisters and daughters.
Respect!
Also worth reading is Chloe King’s post on The Daily Blog: “Please, be that guy.”
Thanks Karol, respect your respect.
It’s out of order full stop, but I have a 12 year old daughter, and the thought of her ending up working for a bloke like this, well, you get the idea.
Good on you
Ta, but no option really. Had to do it.
Actually you did have an option and you chose the right one (I know its not the kiwi but its ok to accept compliments)
Good on’ya, as you lot say 🙂
I hate pricks like this. They give men in general and smear all the good employers with their filth. Can’t your union represent you ?, saves on the lawyers fees.
Not in a union myself, but you’re right, pricks like these don’t do men much of a favour.
FYI
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/kiwi-businesses-report-less-fraud-procurement-cons-affect-1-5-pwc-says-bd-152126#comment-646480
(MY COMMENT – AWAITING PUBLICATION)
Although the Serious Fraud Agency is purportedly the ‘lead’ agency to whom bribery and corruption complaints are supposed to be referred, in the first instance (according to a Memorandum of Understanding between the Police and SFO) – this is NOT based in statute.
http://www.sfo.govt.nz/f232,17638/MOU_NZ_Police_and_SFO.pdf
(Check out Schedule 6 – Bribery and Corruption).
If you look at the NZ Serious Fraud Office Act 1990 – you will not find the words ‘bribery’ or ‘corruption’.
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1990/0051/latest/DLM210995.html
It also doesn’t help when the SFO treats bribery and corruption complaints as ‘serious and complex fraud’ complaints, as I have experienced on more than one occasion.
Perhaps this is a major reason why New Zealand is ‘perceived’ to be the ‘least corrupt country in the world’?
Hoe are alleged corruption offences even investigated – let alone prosecuted?
Penny Bright
(More background information is available on http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz)
Go Penny!
“..VIDEO: Eminem – Ice Cube – and Korn – Team Up with Anonymous to Call For Global Revolution..”
(ed:..f.y.i..korn are playing in auckland @ vector tonite..)
http://www.alternet.org/video-eminem-ice-cube-and-korn-team-anonymous-call-global-revolution
phillip ure..
See, farming can be made better. Less use of water, less use of pesticides, zero nutrient runoff and better eating. Oh, and less land use.
This reminds me of the farm towers mentioned in Zeitgeist: Moving Forward.
John keys friend’s brother says sorry. So, let’s all move on aye.
“The head of the GCSB spy agency, Ian Fletcher, has apologised to Prime Minister John Key for making embarrassing errors in its 2013 annual report on the number of interception warrants and access authorisations in force and issued.
In each case it under-stated the number.
The errors are particularly embarrassing given the assurances Prime Minister John Key has given that its systems had been cleaned up after the Rebecca Kitteridge review of the agency.
An erratum to the annual report was tabled in Parliament today.”
With John Key conveniently not in the House?
Did Ian Fletcher hand-deliver it over breakfast?
Nothing to see here. Wrong figures given, Key could claim low surveillance whil eunder the spotlight.
spotlight gone, friend’s brother says “oops, sorry guv, my bad”
How come the GCSB can’t count!!!
The numbers were not very large!!!
They counted the wrong numbers. Doesn’t inspire any confidence in them choosing to spy on the right targets.
From Tracey @12 to Hayden toTracey (again) to dv to karol.
Thanks for the best laugh of the day. So understated. 😀
Yeah but consider the difficulty for a moment wont you, just how hard would any of them find it to enumerate past the number five with one hand continuously stuck down the back of the Y fronts leaving only four digits and a thumb,
For a start there would be the ethical conundrum for your average GCSB operative to come to terms with, whether the use of the thumb was allowed within the rules of mathematics to reach a conclusion or not is one question reliable information says that they are still debating…
SInce the budget increases, they’ve been able to wear shoes. They’re getting used to not being able to count to 20 any more, but it’s taking a while.
Nice
You lot are so mean.
