My Nephew is 24, he drives a $650,000 cattle truck. He works 6 days a week and is required to clean the truck on day 7. He arrives home after 9pm, he leaves for work 6 to 7 am. Not sure how he deals with his log book. He has given up all of his recreational interests, selling his trail bike 6 months ago. The work hours and conditions are really getting him down.
Anyway, he seems to be one of the thousands of young Kiwi workers who seem to treated like slaves these days.
I want to tell him to vote for Labour…can someone tell me what Labour would do for him?
In it, it shows that a driver can be fined $300 minimum for omissions in his/her log book.
Should the users of the credit cards in the Kohanga scandal, which Parata is in trouble over, be fined in a similar way for omitting to provide documentation for their koha and other payments?
If he is waiting for politicians (of any party) to fix things at his workplace he is in for a bloody long wait.
He would be better off persuading his workmates to join the union. If the workers at any workplace are united they can make bastard bosses change their ways.
FIRST Union is the union for drivers and where enough workers in a particular workplace join up they are usually able to get significant improvements in conditions.
Saarbo, Labour propose moving to a system similar to that used in Oz. All workers would be covered by minimum industry standards, and unionised workplaces would be able to negotiate better conditions on top of that. The industry standard would provide both reasonable health and safety conditions and minimum wages and other rights, providing a level playing field in each industry. Unionised workplaces can then get better rates of pay etc. based on the profitability of individual enterprises.
I understand the Greens are thinking along similar lines and that, at least in manufacturing, NZF have given tacit support to the concept.
It has nothing to with compassion. it has everything to do with the destruction unions have wrought in australia. they’d rather lose their jobs than some of the perks. I feel bad for those non unionised people in associated industries who now face the prospect of losing their jobs alongside the union workers who caused the problems.
Stop being a goose for a moment TR. The wind down of automotive manufacturing in Oz has nothing to do with wages and conditions and everything to do with an industry whose time had come. The companies themselves (Ford, Toyota and GM) have been open that it was not wages and conditions that were the problem.
By your logic, every industry in Oz would be closing, including mining. Oz is heavily unionised, yet carries on profitably. The problem isn’t workers, it’s your bigotry.
Mining in australia will succumb quickly if there is a further downturn in demand. bigoted because I believe unions are about the short term goals unions, not about the workers and long term sustainability of industry? workers aren’t the problem either. labour is an equally important part of the economic equation as capital.
Tell you what, son. Howabout you do some research. Come back with any evidence that you can find that the CEO’s of SPC, Holden, Ford, Toyota and Qantas are blaming their workforce and the unions that represent them for their current woes. Go on, show us the facts that prove you’re not an ignorant, one eyed bigot.
Toyota disputed the suggestion of Joe Hockey that they had ever blamed their workers’ pay and entitlements, however it was no secret the company was negotiating with the unions over conditions in an effort to save approx $3800 per car.
There was a variety of factors in the decision to close, such as a strong currency, domestics sales and reducing tariffs, but production costs were no doubt a critical factor –
Employees of Toyota Australia, which is considering shutting its factories, are paid allowances so generous they have been phased out in most other areas of manufacturing, experts say.
Toyota employees who work Sundays are paid 2½ times their normal rate, paid to donate blood, don’t have to provide medical certificates for sick days and are paid “wash up time” after shifts. Other benefits include extra pay for employees who have first-aid training, for working in confined spaces and “dirt money” for performing unusually dirty work.
And then –
TOYOTA workers have launched new legal action to safeguard themselves from any further attempts by the motor giant to remove some of their entitlements…
Toyota is already appealing judge Mordy Bromberg‘s ruling which found Toyota’s bid to ‘’reduce employee entitlements’’ and achieve cost savings had breached the no extra claims provision of the workplace agreement covering employees.
Two weeks later Toyota pulled the pin, citing amongst other things high manufacturing costs.
As for SPC –
Bill Shorten as a union boss a decade ago boasted he’d got workers at SPC Ardmona a very generous deal: Bill Shorten led SPC Ardmona workers on a six-day strike during the harvest season, winning them an extra eight days “leisure time’’…
[A] 2004 press release has emerged in which the now-Opposition Leader claimed to have changed SPC working conditions “forever’’.
He said workers had “won an agreement from SPC Ardmona for a 13.5 per cent improvement in salary conditions including an extra eight days of leisure time by the third year of the agreement’’
Subsequently, last year –
SPC ARDMONA has sacked 73 workers at its Goulburn Valley processing plant as the struggling company fights for survival…
A spokesman for SPC Ardmona said employees were aware of the “critical and urgent need to transform our business’’ and … had been previously advised their positions were under review as the company assessed its work practices to identify productivity improvements.
“… but production costs were no doubt a critical factor -”
It’s evidence for this that I’ve asked TR for. You haven’t supplied anything that proves that wages and conditions were anything but one of a range of factors, and you yourself note that ‘high production costs’ were a factor. Part of that factor was wages and conditions, but it was only one aspect amongst many others. Paying slave wages would not have saved the auto industry.
The point I’m making is that the cost of labour was not the determing factor in any of those closures. Further, in the auto industry, the main unions, particularly the AMWU, have agreed ‘dead rat’ deals to help stave off the inevitable. But those relatively small concessions pale into insignificance compared to the big problems such as the high dollar and a diminishing market share.
But thanks for the effort you have put in. I much prefer dealing with facts than the mindless memes TR pushes.
Thanks Seti. you laid out exactly what the problem with the high level of unionization in australian industries is.
you might have asked me TRP, but there is no point in me repeating seti’s far better argument.
About SPC ardmona. Did the employees keep that 13.5% pay rise? were the options keeping 73 workers in a job or giving back some of the extra entitlements the union had won for the workers? seems to me like solidarity is only good when the union has an axe to grind.
edit: my “mindless meme’s” have prompted the discussion which you now find yourself battling for success in. i hardly think they are mindless now they have been proved to be based on fact and observation. not by me, as i’ve been busy, but i don’t care and full credit to seti
Of course the desire for the board/shareholders/owners of companies to wring out every last cent of profit for themselves has nothing to do with short term blindness either. If you kill all your workforce you won’t be making money either.
In reply to TRP (no reply button, is there a limit to replies in sub-threads?)
The difference is the unions would not budge in an attempt to keep their industry afloat. Any savings had to be found elsewhere even though workers were “paid allowances so generous they have been phased out in most other areas of manufacturing, experts say”
US carmakers cut the wages of their workers in half to engineer the survival of their industry six years ago, whereas Australian pay rates grew by up to 21 per cent over the same period.
The result is that the US auto industry is flourishing and the Australian one is no more, along with probably 60,000 jobs.
(AWMU secretary) Mr Smith said he would not consider further sacrifices for his members in the car industry after they had agreed to a wage freeze for three years. “Why should I?” he said. “My members have already done their bit. They’re past the post. It’s up to the government to show some leadership now, not my members.”
Even though the government was already throwing in hundreds of millions in subsidies.
Spot the difference in union leadership in the USA –
The decision of the UAW in Detroit, made as the global financial crisis took hold in 2007, was borne out of necessity after billions of dollars in government bailout money, with GM and Chrysler facing bankruptcy.Then UAW president Bob King recognised that new labour market flexibility in the car industry was the only hope for survival.
Hold on Seti, you actually supply information that confirms my point. The AMWU had already made sacrifices, such as the wage freeze, but it ultimately made no difference whatsoever. If they were all on ten bucks an hour, the industry would still be stuffed because the bigger factors, such as the high dollar, were the killers.
Hold on Seti, you actually supply information that confirms my point. The AMWU had already made sacrifices, such as the wage freeze, but it ultimately made no difference whatsoever. If they were all on ten bucks an hour, the industry would still be stuffed because the bigger factors, such as the high dollar, were the killers
In that case why did the company spend months in court with the associated costs in an attempt to wind back those overly generous allowances if it made no difference? And why did the equivalent US union have an epiphany if wages and entitlements make no difference whatsoever?
The militancy and inflexibility in Australian unionism is coming home to roost, and there is a salient lesson that can be learned here where industries have the luxury of mobility and can relocate to more cost efficient, (foreign) locations to stay viable. It’s not Toyota paying the price here.
Both unions made sacrifices, as your evidence shows. Both car industries are still under pressure, one fatally. You need to look at what the costs of manufacturing are. Hint; wages are part of that picture, but not the dominant factor. If it was, CEO’s would cut their own pay, wouldn’t they?
You need to look at what the costs of manufacturing are. Hint; wages are part of that picture, but not the dominant factor.
Well actually labour costs are the dominant factor in being competitive –
Holden said that $2000 of its $3750 cost penalty for building cars in Australia rather than Asian plants was labour, and about $1500 was the penalty for local supplies, which also includes labour.
“The reality is if they don’t get any joy out of the labour component I don’t think they see a way they are going to be able to save $3800 in costs from other areas,” says Jim Sarantinos, an industry expert and partner at corporate advisory firm Ferrier Hodgson.
“I think the labour component is the essential one as far as Toyota is concerned.”
Exactly my point, Seti. Oz labour costs are still relatively low, but they are an area that employers have some control over. Increased mechanisation in the car industry has made labout costs a smaller part of the overall cost of production, but the boss has no influence over the dollar or power prices. But the small section of costs they can influence, such as small local suppliers, contractors and waged labour will always be an obvious target.
The cost penalty referred to is the difference in cost between the cars being made in low wage countries in asia and south America and those made in the relatively high waged plants in Oz. Yet that difference is only $2-3 k per Commodore.
The quest to lower wages is not an overwhelmingly logical economic argument, its a desperate attempt to be seen to do something in one of the few cost areas where negotiation is possible. The real killer of industry remains an unregulated dollar, there and here.
only $2-$3k per car? at manufacturing. not wholesale, not at retail. It then has to have a margin added to it, it’s then sold to the dealer network, who take their margin too. that 2-3k would mean a minimum of $4k extra on the showroom floor. and that’s being very tight with margins. australian consumers, who lets face it are the ultimate judge of how expensive something is, may not be prepared to pay that cost. scratch that, have proven that they are not prepared to pay what amounts to an opportunity cost for them. commodores are a working mans car, $4k is quite lot of money for a good honest toiler. that’s half a new kitchen.
you live in a dream world TRP. costs arent’t the dominant factor? i know the left, you in particular, don’t get percentages and how they work so i’ll make it simple. $2000/$3750 = 53% of the penalty cost. and that is just one of the costs. but say the only other cost is the higher dollar. the dollar is still the second largest line cost.
More waffle, TR? Is that all you’ve got? At least seti had the smarts to do some research. My question above still stands. Show us the evidence, pal. Or just crawl away as usual.
Funny how the bosses of all those firms, except for the moron in charge of QANTAS, went out of their way to say that the unions had nothing to do with their problems.
Hello TR
You still around. I thought that the rictus of tightness would have frozen and sealed your mouth by now and you would be heckling in the sky, free of mortal constraints. Good place for you.
Im just watching a young guy losing his spirit as he is been worked into the ground. He doesn’t want to complain but he has no recreational interests, he cant socialise, he doesn’t have time to do anything except work, its disgusting. He isn’t alone though, this is just the way young people are treated now days, also seeing a lot of farm workers treated in the same way. I saw a tweet from Helen Kelly last night stating that 50% of ChCh workers are from Labour Hire…miserable existence for many kiwi’s these days.
CGT will apply to investment properties – but the real problem is the family home. If you inherit a home (say from your parents who pass) and then you and siblings sell that home it is subject to CGT. To me saying that it does not apply to the family home is a bit disingenuous as it is essentially an inheritance tax.
It clearly states on inheritance when an asset is realised (i.e. sold) then CGT is applicable. If you are happy for your kids to pay this then fine. But really when you have paid a mortgage with after tax money I think it is perhaps not so good.
BTW I have no problem with a CGT – this particular clause though IMHO will effect all inheritors of family homes and without doing too much analysis most will be middle to low socio demographics – by sheer numbers.
So, not in the least bit disingenuous, on the contrary, clearly spelled out in the policy release.
It was an appropriate use of the word “mendacious”, then. I was a bit worried you were just some credulous dupe who was parrotting Tory attack lines without checking the facts, so it’s nice of you to confirm you were lying.
I really don’t care if you think I’m lying when the document is clear. What is not good is the spouting around CGT and the family home and lying by omission that it will not be subject to CGT – kind of like the baby policy.
The house I live in WILL be subject to CGT when I pass on and leave it to my children and they quite sensibly sell it to pay down their own mortgages. Now you run along and have a sail down the river denial.
You’re wrong, unpc. Labour’s CGT policy exempts the family home. However, as was said at the time, the family bach would attract a whopping 15% CGT when sold.
Wow, 15%, how will we all survive? Oh, wait, most of us don’t have two properties anyway and under National we’re heading to where most of us don’t even have one.
“without doing too much analysis most will be middle to low socio demographics ”
umm maybe because the system has progressively reduced the number of wealthy NZrs?
or is it more likely that the higher income folk have everything so wrapped up in Trusts that they will breeze through with low tax obligations no matter what the laws say?
Trusts are not exempt from the CGT. The family home which is exempt becomes NO longer exempt once the owner dies. It is subject to CGT upon sale. I suspect a great number of inherited houses are sold once the owner passes on as this will effect a great deal many New Zealanders.
One Anonymous – I provided you the link – it is clear on page 11 what happens – so wtf is wrong with you. So shoot me instead of the policy which is in pretty clear language.
Tracey
But it’s the principle of the thing. Nobody wants to agree with the saying that there are only two certainties in life – death and taxes. And when someone actually has died then it’s sooo unfair to make them pay taxes. After they’ve gone. People can pay out $10,000 on funeral costs but a cheaper casket and so on so they can pay some tax would be sacrilege.
“but the person who paid the mortgage is dead. the home owner is dead. who is hurt by cgt being payable on the property? the dead owner”
The children lose out on their inheritance. Some parents want to leave something for their kids. We don’t all make bad choices and live in a state house.
They’ll be getting the capital value of a house, minus 15% of the profit on the sale. Or they could always live there in a mortgage free home.
I note your determination to demonstrate idiocy, but I don’t think that’s a bad choice you made, I think it’s a consequence of your diminished intellect.
no Tracey, you’ve got it all wrong
in unpcnzcougar’s world, it’s more like this . .
um every kid has their own home see and like .. have awesome lives right and when like the folks die ok like the kids well they naturally sell the house see because like they have one already so the poor kiddies are hit with paying umm a bit of tax on a property they don’t need and so it’s like all unfair and shit.
There are quite strict regulations about the hours drivers can work. He would seem to be a long way outside these hours unless he has other general duties.
So hang on… you are complaining about a hard working kiwi? This is someone who is going to get a head. Do you think everything should be handed on a platter? Jesus.
Good on this guy, he’s young enough to do it. I did this at age 21. I am 31 now and only work half days most days. I still work weekends every now and then. Hard work pays off.
Not if he wants a more profitable economy he won’t. National consistently do a worse job of managing the economy. It’s because their MPs are too busy feathering their own nests, not to mention reality’s liberal bias.
There was an interesting talk in Dunedin today by Max Rashbrooke. It was entitled “Income inequality: what are the solutions?”.
Some interesting points and ideas that have been discussed here, but he also cam up with the thing that more equal societies perform better over the long term than less equal societies. Even in pure GDP/neolib terms. The supposed mechanism is that unequal societies give more political power to the wealthy, who use that power to prevent efficient economics like cracking down on monopolies and tax dodgers (sound familiar?).
‘Some interesting points and ideas that have been discussed here, but he also cam up with the thing that more equal societies perform better over the long term than less equal societies.’
This is the premise of the 2009 book The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better. The most influential social science book for years basically fell into Labour’s lap when it was new in opposition. I would have had its basic premise on sound bite high rotation over the last 5 years. Anyway here’s an update from the Spirit Level authors in the Guardian this month.
BS Pants
Hahahahahahahah And what line did you make your pile in. The guy I knew who retired early from work had properties that he rented out. He didn’t seem happy though – didn’t
seem to have much of a life. Dead in middle age. Probably frightened to death by the CGT.
Slippery the Prime Minister gave a grand display of arrogance on the TV3 news last night, it would seem that among the media Patrick Gower now has a taste for exposing the PM for exactly what He is,(an arrogant prick with an over-blown sense of entitlement),
The Prime Ministers round of golf with Oravida owner Stone Shi heavily publicized by TV3 and other media with the proceeds going to Charity,
And the charity??? turns out the charity was none other than the National Party, so here’s Slippery Bullshitting the media that he is involved in a golf match with a leading businessman, (Stone Chi), gaining political favor from the gushing of all the acolytes out there in suburban land who all swoon as one at the thought that our PM is ‘giving to charity’ and its all bullshit,
The only money that changed hands was from Stone Chi directly into the National Parties coffers,
Paddy Gower, who i am growing a little respect for got right in Sippery’s face about this, and so He should, it aint only the public that is being taken for a ride here being treated as mere fools by the PM’s little side-show, the media here are being used as tools by an admittedly cunning Slippery Prime Minister,
Asked by Gower how many ‘other’ charity events much publicized by the media had been used by the Prime Minister as fundraisers for the National Party Slippery, ever the arrogant little prick, answered that He didn’t know and didn’t care…
char·i·ty (chăr′ĭ-tē)
n. pl. char·i·ties
1. Provision of help or relief to the poor; almsgiving.
2. Something given to help the needy; alms.
3. An institution, organization, or fund established to help the needy.
4. Benevolence or generosity toward others or toward humanity.
5. Indulgence or forbearance in judging others
Which of those could John key imagine fits his definition of charity? The point of charity is that there is no benefit to the giver, and money paid to National for a game of golf with the PM with its attendant opportunity to lobby and/or big note is not charity.