It’s the result of Thursday night being ‘shit night’ across all the free to air TV channels, while i do realize that the clinic full of cynics have judged Thursday night to be the one night of the week that the slaves need to be rested so as to enable them to still have the energy to push capitalism’s heavy wheel for the full 8 all day Friday without collapsing from exhaustion,
There is choice involved here so why punish us all, they could have chosen to revolt befor the boot came crashing down on their necks 30 years ago ensuring their bondage and far far worse to come for their grand-children…
The new housing WOF pilot has been announced today. Interesting the two criteria Nick Smith will look at to evaluate success are whether the WOF’s are
practical;
and cost-effective
Interesting cos he doesnt consider it successful if it reveals significant shortcomings in homes;
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11205806
This is where the Left should be nailing the government for all its worth. As you point out Tracey such a plan should be to remove sub-standard housing and not just from the state supply but from the private supply. A simple policy of all rental properties must comply with a WOF would be great for the left to promote. Not a poxy pilot. Cost and practicality should be a given consideration for any policy. It is a no brainer for the improvement of the quality of peoples lives which is what government is about.
Flip-ping hell, you are joking are you not, what a grand idea, lets have a warrant of fitness for every rental property in the land,
What exactly do you all think is going to happen to the tenants or are they simply an inconvience to everyone’s thinking about how punishing this WOF scheme for rentals could become for the rentier class in New Zealand…
“What exactly do you all think is going to happen to the tenants…”
They get better quality of housing and living standards. Improved health. We have a WOF for cars. Why not for houses?
Really, how bout they get tossed out in the street coz the landlord would rather sell the place than spend any money on fixing whats necessary to get that WOF,
How bout they get tossed out in to the street because the landlord starts racking the rent to pay for the fixing of whats necessary to gt that WOF,
Where do you think the poorest of renters are to be found???, in the worst of houses is where they are to be found because that’s the cheapest dive to rent,
i have NO time whatsoever for the Tory landlords, but, when you start advocating for the dicking round of the housing stock available while wearing your rose tinted’s do have one little thought for the negative effects of what your proposing wont you,
Good for their health alright, nothing like a good breath of fresh air for mum and the kids when the landlord decides stuff the repairs and sells the joint…
OK. That is one scenario. Lets say the landlord does decide they are not going to fix and then sell. So they hock off the dive. Then what?
It’ll be cheap for obvious reasons. Someone either fixes and rents it because they are in a better people or in a better financial situation than the miserly landlord. Or it goes to a someone who wants to own their own home who is likely to improve its quality anyway.
It both outcomes housing stock quality increases.
So what about the tenants who have been turfed out. Isn’t that where state housing is supposed to kick in? If they cannot find a house at an affordable price then their income is insufficient or there is insufficient supply or too much demand which are all different problems requiring different remedies.
Obviously no policy stands on its own and it is the job of the government and those in waiting to compile a set that work together to improve the quality of peoples lives. The parties that do that the best and communicate that the best win the election.
I travel back and forward between Philippines and NZ and have to say NZ doesn’t have poverty as is believed by the Labour/Greens. I see poverty everyday here in PH and have to say the people effected by this keep smiling,don’t blame the Govt, keep trying to better themselves and don’t require Sky dishes, playstation and more than one pair of shoes for their kids.
From over here I think the Labour party have made a big mistake in voting a leader who makes big mistakes everyday ,who lives a life only afforded by the top 5% of the citizens and then tries to say he is a man of the common people.
You have to look at the polls in an all inclusive manner and say the average is maybe 47% Nat 31% Lab and 12% Greens, does this not tell you that the current Govt is doing a lot right
Just what I am feeling
Bring back Helen
yup, on the streets the salvation walks too, but not on the streets john key walks
Mark Rennie, this comment is so totally full of absolute and deliberate bullshit that you should be told to, ummm fuck off…
I see your fame is spreading!
i see your spewing of bitter vetch is never ending…
They have also taken arms in the Phillipines against government in the past, to get rid of the Marcoses. Now they may feel that what they have is as good as they can get. It;s a different sort of poverty, but they have wealthy doing really well, and the poor scraping by. Whether you smile or frown, the situation is the same.
@mark rennie
Inequity exists around the world. NZ is not the Philippines and really they are not comparable in any meaningful way. Just because those that suffer from poverty smile does not make it OK. Really! People smile for all sorts of reasons, perhaps they are trying to con you as a Western to offer them something? Maybe they are nice people. You have no idea as to the reason for the smile. Or have you asked them to talk about their situation.
“…does this not tell you that the current Govt is doing a lot right”
Perhaps it is because the left are not offering a credible alternative yet in spite of all the good advice they get from thestandard.org.nz web site.