It’s paying for some-one’s time. It implies a buyer/seller, services purchased, quid pro quo relationship.
Is this what Key means when he says he gives away his PM salary to charity?
and yet nationalmuch hyped 30bn per year deal with china. but that is the total between the two countries. what percentage will come to us, and lets hope we dont get more trains from them.
Karol, maybe all the criticism has actually provoked Paddy Gower to change His ways, i was so surprised by last nights interview that i went looking for it again on the TV3 website this morning,
Couldn’t find it, which doesn’t mean its not there, just my skills at site navigation are pretty non-existent,
Credit where credit has been well earned and it was one of those moments that no-one should miss, you could tell that Slippery, doing His ‘i am the star of the show here in China’ bit for the gathered media was pissed at Gower for bringing up the golf game with Stone Shi and the fact that ‘the charity’ was actually the National Party,
The ”i don’t know and don’t care” answer to Gower asking how many more of such ‘charity events’ there were i would suggest is a preclude to Slippery losing His rag completely with Gower who up until a few weeks ago seemed more than willing to take the PM at His word being unquestioning on every occasion,
That one, the PM losing His rag on the 6 o’clock news will be a joy to watch and the ‘new’ version of Paddy Gower using ‘facts’ should have all the Party leaders sharpening up…
OAB, for once???, make that twice if you include Gower’s job done on Slippery the PM on last week-ends the Nation,
A week is a long time in politics and all that, better to let the past go and if Paddy carries on interviewing in the vein He has been then He has earned the applause…
Here you are Karol and Bad12 – link to Gower’s video on TV3 last night. I didn’t see it then, but it is well worth watching and confirms that Gower is not going to let the Oravida matter die. Key’s arrogance and “Don’t know, can’t remember” approach is over the top.
Nice links VV, i think Paddy Gower is as pissed at being taken for a fool by Slippery the Prime Minister as the PM is pissed at Gower for daring to question Him,
Who wouldn’t have immediately connected the PM’s version of being ‘won’ in a charity event with a ‘good’ cause like Auckland’s Starship children’s hospital,
Nothing our PM utters can be given face value by the media and Gower seems to be coming to grips with this fact well ahead of the rest of the ‘press pack’ who are still stuck in the ‘simpering sycophancy’ accorded the PM in His first term of ‘smile’n’wave’ snake-oil politics,
If this exposure of the PM as a fraud deepens into a battle between Gower and the PM, which if the looks Slippery has been directing Paddy’s way during recent interviews makes this a given, then we can expect in the coming months some real fireworks,
It’s not a fight the PM can ‘win’ as they are both locked to a certain extent in the dance of the mutually co-dependent but in the final analysis further exposure of the PM’s inherent ability to favor dishonesty while in search of publicity will hurt Him politically and having Gower expose Him via the use of a nationwide TV channel doubles the damage,
i havn’t been watching the Parliament’s TV but it will be disappointing if the Opposition do not seize upon the actions of the PM to grill the government at every turn about what is and is not a charity,
It isn’t the incompetence of Parata nor the perceived conflicts of interest of Collins that will bring this Government down, it is convincing enough of the voting public that their Prime Minister is a sleazy little piece of flotsam who would happily ‘use’ and ‘lie’ about ‘Charities’, to which we all at some time or other donate either our time or monies, that will rid the country of an ugly little scab and an uglier National Government…
It is just outright wrong that political parties in government get money from individuals and businesses who do deals with and get favours from the government.
It is outright corruption.
The stench is rancid.
Fuck we New Zealanders live with our heads in the bloody sand. Fools we are, fools. I think we con ourselves because we have some green hills, snowy mountains and tweeting birds – we think all is good ……. while the realities of the human beast and its history are pushed behind the blinkers…
Oh my, political parties receiving money from individuals…trusts……corruption?
glad Labour dont do that.. oh thats right.
Your heads in the sand for sure.
Chill out our economy is doing good.
“Chill out our economy is doing good.”
No, it is not. The Dairy Industry is “doing good.”
Rebuild firms and Insurance firms are “doing good.”
The economy is a large machine with scale and momentum that is not steered solely by goodwill.
Or spin. As a small country at the bottom of the world, the NZ economy is always facing an uphill battle. The thing with the machine today is it is going backwards. The debt is bigger than it has ever been and we are heading into a job drought that resembles the last few drips from a desert spring tap before the dust bowl hits. Technology is limping along and has real promise for enduring the incline ahead but if we do not do something progressive soon the people doing well will move offshore where the road is a little easier.
Manufacturing is in a well observed decline. This is unnecessary, as it could benefit from the aforementioned technology growth and a little more home focused purchasing but is stymied at every turn by short sighted purchasing of inferior foreign goods because they are [reportedly] cheaper. Redundancies across the board are a steady news item, though oddly, most don’t make the headlines anymore. Hospitality is having one of its toughest years in, well, years. Horticulture is having some serious ongoing struggles with pests and viruses, and most of them are exporters. Exporters, well as a whole, they absolutely love the dollar being so ridiculously high. Don’t they? Of course the high dollar helps Tourism, but sadly dairy and mining will notably restrict the long term potential of that particular golden goose. But golden goose stories are just nursery rhymes.
You want to talk about rock stars.
So back to the rock stars.
The rebuild will soon be evening out and within five years it will also be in decline.
Dairy has maybe ten years before the emerging suppliers replace our suppliers. This is inevitable as not only are they closer to the growing markets, in many cases they are the growing markets. They will soon be producing volumes outstripping our own supply. So we grow more cows right, and more cows and more cows. This scenario is even more likely when you consider the amount of irrigation the Dairy Industry wants to steal from NZ. Where will that get us? By that time, and with current borrowings as a guideline, our National debt will top one hundred billion dollars.
So all in all BryC,
if you actually look beyond the press releases of the vested interests,
the economy is not “doing good” at all.
So here is the latest press release for Stats NZ on their view.
GDP up 0.9 percent – Media release
20 March 2014
Strong growth in manufacturing saw gross domestic product (GDP) rise 0.9 percent in the December 2013 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today.
Manufacturing activity grew 2.1 percent, driven by increases in food, beverage, and tobacco, and machinery and equipment manufacturing. Manufacturing activity is now at its highest level since March 2006.
Dairy farming and dairy product manufacturing both fell this quarter, after strong increases last quarter, when production rebounded from the drought earlier in 2013.
“While dairy activity fell this quarter, exports were up strongly, as production from last quarter was sold overseas,” national accounts manager Michele Lloyd said.
Wholesale trade, including machinery and equipment wholesaling, increased 3.2 percent this quarter. Strong machinery and equipment sales also led to a 7.5 percent increase in investment in these goods. Investment in plant, machinery, and equipment is now at its highest level since the series began.
The expenditure measure of GDP was up 0.6 percent in the December 2013 quarter, driven by exports (up 3.1 percent) and household spending on goods and services (up 1.3 percent).
The volume of spending by New Zealand households in the December 2013 year grew 3.4 percent, driven by a 7.4 percent increase in spending on durable goods. This is the largest annual increase in spending on durable goods since June 2005.
Freedom I think you have just got to point of endless repitition, you have no current idea of how anything is progressing. Hint – sitting in a darkened room all day and typing on blogs does not make you understand industries.
I love your assumptions about how others live. For one thing, I write from my studio and a less dark room you will struggle to find. In fact the glorious amount of natural light in my studio is usually one of the first things visitors comment on, especially other artists who usually express great globs of envy at the amount of real light I get to work with.
My studio is situated in an Industrial area which houses some manufacturing firms with nationwide operations and ongoing discussions with them and their truckers who travel the country is far more reliable than a stats NZ happy ending massage.
I think it is fair to say almost all the manufacturing increases noted above are directly related to the rebuild which is a finite term and to dairy which is kind of supporting what I expressed earlier.
I know that the market never looks past the next quarter and you seem happy to follow that paradigm but I am looking at the next generation, which is what a society should always be doing and as a country we are not in any way shape or form looking past the end of our next credit card default notices.
Regarding the repetition, I call ’em as I see ’em. Ask yourself a simple honest question Rob. Why do they no longer report credit card spending as a separate item from other electronic card spending? There is no point quoting figures about how many goods people are buying when there is no reliable evidence on where the money to purchase those goods comes from. But thanks for attempting to get me to bite. Have a nice day.
Well I suppose Freedom your “insights” are true to form for The Standard regulars. We have a massuese giving us regular lessons in economics , now we have some form of artist given us the true word in manufacturing purly because their studio is based in an industrial area. This will soon be followed by the primary school teacher who will tell us about fusion.
I think you guys have got to get over the idea that you have some form of intellectual and academic superiority.
“now we have some form of artist given us the true word in manufacturing purly because their studio is based in an industrial area.”
I’ll ignore the grammar and the spelling, typos I guess. But as for the true word, no, I am only giving an opinion based on real world dialogue with people involved in the sector, not copy-pasting info from government department press releases.
I still hope you and your prejudices have a nice day 🙂
Thats Ok Freedom, I’ll continue managing my manufacturing operation, that also happens to be in an industrial area, that also utilises freight and trucks and everything. Obviously my direct knowledge of NZ based manufacturing , coupled with stats NZ data still does not surpass your in depth insight. You call me prejudiced, thats fine .
Why didn’t you say you work in the sector then? Why don’t you let us all know how your particular sector is doing? How are we to learn if all we get access to is a copy paste from a stats nz press release with no qualifier that you actually have expertise in the field? So what area of manufacturing are you in? What growth has the company experienced this past year?
btw- The prejudice I refer to stems from your own statements that people who work in one particular field apparently have no right to pass an opinion on any other sector. The one I found particularly funny was this one “This will soon be followed by the primary school teacher who will tell us about fusion.” I know a physicist who actually teaches primary school. Not here in NZ but still, Rob, pretty elitist attitude being exposed there.
Peace …. I have been flamed here before talking about personal business performance and been bullied to show links or citations.
I certainly do not feel that people from other areas and/or industries should not comment on aspects outside there sphere. I get defensive with manufacturing ( as in this business we have fought to retain it in NZ) and have got sick of people kicking it around to make political points.
Our business is a medium sized (+100 staff) manufacturer / marketer that sells consumer durables through mainly retail and dealers. We are growing at 17.5% on LY. We are employing and will increase head count by 7 – 9 new staff over the next 6 months.
I am not elitist , in fact I really hate that. But I am also ‘drier economically” (probably the most polite way to summarise) than many here.
“I certainly do not feel that people from other areas and/or industries should not comment on aspects outside there sphere.”
doesn’t that completely contradict what you wrote earlier?
and would you not agree “consumer durables” is a tad vague?
All that aside, I hate flame wars too, which is why I like The Standard. At The Standard, despite the odd drag strip crash that goes down, mostly people really are interested in real world experiences and the dialogue that goes with it. As I wrote about the other day, the sharing of experiences is what grows a community. Without sincere attempts to learn about the lives others are living, how can the differences or the similarities be focused on? If that focus does not exist, then it is extremely difficult to adequately and honestly identify problems. As you work in manufacturing you would agree that without identifying a problem it will be impossible to resolve it.
Wages are up as well, apparently.
As is government debt, household debt, power prices, real unemployment, Insurance costs, council rates, hospital waiting lists, food prices, house prices, postage, petrol, etc
This is the December 2013 quarter? Since you didn’t link to it, then lets go with that shall we…
Look at it a bit more closely (foolish dickhead). Look at the rise in non-primary sector manufacturing. Minimal eh?
Tell me what does increasing milk powder production do for the rest of the economy? Short answer is fuck-all. Which is also a good expression for your attention to detail.
And if you have the National Party in your pocket, it’s even gooder, especially when all the little Party followers come out and start shushing and smearing and covering up.
So what if you’re a micro-dairy business that doesn’t own its own justice minister? That’s just the breaks, and anyway, the largest minority voted for kleptocracy, and that’s what we’re getting.
vto
Cool it. Don’t wear yourself out so early in the election run up. Take a nice glass of water and listen to 10 minutes of music that’s the prescription of Dr Doctor.
yeah I know, chill out… the economy is good …. all else is irrelevant …. corruption no matter …. nothing like that happens here in good old kiwiland …. we’re the best …
sheesh fulla, talk about confirmation of the point made
I like your music vto – keep up our spirits as you go. Soon it will be May day and we could skip around the pole and so on.
That’s an idea. Could we in the future make enough electricity to keep some outdoor lights going or something not needing too much electricity by having a childs playground roundabout and everyone that goes down the street during the day, takes a turn to run it, wind up the battery for the lighting at night. And it would play music as it was turning. So there would be a payoff for the actor.
Some mothers do have ’em. I come up with these regularly. They possibly could work too but any new idea to a NZ is a wild and odd thing so they are bound to produce hilarity. Hope this made you laugh vto.
I don’t think what you’re saying is correct. We haven’t seen Labour’s industrial policy yet but I imagine it will be specifically focussed on helping the likes of Saarbo’s nephew.
regardless, a Left vote is the most important thing.
oooh, red guard alert. All religions are false, except mine. Heaven comes to those who believe in me, but beware false prophets, such as my twin. There is one true path to salvation, eastasia is at war with eurasia and always has been.
Thanks for that, Weka. Labour foreshadowed the ‘industrial standards’ framework at conference 2012 (some sterling work there by Darien Fenton, now also with Andrew Little’s input) and the final version will be announced as part of the election policy rollout. As I noted, it fits in well with the Greens policy of employment fairness and we can look forward to the best working environment in NZ in 30 years when we change the government.
The only false religion of concern here is neoliberalism. Perhaps we could have camps to get rid of the indoctrination with this false religion that so many of the Labour caucus still suffer from. Left wing politics in general doesn’t require religious belief at all. Most of us are happy dealing with facts and, if a policy prescription doesn’t work, we don’t think that we haven’t applied it in a pure enough form. We look for an alternative. I haven’t yet seen anything to suggest that Labour’s leaders have reached this stage.
Red Blooded’s attack on the Supermarkets & Green and anything Australian gave him headlines but oooops the Labour figures still went down! Shane can’t help himself: vanity of that degree is a terrible affliction.
Two-thirds (66 per cent) of the 17,300 babies born in New Zealand last year with Maori ethnicity were also registered with at least one other ethnicity.
The same applies to 50 per cent of Pacific babies, 31 per cent of Asian babies and 29 per cent of European babies.
Similarly, 69 per cent of people in couples who listed Maori as one of their ethnicities in last year’s Census had partners with no Maori ethnicity, 46 per cent of Pacific people had partners with no Pacific ethnicity, 24 per cent of Asians had partners with no Asian ethnicity, and 12 per cent of Europeans had partners with no European ethnicity.
Why the difference or rather what factors influence the difference I wonder.
Is European an ethnicity? Do people from ‘europe’ think they have the same ethnicity? I would find a yes to be quite strange – the same with Asian – there are lots of ethnicites within ‘Asia’ I would have thought.
In fact the employment and welfare gaps between Maori and Europeans in particular have widened, as the equalising forces in health and education have been trumped by more powerful forces worsening economic inequality: globalisation, deunionisation, tax and welfare changes, and technological shifts that have lifted demand for skilled workers and reduced demand for the unskilled.
Today’s final batch of figures shows that this widening inequality translates into a measurably worsening quality of life for Maori in particular, and for Pacific people too on some measures.
A worsening quality of life is shameful but not as shameful to this country as this
The Ministry of Justice says 20 per cent of Maori men who turn 39 this year were imprisoned before they turned 35, 4.2 times the non-Maori rate. Corrections Department research says this may partly reflect discrimination by police and the justice system, but primarily reflects socio-economic conditions such as family breakdown, leaving school early and unemployment.
The process is self-perpetuating because imprisonment itself helps to break up families, disrupts education and makes it extremely difficult to get a job after leaving jail.
I feel like crying when I read those statistics – we lay waste to generations of men and then wonder why they struggle to parent, to be non abusive partners, to have self esteem. We don’t send them to the trenches but they wallow in mud and rats and despair just the same. And then we blame them for the misfortune we heaped upon them.
according to tighty righty if the economy is growing thats all that matters. a vote for labour changes nothing of the problems you outline. they are prepared to be or look lacking in compassion to win the mysterious ordinay nzer, who i dont accept has no compassion, they may have forgotten they have it.
In sociology, it’s usually defined as a group of people sharing the same culture. “Race” is usually defined as a (failed) attempt to define people by biological characteristics – failed because inter-breeding between “racial” groups have been going on for millennia.
The traditional definition of race and ethnicity is related to biological and sociological factors respectively. Race refers to a person’s physical appearance, such as skin color, eye color, hair color, bone/jaw structure etc. Ethnicity, on the other hand, relates to cultural factors such as nationality, culture, ancestry, language and beliefs.
But a group sharing the same culture also is usually made up of a network of (biological) ancestral lines – whanua, hapu, iwi, etc, in the case of Maori. So biology and culture become interconnected.