I see vernon small condoning john key consorting with wail boil.
He [key] would do well to ponder on showbiz personalites consorting with criminals in the US. in the end it was the finish of them all.
Did you also note this:
Then there is poll- becalmed David Cunliffe, suggesting his $2.5 million- plus Herne Bay pile puts him in a different category when it comes to understanding Kiwi battlers, than the prime minister in his $10m mansion.
His next stroke of genius was to ask in Parliament’s Question Time about Key’s claim there were jobs out there, if people looked for them.
Cunliffe’s timing – when he was seeking a new chief of staff, had lost a senior member of his research team and had seen his potential candidate for Tamaki Makaurau, Shane Taurima, fall on his sword at Television New Zealand – was, shall we say, not ideal.
It says nothing about the genius of press gallery reporters that they had pretty much rehearsed Key’s slapdown of Cunliffe before it came.
http://wikileaks.tetalab.org/mobile/cables/07WELLINGTON461.html
“Most Labour MPs, however, argued that Key would certainly unseat Brash before the next election. If it was inevitable that Key rather than Brash would lead National into the next election, the argument went, it was in Labour’s interest to have Key in the opposition leader’s seat as soon as possible so that the friction of politics could rub away some of his glow. Better to run against Key when he’s been opposition leader for 18 months rather than only 4-6 months. Therefore Labour kept the heat on Brash, doing whatever they could to speed his downfall.”
I know we’re all wise after the event but maybe not Labours best plan 🙂
Example of journalistic excellence:
“Commerce Minister Craig Foss has confirmed that the Commerce Commerce will launch a formal investigation into supermarket sector in New Zealand.
Mr Foss confirmed it while facing questions from Labour MP Shane Jones who has made allegations under Parliamentary privilege about Countdown demanding payments from New Zealand suppliers.”
… “The Commerce Commission administer the Commerce Act. If any member gets in the way of that process or prejudices its outcome, there may be an unintended outcome as far as that process is concerned as it moves through the Commerce Commission. I’m very cautious of trying to let the Commerce Commission do what it is proscribed to do.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11206514
Not to be outdone, Stuff.co immediately offers this as competition:
No public service inguiry: English
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9745464/No-public-service-inguiry-English
I heard that foolish Foss on RNZ. He said he didn’t know how a retrospective payment would work without assistance from a time-machine. Suppose he doesn’t understand retrospective legislation either.
And this fool is helping to run the Country?
Child Poverty—Measurement
METIRIA TUREI (Co-Leader—Green) to the Minister for Social Development: What papers or reports, if any, did her office produce in the last 12 months relating to the measurement of child poverty?
Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister for Social Development) : In respect of the measurement, none.
Metiria Turei: Can the Minister confirm for the House that she did not seek any reports on the Children’s Commissioner’s $500,000 project to measure and monitor child poverty, or even seek advice on whether such a measure was necessary?
Hon PAULA BENNETT: I have definitely received reports on child poverty. I am part of the Ministerial Committee on Poverty, but I have not sought from my department an argument on the measurements. We are more interested in the actions that need to be taken, and those are the reports that I expect from my department.
Metiria Turei: Upon whose expert advice did the Minister write off the Children’s Commissioner’s child poverty monitor work?
Hon PAULA BENNETT: It was certainly discussed at the Ministerial Committee on Poverty. That is where the discussion took place. That is the advice that I sought.
Metiria Turei: Does the Minister see, then, any connection between the Salvation Army’s D ranking of her failure over child poverty with her express refusal to engage with the Children’s Commissioner’s child poverty monitor project?
Rt Hon John Key: You mean D as in Dotcom?
Hon PAULA BENNETT: I have heard it said that it might be D for Dotcom, but what I would say is that the Ministry of Social Development household income report comes out. It does an accurate analysis of a number of measures. We report it transparently and publicly. It is certainly what we, on this side of the House, take notice of. As I say, it is very transparent. The member can get a copy of it any time. It is that advice that I take.
Metiria Turei: If a parent was given a D for looking after their child, would she consider that they were doing a good job, or not?
Hon PAULA BENNETT: For me this gets to the heart of the actual issue. So the member thinks that it is only the Government’s throwing money around and getting into every household and giving them 60 bucks a week for a newborn baby that is going to make the difference. I actually think it is not about just the Government; it is about the Government, community, and parents themselves actually putting their children first in many instances. It is about what is happening in the streets. It is about what organisations like the Salvation Army do. So I do not think it is a D for the Government. In fact, what the Salvation Army did say was that “as a national community, we have made credible and worthwhile social progress. It is important to acknowledge and celebrate this because, for the most part, it is intentional and hard won. The Government should be applauded for its contribution to this progress.”
Metiria Turei: Well, then, how does the Minister explain that for all her rhetoric and chest-thumping and political bluster, the reality remains—[Interruption]
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Would the member like to start her question again.
Metiria Turei: Thank you, Mr Speaker. How, then, does the Minister explain that for all her rhetoric, chest-thumping, and political bluster, the reality remains that one in every five children in this country remains living in poverty after 5 long years of her Government?
Hon PAULA BENNETT: What we have seen by every measure is that it has flat-lined. What we have done through the worst global financial crisis—and people might like to write that off and pretend it did not happen, but actually what we did was we put more money, more support, into those families that really needed it. We are seeing improvements when we look at the number of jobs that are on board and the opportunities for people to take them up. I am very confident that you are going to see the real results of that.
Metiria Turei: Is the Minister refusing to acknowledge the seriousness of having one in every five New Zealand children still living in poverty, and is she actively snubbing the commissioner’s work on monitoring child poverty because she does not want to be held accountable for her failure to make any improvement in the lives of those one in five New Zealand children?
Hon PAULA BENNETT: And that, ladies and gentlemen, was chest-thumping. Right, so what we have here is, actually, I do not agree with the member. This is the Government that has introduced the Children’s Action Plan. This is the Government that has put more emphasis on early childhood education and that has increased the amount that goes into accommodation help. It has put an emphasis on rheumatic fever, which, quite frankly, we have not seen at all. We have got after-hours for under-6-year-olds now. We have got food in any school that wants to take it for breakfast. More than $500,000 is going to KidsCan to actually help those children. I do take it seriously. I want to see every child in this country thriving and achieving and having the best possible start that they can.
i hope that Metiria was suitable attired in sack-cloth when asking such questions of Bennett, we don’t want to have Nationals effete sensibilities over improper attire offended now do we,
Gee thanks Paula, we did notice the rain of crumbs that were quickly and quietly swept from the table in the general direction of the most needy kids in our society, the whole loaf tho is really what’s required to fix the Neo-liberal mess…
that was a good effort by turei..
..she is more than a match 4 bennett..
..by the time turei had finished..
..bennett was foam-flecked-lips/wide-eyed/over-excited..
..(hence that last hysterical paragraph from her..)
..i am glad turei is not prefacing/ending every question with a smile any more..
..it’s ok 2 b serious..
..there are serious matters/times..
..turei has a well-trained/educated-brain/mind..
..and should just keep on displaying that..
..that’ll do just fine..
..phillip ure..
and kevin hague was the star of q-time 2day..
http://whoar.co.nz/2014/new-zealand-parliament-list-of-questions-for-oral-answer-thursday-20-february-2014/
(excerpt..)
(this story has more legs than a posse of arachnids..and could well see the end of the political-career of one tony ryall..)
phillip ure..
Today’s New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows National (48%, up 1%) increasing its lead over a potential Labour/ Greens alliance (42%, down 2%). Support for Key’s Coalition partners shows the Maori Party 0.5% (down 1%), ACT NZ (1%, up 1%) and United Future 0.5% (up 0.5%).
Support for the Labour Party has fallen sharply to 30% (down 3%), while the Greens have risen to 12% (up 1%), New Zealand First 5.5% (up 1%), Mana Party 1% (unchanged), Conservative Party of NZ 1% (down 0.5%) and Internet Party (0.5%, unchanged) while support for Others is now 0% (unchanged).
If a National Election were held now the latest New Zealand Roy Morgan Poll shows that National would be returned to power.