I identify myself as Pakeha, NZ European, NZ-Brit (with a strong Scottish ancestral line). Not clear cut. But in terms of shared culture, there are some (relatively general) historical values and cultural practices that are shared throughout Europe. Within that, there are differneces – for instance, Scottish people tend to lean more to the left, and value things like a good liberal-democratising education for all, than the majority of English descent.
risldowgtn It seems likely that the shift to the SFO is a ploy to shut the matter down. “Can’t answer that as it is now in the hands of the SFO.” The threshold for the SFO involvement does not seem to be anywhere near being met. The huge shift from one day to the next looks like someone else took over the problem. Eggleton?
Te Maori Parties Te Ururoa Flavell will be on National radio’s Nine to Noon in about ten minutes in the ongoing election years interviews being conducted with Party leaders,
This might turn into an elongated mea culpa from Flavell for the Maori Party having been the lapdog of the National Government for the past nearly six years…
Didn’t the west just help topple a democratically elected government in Ukraine?
Why are they not applying the same approach there as in Crimea?
Why?
te ruskies are having a good laugh at the west’s expense and I can’t help but join in their laughter (just as long as they don’t threaten us with attack as they did 100 years ago… but yeah, nobody ever invades good ol’ NZ, the germans never laid mines across Lyttleton harbour, the Japs never flew sorties over Northland ….. tra la la … there is no depression in noo zeealaand … (to borrow from above)) – sandholes available for heads. $2 each.
and of course..it is hard to forget that this has all come about as a reaction to the latest regime-change attempt by america..(neo-nazis..?..anyone..?..)
..had they left well alone..
.we would be talking about something else..
..did they really/seriously think putin wd just roll-over..to the idea of having an american-supported regime..
It’s the basic hubris of an empire at the end of it’s reign. Instead of working to bring about their desired end they think that they can simply declare it to be the way that they want it to be, then they get upset when it isn’t and declare what actually happened illegal according to their rules – rules which they themselves ignore.
“..International observers who oversaw the referendum also said the vote was carried out surprisingly professionally –
considering how little time there was to prepare, –
and even if who was allowed to vote was a little bit unclear, –
the vote itself seems to have been credible..”
(in yr link above..the author admits there were 50 other observers..that he knows diddly-squat about..)
..so you think we should just ignore that referendum result..?
..and ignore that crimea people are russian..?
..here is gorbachevs’ perspective/take..
“.The world should welcome the prospect of Crimea becoming part of Russia as it rectifies a historic mistake from the Soviet era, the Soviet Union’s last leader Mikhail Gorbachev said Monday.
Mr. Gorbachev said that Crimea had only ended up in the territory of post-Soviet Ukraine because it had been transferred from Russia by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev when both countries were part of the USSR..”
AFAIK the Eurasian Observatory For Democracy & Elections hasn’t provided any details on who the observers were and I’ve linked up-thread to a list of the observers who’ve been identified so who were the other ones?.
Tony Ryall got a comment some time ago that he had kept the health portfolio on an even keel everything quiet on the western front. Well now Auckland DHB appears to be seriously worried. Ructions ensue. Experts comment – Salaried Medical specialists, Nurses Organisation, Health Organisation watchdogs. Watch this space.
And Hone Harawira this morning on Radonz about Te Kohanga Reo Trust was superb. He made good points in a strong, firm clear way. Assertive not aggressive. Great. He is sounding like Winston Peters who is I think a superb speaker and good at holding his point.
But Hone is coming over as having real integrity.
The Maori TV reporter was interesting. The Trust no longer lets them know when they are holding media conferences. They aren’t wanted apparently. Things have been revealed that are embarrassing.
But the integrity of Maori organisations needs to be scrutinised if they are to progress and get the fair funding that they need. Can’t have rednecks slagging off Maori projects as rorts. One of my relatives has had input into a Maori business and noticed a tendency to spend up on individual wants and not pay enough attention to the good running of the business to ensure it was staying healthy. In the business contracts had to be met, machinery needed to be checked and serviced, and that was not always done. Money was spent elsewhere.
The project, the enterprise, must be cared for as a taonga, whatever type of thing it is, and must receive adequate care consistently and carefully. This includes keeping an eye on money, wages, the outgoings going to the right places. It needs someone responsible who insists on the important rules being followed and has power to enforce them. And doesn’t put up with carelessness, shiftiness, flouting, ignoring those instructions and rules.
Jan Logie, Trevor Mallard, Russell Norman and David Clark’s speeches are well worth the read. (These are only the ones I saw – there are likely other very good ones from the left that I didn’t see)
I want to ask members opposite what they hope to raise from asset sales—$4.6 billion. What have they lost through not investing in the Superannuation Fund—$10 billion. The National Party has through its mad policy on the Superannuation Fund sacrificed $10 billion that will have to be taken out in future from the taxpayers of New Zealand.
… We have got in the last 12 months a 27 percent—27 percent—return from the Superannuation Fund, an average over its life of 9.55 percent. At the point where the Government was borrowing at 3.2 percent, it was turning down the alternative of getting 9.55 percent return from the Superannuation Fund and 17 percent—17 percent—from the assets that it has sold. They claim to be a Government with a knowledge of economic management. They claim—
A good one from Trotter, think tho Jones and Roberston are doing the job they are supposed to be doing while Cunliffe will be out on the road selling the message,
Chris is right tho, with His prescription of what the Joe Average bloke would want to see from Labour,
Its the ‘bread and butter’ stuff that is missing from Labour, and i would suggest its missing because Labour have no intention of delivering anything of the sort,
Do i see any ‘great’ difference between what David Cunliffe’s Labour is promising in 2014 than what Phill Goff’s Labour were promising in 2011,
Trotter has taken to joining the Herald columnists and pissing on Labour’s fire just as it looks like it could take off.
no doubt if it looks like Labour can pull off an election win then trotter will instantly change his tune and it’ll be as if these last few columns never existed.
That’s why I have no respect for his opinion.
I don’t think he is in touch with the internals of the Labour party anymore either. I’d say quite a few of the new power players in the party would have nothing to do with Totter and so he’s out of the loop and resents that.
What does Putin invasion of the Crimea mean for Taiwan? Does China’s airspace policy over the China sea mean for peace? And what would have happened had MH372 gone east not west, crashing into the south china seas?
The USSR cleansed Crimea of Tartars, who were returning under the Ukrainian government, will this be reversed? Will other former soviet states now be looking decidedly uncomfortable if they have large russian speaking populations. Didn’t Poland sign a peace treaty with the UK after Hitler invaded the Sudatun province???
Backer? Funny kind of backing to form a party against their co-leader’s advice. Still, I guess wingnut trash will say anything rather than face up to Gusher Collins and Parroty.
Serious Fraud Office, conflicts of interest, audiences with the lying Prime Minister for sale. No wonder you’d rather dribble over John Banks’ owner.
Tigharse almighty seti.
So no mention of the factories that holden and f&p given rent free and tax free for 15 year breaking world trade rules by the Thai govt no mentio.
Also destroying the strategic manufacting ability within Australia and NZ.
Factories are reopening in the US because of supplying savings and subsidies.
Boeing wants a $ 9 billion state subsidy to continue manufacturing planes in washington state.
Your free market doesn’t exist.
Except where big players bully small players out of the market so the big players monopolize to guarantee no competition.
Nakered man.
So farmers band together to form a coopetative union called
Fonterra to make sure they get good profits and markets when workers band together to get good conditipns its all bad according to you.
Nakered man.
So farmers band together to form a coopetative union called
Fonterra to make sure they get good profits and markets when workers band together to get good conditipns its all bad according to you.
FYI – I should be hearing back very soon from Auckland Central Police as to the outcome of the following four complaints I have filed:
Two against Mayor Len Brown (alleged money-laundering and bribery and corruption),
One against former Auckland Council CEO Doug McKay for alleged contravention of statute, because the bogus Ernst and Young Report did not follow the due process outlined in s.8 (Compliance) of the Auckland Council Code of Conduct.
An assault complaint against two Council Officers who tried to forcibly remove me from the CEO Review Committee meeting on 20 February 2014, after I was denied speaking rights by Auckland Councillor Chris Fletcher when I tried to expose new CEO Stephen Town’s conflict of interest by being a member of the unelected, highly powerful private lobby group – the Committee for Auckland (which he purportedly denied, despite my evidence to the contrary).
Could this have anything to do with the threat to sell my house?
Gosh – I wonder ………….
Seems that anti-corruption citizen ‘whistle-blowers’ in New Zealand have no legal protections whatsoever when trying to expose corruption at local government level.
High time that changed.
Fascinating the difference between my treatment as an anti-corruption ‘whistleblower’, defending citizens’ lawful rights to ‘open, transparent and democratically accountable local government, and Minister of Justice Judith Collins, who most definitely has a major conflict of interest in helping to promote a company (Oravida) of which her husband is a Director.
In my considered opinion as an anti-corruption campaigner – her actions were CORRUPT.
End of story.
I get censored, assaulted and now Auckland Council are threatening to sell my house – yet Judith Collins – Minister of JUSTICE gets protected by NZ Prime Minister – shonky John Key – in a similar way to his protection of dodgy John Banks?
Well – we all know what has happened to the DEFENDANT John Banks ….
A 10 day trial for electoral fraud, starting on 19 May 2014.
PS: If the Police chose not to act on my above-mentioned complaints – then there is always the possibility of Graham McCready / NZ Private Prosecution Services Ltd picking up the ball, the same way he did with John Banks.
Xox
I spoke to a horticultural worker and he tells me of seasonal Labour from the islands, 18 workers to a residential house, charged $130 per week. That’s 4.5 to a room (4 square metres per person) Plus charged to transport to work. And these are low paid labour, so what they get in the hand is… It’s OK though, as is approved by our Government Authorities. This reflects badly on New Zealand Inc. Reminds me of the movie “Twelve years a Snave ” These people are being exploited at a vinyard, Orchard or farm near you. Is this the “Brighter Future” promised by the Key Gang?
Seems these days if you sit down to read The Standard in about 5 minutes of starting you get this rock in your guts yes its the stone of the corporate national party and the impending reality that your not alone(GCSB snooping ?)
If your a lefty or commee in your communications with the appropriate collection of alert words will almost see you on the list of rising concern
Fuckin Key bugger off and take your control freak corporate money govt to the grave asap while decent people get on with life without your pseudo paranoid shit dribbling down on every worker in this country whose a slave to your protectionist right wing bullshit which will destroy this nation
That should about do it?
Open access notables A survey of interventions to actively conserve the frozen North, van Wijngaarden et al., Climatic Change:The frozen elements of the high North are thawing as the region warms much faster than the global mean. The dangers of sea level rise due to melting glacier ice, increased ...
Bryce Edwards writes – New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure. The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On ...
In 2015, then-Prime Minister John Key announced plans for a huge ocean sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands, banning fishing and mining from 15% of Aotearoa's EEZ. It was bold, it was ambitious, and it suggested that National might actually care about the environment. Except they fucked it up: Key failed ...
1. Who has just been given the accolade New Zealander of the Year?a. The Kokakob. The Cook Strait Ferryc. Fair God. Dr Jim Salinger 2. Which of these is an affront to decent society?a. Dame Edna Everageb. Mrs Doubtfire c. Dr. Frank-N-Furterd. Brian 3. Who is Penny Simmonds?a. The aspiring actress in Big ...
New Zealand’s biggest-ever political donations scandal is finally at an end. But what is the conclusion? No one can really be sure.The Court of Appeal released its judgement on Tuesday about the Serious Fraud Office case against the NZ First Foundation. On the face of it, the court found ...
Buzz from the Beehive Waves of rain are set to lash much of the North Island during Easter Weekend as a low-pressure system forms east of New Zealand, according to a weather forecast published in the past day or so. Niwa was warning of a “moisture-laden” long weekend, with rain expected ...
Look around us…Nicola Willis’ promises of balancing the books, of cutting spending without reducing services, and of delivering game changing tax cuts are disappearing before her eyes.Everyday we see stories of violent crime ending in horrific injuries, or worse. The cost of living worsens, whereas the PM claimed renters would ...
TL;DR: My top six news of note on the morning of Thursday, March 28 include:The Government will have to borrow between $10 billion to $15 billion more than previously expected in order to make up for a slowing economy and to pay for $14.9 billion of tax cuts, according to ...
This story by Naveena Sadasivam and Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. The long-awaited jobs board for the American Climate Corps, promised early in the Biden administration, will open next month, according to details shared exclusively ...
Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don’t think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of ...
Treasury’s first report on the economy since the change of government presents a damning indictment of Labour’s economic management. The problem for National is that it is so damning that logically, coupled with a rapidly slowing economy, Finance Minister Nicola Willis should respond to it by postponing or even cancelling ...
Budget tensions are becoming evident within the Coalition Government. Winston Peters made numerous political points in his speech to the NZF annual conference. But the attack on his own government’s fiscal policies raised issues of substance. ‘Today in the Sunday Star Times, journalist and former advisor to the Labour ...
Buzz from the Beehive The media – sure enough – have been binging on Finance Minister Nicola Willis’ release of the Budget Policy Statement and a statement headed Government announces Budget priorities This assures us – or rather, this parrots the Luxon team mantra – that the Budget “will deliver ...
The Ides of March brought me COVID followed by a bereavement. No wonder they tell you to be careful of them.I’m home now and have resumed the interrupted recuperation. Very much looking forward to getting back to regular things. Meanwhile, some thoughts…OneThis new Prime Minister guy just keeps getting more dire. ...
News that the Chinese ATP 40 cyber-hacking unit penetrated parliamentary internet networks in 2021 has renewed concerns about the PRC’s malign intentions in Aotearoa. But is the hack that significant given the length of time that has passed since its … Continue reading → ...
When Parliament passed the Intelligence and security Act in 2017, they assured us all that it was full of safeguards. Any intrusive surveillance of New Zealanders would be subject to a "triple lock", requiring the approval of the Minister and (supposedly independent) Commissioner of Intelligence Warrants, as well as post-facto ...
Eric Crampton writes – Richard Harman’s Politik newsletter provides a bit of the context that ought to have been showing up in other media reports on potential reductions in public service staffing. Media has been reporting on staffing cuts on the order of about 7%. Is that ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – It’s becoming increasingly apparent that many perceive free speech to have become the preserve of the politically right wing, the religiously conservative, the libertarian fringe, the anti-trans, the anti-Māori and…. well, just fill in with whatever groups or individuals you don’t like and don’t ...
Don Brash writes – As everybody who is not blind and deaf is aware, there is a huge political preoccupation with climate change at the moment, a widespread (though by no means unanimous) belief that global temperatures are rising mainly as a result of the greenhouse gases created ...
TL;DR: My six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy on Wednesday, March 27 include:Chris Bishop laid out his vision for filling Aotearoa-NZ’s $100 billion infrastructure deficit in a speech yesterday, emphasising user pays and private funding, but failed to say how to achieve bipartisanship on population, public borrowing and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Former Finance Minister Grant Robertson and former Prime Minister Chris Hipkins have been conveying how unhappy they are with the tax system. Last week in his valedictory speech, Robertson called for the introduction of a wealth or capital gains tax. And this week Hipkins ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Buzz from the Beehive China has loomed large in Beehive considerations over the past 24 hours, largely because of that country’s mischief-making in the cyber espionage department. Two media statements emerged on that subject hard on the heels of the PM baulking at questions put to him on RNZ’s Morning ...
Chris Trotter writes – WHY IS THE NATIONAL PARTY doing so much for landlords, property developers, trucking, and construction companies, and so little for everybody who isn’t already pretty well-off? It’s as if protecting landlords’ investments and building apartments and roads now constitute the whole of National’s ...
Bryce Edwards writes – When she was campaigning to be Minister of Finance last year, Nicola Willis pledged that she would resign from the job if she failed to deliver tax cuts in her first Budget. Now, it’s that pledge, along with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s ...
Robert MacCulloch writes – The Reserve Bank has doubled staff numbers in five years to 510, with personnel costs rising to $80 million in 2023 from $32 million in 2018 – up by a whopping 150%. I guess when you print $50 billion and flood markets with liquidity, ...
The furore. In case you didn’t notice there was a controversy in the weekend involving dolphins in a little town off the South Island. Don’t panic, they haven’t declared independence and resumed whaling, this was simply a sailing event.The problem began when racing was cancelled on the opening day of ...
For 20 years or more, the case for a meaningful capital tax gains has been mulled over and analysed to death, including by the tax working group chaired by Sir Michael Cullen. More than once, the International Monetary Fund has said a CGT would be a good idea for New ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: The Public Health Communications Centre (PHCC) call for urgent preventive action and a risk assessment survey of long covid in this briefing noteLocal scoop: NZ road deaths surpass OECD rates, so why is the govt reversing safety plans? ...
This story was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. This story is part of a collaboration with Grist and WABE to demystify the Georgia Public Service Commission, the small but powerful state-elected board that makes critical decisions about everything from raising ...
This is a guest post from Robert McLachlan Global warming is accelerating; 2023 was off the charts. We need to stop burning fossil fuels. In New Zealand, transport accounts for half of all fossil fuels burnt. In the Emissions Reduction Plan, transport emissions fall 41% by 2035. As the ...