Interesting, although the most prolific of polls and making an interesting indication of the track of the various Parties Roy Morgan unfortunately is conflicted,
It would seem the son of Roy, no not an axe murderer, the Pollster, has deep monetary ties to the Australian mining industry, and, we all can assume that our favorite Roy Morgan is likely to become the head cheerleader for the ‘National can Govern alone brigade’,
Pity that cos for me Roy Morgan seemed to provide a counter to the NZ mass media use of polls, pollsters who could be considered suspect…
In other words:
Roy Morgan was the most reliable poll. Until Labour went down. Now, it’s clearly unreliable.
yawn Disraeli Gallstone,we got this National has enough support to Govern all mind-wash of the electorate at about the same time in the cycle pre-2011 election,
Myself i prefer new lies over the same old same old tired ones, it appears tho that the defenders of the Neo-Liberal faith are either slow at making them up or perhaps have lost the ability having choked their ‘intellects’ on a diet of previously distributed bullshit…
The average of all political polls have shown a 7% swing away from Labour/Greens to National in the last month.
Now, some of that is almost definitely overstated statistical noise. But there’s probably an underlying movement back towards National.
We all get sucked into the minute of politics but IMHO the most important statistic is, absent major scandal, how optimistic people are feeling. Kiwis are feeling really optimistic right now. Hence the Government is thought to be doing a good job. Hence Labour is finding it tough.
Time will tell though.
Exactly this.
oh lol
http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2014/02/google-apple-class-action-poaching-steve-jobs-wage-theft
Silicon Valley’s collusion to suppress wages. Chilling stuff.
‘Free’ market?
People power is about people, and music is the expression of people, this may happen to a degree here in NZ, but I see stronger cultures express themselves more profoundly, right so:
While I wrote this my browser was seized, I wonder why, and we have NO free internet, we are NOT without surveillance, we are checked here 24/7, dear friends, better get used to it!
This is NOT a FREE country, it is a surveilled, controlled country! Fuck NZ! 5 Eyes and more bullshit, we have it here, and you are ALL being checked all the time.
The 5 Eyes association is NOT free, democratic and transparent, they are liars and manipulators, for the elite in power, that have a crap view of you and me reading this.
If this may have failed attention, here we have two traditional revolutionary bands or groups of musicians from Chile perform together, to celebrate the defeat of Pinochet and the regime after that dictator. It is about hymns about freedom and social justice in Chile, worth listening to and watching:
X, David has a couple of jobs going in His office, in light of your previous kind offer to act as an adviser to Him, perhaps you should apply…
Hah, I appreciate your suggestion bad12, with my personal background, they will not bother, as I am too much a “risk” factor, no matter how honest and reliable I am as a person.
But thanks for reminding, and for giving me credit. I never expected Cunliffe and his team to contact me, as they are too much geared into the “mainstream” flow, I am afraid. I may also like to please the “mainstream”, but I also have absolute PRINCIPLES!
X, but do you have other principles in case folks do not like the first set, as Slippery the PM has shown you need a well provisioned carpet-bag to get ahead these days…
My principles are absolute honesty and integrity, and that is part of what is missing in some of those that want to challenge principle void Key, that is why they now also hammer Shane Jones, questioning his “sincere” motives re supermarket deals. Politics is damned difficult, and we here can easily slam and criticise, but we need to also have ones that stand for principles, to be supported. Sadly some want support and attention, but they fall over, Labour and even Greens (Russel’s recent media savvy comments).
It may be time for a game changer, but that will never be such an idiot wannabe like Colin Colon Cringe, as he is wanting to be a “saint” to get others into line.
The left should really have a rather easy game, if only they would be totally honest, committed and straight with promoting a fair, honest and sharing society, the middle class perk agenda is only “corrupting” the left, I am sorry. It will not work. the “right” will only compete with more “perks”.
CONSIDER ME, my humble self, as an “outside” and free of charge “advisor”, I live off a benefit, and offer support and ideas to many, so Labour could learn a lot just listening to people like me, but they won’t, that is why I (and many) will rather support Greens or Mana!
Or not vote at all.
Novopay
Joyce was answering questions put to him by Campbell this evening.
Not once have I heard this Mr Fixit, apologise directly to those affected by the shortcomings of Novopay. And he is now blaming the pay structure of the education sector for the problems.
The previous payroll system managed all these complexities quite satisfactorily.
Novopay tendered for the payroll and would have seen all the nuances involved. They have come up short and caused many people a huge amount of angst. But as always it is everyone else’s fault but the government.
He’s now Mr Didn’tFixIt