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Faced with a barrage of criticism over the promised tax cuts from usually supportive commentators, Finance Minister Nicola Willis yesterday reaffirmed her intention to include them in this year’s Budget. The Government is up against it over the cuts just about every way it turns. Commentators like Fran O’Sullivan, Matthew ...
Here’s my pick of today’s substack posts as of 6:26pm on Monday, March 25: writes via his substack that Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper writes via his substack about the problems talking to double-cab ute (truck) drivers about their vehicles. today about moments of radicalisation in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Just before Christmas, Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivered something that was pitched as a mini-budget and brayed about the decisive action being taken to repair the Government books and support income tax relief in Budget 2024. In a statement headed Fiscal repair job underway. she introduced ...
My sister Belinda asked Dad yesterday what one word would describe Mum best. He said: vivacious.If you only knew her from the photos on the slideshow we've made for today,you might wonder about that, because the camera tended to lie with Mum.If ever she saw a camera pointed at her, she ...
There are two major public consultations closing in the next week, Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), and the draft Government Policy Statement on Land Transport (GPS). Closing dates and times: LTP closes Thursday 28 February, at 11.59pm – a minute to midnight! GPS closes Tuesday 2 April, at 12pm noon – note that’s ...
From Kiwiblog’s David Farrar – Bryce Wilkinson writes: Senior Fellow Bryce Wilkinson’s analysis reveals that since March 2009, New Zealand has spent $158 billion more overseas than it has earned, but its NIIP has only fallen by $32 billion.Statistics New Zealand shows that receipts from overseas reinsurers have ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition? Brian Easton writes – The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could ...
Dear Nicola Willis,Right now you’ve probably got lots of competing demands coming at you. Ministers who’ve inherited quite a mess, or so you’ve told us, looking for money in the budget to improve things. I imagine that’s why they came to parliament - to make things better.You’ll have to make ...
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A listing of 36 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 17, 2024 thru Sat, March 23, 2024. Story of the week Thanks to John Mason having the stamina to sit down to watch "Climate - the Movie" ...
This morning the Q&A programme had Simeon Brown on to talk about National’s replacement for Three Waters. In case anyone’s forgotten the three are - drinking water, waste water, and sewerage. It’s quite important not to get them mixed up. In much the same way that you wouldn’t want to ...
Today’s newsletter comes with a mini-podcast conversation between me and my buddy Liv Tennet, talking about her time as a child actor in Lord of the Rings. It’s a conversation with a lot of giggles as she talks about falling off a horse, and becoming a meme. Read ...
The Desmog Climate Disinformation Database documents, "individuals and organisations that have helped to delay and distract the public and our elected leaders from taking needed action to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and fight global warming." It's a who's who of the organised climate change denial movement, in other words. In ...
Bob Edlin writes – A High Court judge has decided miscreants who have mana – or who claim to have mana – should be treated differently from miscreants who have none. It’s a ruling that suggests indigenous law-breakers have a better chance of securing a discharge without conviction ...
Welcome to the first, and possibly last, edition of Brickbats, Bouquets and Bull’s Wool. In which I’ll take a look at the events of the last week or so, and rate them.In such ratings the numbers usually have more to do with the opinions of the reviewer, than the actual ...
Roger Partridge writes – My earlier column this month, New Zealand’s highest court could be facing a turning point, prompted a flood of feedback from business readers and lawyers alike. A common query was what Parliament can do to restrain an overreaching judiciary. This week I discuss two steps Parliament ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.16pm on Friday, March 22: writes about New Zealand's Building Boom—And What the World Must Learn From It over at his substack. challenges the Auckland Council’s use of a 3.8 degrees of warming forecast to oppose a wave-park and data centre project ...
Is she hinting that the Coalition Government will have to back down on key promises it made in Opposition?The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, is telling an evolving story about her fiscal challenges. In Opposition she was confident that she could deliver her promised income tax cuts. Appointed minister, she ...
Buzz from the Beehive Ministers of the Crown have drawn attention to one sector of the science sector which is unlikely to be subjected to heavy spending cuts, a state-funded broadcaster which is doing nicely, thank you, and a sporting event that had $5.4 million from the public purse puffed ...
Abbott’s Freestyle Libre sensors allow continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The sensor is applied to the back of the patient’s arm, with a thin filament under the skin measuring glucose levels constantly. But it costs around $100 per sensor and must be replaced once every 14 days. Photo by BSIP/Universal Images ...
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security (IGIS) recently released a report in which he exposes the existence of a foreign intelligence partner-controlled technological “capability” inside the headquarters of the GCSB, NZ’s 5 Eyes-affiliated signals intelligence collection and analysis agency. … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – Nearly three decades after the introduction of MMP and multiparty governments there should be a greater level of understanding about their finer points than often appears to be the case. The reaction to the despicable outburst from the Deputy Prime Minister at the weekend highlights ...
The sweet kisses from fruit of summerHave slowly been turning dullerYou say, "those times"And "remember the daysWhen we went outside and there still was the shade?"Taking no reason into play…Autumn. Clear, blue days shortening to longer nights, growing colder. Aotearoa.That’s us. The temperature dropping, the looming car crash - so ...
Bryce Edwards writes – “It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April ...
David Farrar writes – The Electoral Commission has published the expense returns for political parties for the 2023 election. I’ve put them in a table with how many votes a party got so we can see the spend per vote. National only spent $3.34 for every vote they got, almost ...
Winston Peters’ headline-making actions over the past week may have been a show of political power intended to strengthen his hand in Budget negotiations. It was no accident that his State of the Nation speech was as it was. He made it as New Zealand First Leader, not as Deputy ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:Former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson bowed out of politics this week, giving a series of exit ...
Graham Adams writes — If you love the law or sausages, as the saying goes, best not to look too closely at how they are made. And after watching the orgy of self-pity when Newshub’s closure was announced on February 28, television journalism should definitely be added to the list of those ...
Venerable New Zealand political commentator, Chris Trotter (https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/), is a sad creature these days. Once one of the most reliable Leftist writers out there – Economic Left at that – Trotter seems to have absorbed the worldview of Auckland culture-war obsessives. It is not for me to categorise what he ...
The cruelty of short-term memory loss is that each time you ask where she is, you get the fresh shock and grief of the news. That was Dad's day yesterday.Comfortingly, it seems to be less so today. Last night he looked crumpled, today he seems more settled. There's a card ...
Photo by Alvan Nee on UnsplashIt’s that new day of the week (Thursday rather than Friday) when and I co-host our ‘hoon’ webinar with paying subscribers to The Kākā for an hour at 5 pm. Jump on this link on YouTube Livestream for our chat about the week’s news ...
Buzz from the Beehive One minister is talking tough while a colleague – whose ministry had acted tough and drawn a barrage of flak – has shown an official softening. Some ministers are doing what Labour was good at, which is distributing public funds to causes regarded as worthy or ...
A ballot for 4 Member's Bills was held today, and the following bills were drawn: Insurance Contracts Bill (Duncan Webb) Income Tax (Clean Transport FBT Exclusion) Amendment Bill (Julie Anne Genter) Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill (Greg Fleming) Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) ...
One of the strongest narratives about "our" spy agencies is that they are basically institutional traitors, working for foreign powers (or just themselves), without any control or oversight by the elected government. And today, we have yet another report from the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security which explicitly confirms this. ...
“It is often said that behind every great man is a great woman”. This is the pitch by the National Party Botany electorate branch to attend their “Ladies Afternoon Tea with Amanda Luxon”. For $110 including GST, you can turn up on Saturday 20 April to meet the Prime Minister’s ...
The Coalition Government’s plan to ‘get Auckland moving’ is a cuts cover-up that will ultimately cost Aucklanders more to move around the city, says Labour Auckland Issues spokesperson Shanan Halbert. ...
Slashing the Ministry of Pacific Peoples by 40% will have a devastating impact on pacific communities and further highlights how little this government cares about anything other than cutting taxes for the wealthiest few. ...
Labour has proposed an urgent inquiry to investigate the ever-increasing profits of supermarkets, aiming to lower costs for shoppers and food producers alike, says Labour Spokesperson for Commerce and Consumer Affairs Arena Williams and Primary Production Spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel. ...
With 14% of jobs on the line at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities, the responsible Minister Melissa Lee is failing to stand up for the very communities she’s meant to be representing. ...
COURT OF APPEAL: TRIFECTA OF VICTORY FOR NZ FIRST, TRIFECTA OF FAILURE FOR OPPONENTS For the third time since April 2020, New Zealand First has defeated the Serious Fraud Office and all those complicit in a malicious attack against a political party going about its lawful business in a lawful ...
The Green Party stands with people who live in public housing, people in dire housing need, experts and advocates in demanding better than the Government’s archaic approach to housing those who need our support the most. ...
New Zealand has recently lost the hosting rights of some major international sporting events including the America’s Cup, the Rugby Championship, Netball World Cup, and the Wellington Sevens. We are now at a huge risk of losing SailGP as well. And it won’t stop there. The recent issues with SailGP ...
A Member’s Bill drawn this week would modernise insurance law and make things fairer and more transparent for consumers, Christchurch Central MP Duncan Webb said. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues has confirmed she was aware of funding issues in mid-December and did nothing to stop it. On 14 March, she signed off on changes that were announced and implemented on 18 March without any consultation with disability communities. ...
Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter says her members' bill is an opportunity for the coalition government to plug the gap in electric vehicle incentives. ...
The National Government continues to talk about irresponsible tax cuts that will only drive up inflation, despite the country entering a technical recession. ...
The Minister for Disability Issues must act urgently to reinstate flexibility around the funding for disability support and apologise to disabled carers. ...
This story has been initiated by a leftie shill reporter who proactively sought to call a member of a former band, which disbanded twelve years ago, give their biased appraisal of what was said in my speech, and concocted a ham-fisted attempt at a story that does nothing but show ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Many in the mainstream media have taken what was said in New Zealand First’s State of the Nation Speech in Palmerston North on Sunday and deliberately, deceitfully, and ignorantly misrepresented what I said and why I said it. The headlines and commentary on the news stated that I compared ‘co-governance ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
Good afternoon. Thank you for, in your very busy lives, turning up to this meeting today. On October 14th last year New Zealanders overwhelmingly voted for change. That is exactly what this new government is bringing. New Zealand First campaigned to ‘take back our country’ and stop the disastrous economic ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has welcomed the passing of legislation to move light electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) into the road user charges system from 1 April. “It was always intended that EVs and PHEVs would be exempt from road user charges until they reached two ...
New Zealand is strengthening its ability to combat illegal fishing outside its domestic waters and beef up regulation for its own commercial fishers in international waters through a Bill which had its first reading in Parliament today. The Fisheries (International Fishing and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2023 sets out stronger ...
Economists Carl Hansen and Professor Prasanna Gai have been appointed to the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee, Finance Minister Nicola Willis announced today. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is the independent decision-making body that sets the Official Cash Rate which determines interest rates. Carl Hansen, the executive director of Capital ...
Apartment owners and buyers will soon have greater protections as further changes to the law on unit titles come into effect, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “The Unit Titles (Strengthening Body Corporate Governance and Other Matters) Amendment Act had already introduced some changes in December 2022 and May 2023, and ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters will travel to Egypt and Europe from this weekend. “This travel will focus on a range of New Zealand’s traditional diplomatic and security partnerships while enabling broad engagement on the urgent situation in Gaza,” Mr Peters says. Mr Peters will attend the NATO Foreign ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown is encouraging all road users to stay safe, plan their journeys ahead of time, and be patient with other drivers while travelling around this Easter long weekend. “Road safety is a responsibility we all share, and with increased traffic on our roads expected this Easter we ...
About 1.4 million New Zealanders will receive cost of living relief through increased government assistance from April 1 909,000 pensioners get a boost to Superannuation, including 5000 veterans 371,000 working-age beneficiaries will get higher payments 45,000 students will see an increase in their allowance Over a quarter of New Zealanders ...
Ensuring social housing is being provided to those with the greatest needs is front of mind as the Government restarts social housing tenancy reviews, Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka says. “Our relentless focus on building a strong economy is to ensure we can deliver better public services such as social ...
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will not go ahead, with Cabinet deciding to stop work on the proposed reserve and remove the Bill that would have established it from Parliament’s order paper. “The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill would have created a 620,000 sq km economic no-go zone,” Oceans and Fisheries Minister ...
Dam safety regulations are being amended so that smaller dams won’t be subject to excessive compliance costs, Minister for Building and Construction Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on reducing costs and removing unnecessary red tape so we can get the economy back on track. “Dam safety regulations ...
The coalition Government is expanding the medium-scale adverse event classification to parts of the North Island as dry weather conditions persist, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “I have made the decision to expand the medium-scale adverse event classification already in place for parts of the South Island to also cover the ...
The passing of legislation giving effect to coalition Government tax commitments has been welcomed by Finance Minister Nicola Willis. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill will help place New Zealand on a more secure economic footing, improve outcomes for New Zealanders, and make our tax system ...
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds today announced plans to transform our science and university sectors to boost the economy. Two advisory groups, chaired by Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, will advise the Government on how these sectors can play a greater ...
The Budget will deliver urgently-needed tax relief to hard-working New Zealanders while putting the government’s finances back on a sustainable track, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Finance Minister made the comments at the release of the Budget Policy Statement setting out the Government’s Budget objectives. “The coalition Government intends ...
The coalition Government will look at options to address a zoning issue that limits how much financial support Queenstown residents can get for accommodation. Cabinet has agreed on a response to the Petitions Committee, which had recommended the geographic information MSD uses to determine how much accommodation supplement can be ...
Cabinet has agreed to a short extension to the final reporting timeframe for the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care from 28 March 2024 to 26 June 2024, Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden says. “The Royal Commission wrote to me on 16 February 2024, requesting that I consider an ...
The coalition Government is delivering an $18 million boost to New Zealanders needing to travel for specialist health treatment, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “These changes are long overdue – the National Travel Assistance (NTA) scheme saw its last increase to mileage and accommodation rates way back in 2009. ...
The Government is recognising the innovative and rising talent in New Zealand’s growing space sector, with the Prime Minister and Space Minister Judith Collins announcing the new Prime Minister’s Prizes for Space today. “New Zealand has a growing reputation as a high-value partner for space missions and research. I am ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity, attributed to groups sponsored by the Chinese Government, targeting democratic institutions in both New ...
Independent Reviewers appointed for School Property Inquiry Education Minister Erica Stanford today announced the appointment of three independent reviewers to lead the Ministerial Inquiry into the Ministry of Education’s School Property Function. The Inquiry will be led by former Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully. “There is a clear need ...
State Highway 1 across the Brynderwyns will be open for Easter weekend, with work currently underway to ensure the resilience of this critical route being paused for Easter Weekend to allow holiday makers to travel north, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Today I visited the Brynderwyn Hills construction site, where ...
Introduction Good morning to you all, and thanks for having me bright and early today. I am absolutely delighted to be the Minister for Infrastructure alongside the Minister of Housing and Resource Management Reform. I know the Prime Minister sees the three roles as closely connected and he wants me ...
New Zealand stands with the United Kingdom in its condemnation of People’s Republic of China (PRC) state-backed malicious cyber activity impacting its Electoral Commission and targeting Members of the UK Parliament. “The use of cyber-enabled espionage operations to interfere with democratic institutions and processes anywhere is unacceptable,” Minister Responsible for ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters and Defence Minister Judith Collins today announced New Zealand will provide logistics support for the upcoming Solomon Islands election. “We’re sending a team of New Zealand Defence Force personnel and two NH90 helicopters to provide logistics support for the election on 17 April, at the request ...
The European Union Free Trade Agreement Legislation Amendment Bill received Royal Assent today, completing the process for New Zealand’s ratification of its free trade agreement with the European Union. “I am pleased to announce that today, in a small ceremony at the Beehive, New Zealand notified the European Union ...
Public consultation on the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into COVID-19 Lessons has concluded, Internal Affairs Minister Hon Brooke van Velden says. “I have been advised that there were over 11,000 submissions made through the Royal Commission’s online consultation portal.” Expanding the scope of the Royal Commission of ...
Hardworking families are set to benefit from a new credit to help them meet their early childcare education (ECE) costs, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. From 1 July, parents and caregivers of young children will be supported to manage the rising cost of living with a partial reimbursement of their ...
A specialised Independent Technical Advisory Group (ITAG) tasked with preparing and publishing independent non-binding advice on the design of a "green" (sustainable finance) taxonomy rulebook is being established, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Comprising experts and market participants, the ITAG's primary goal is to deliver comprehensive recommendations to the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins has thanked the Chief of Army, Major General John Boswell, DSD, for his service as he leaves the Army after 40 years. “I would like to thank Major General Boswell for his contribution to the Army and the wider New Zealand Defence Force, undertaking many different ...
25 March 2024 Minister to meet Australian counterparts and Manufacturing Industry Leaders Small Business, Manufacturing, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly will travel to Australia for a series of bi-lateral meetings and manufacturing visits. During the visit, Minister Bayly will meet with his Australian counterparts, Senator Tim Ayres, Ed ...
Government commits almost $3 million for period products in schools The Coalition Government has committed $2.9 million to ensure intermediate and secondary schools continue providing period products to those who need them, Minister of Education Erica Stanford announced today. “This is an issue of dignity and ensuring young women don’t ...
Good morning, it’s great to be here. First, I would like to acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors and thank you for the opportunity to be here this morning. I would like to use this opportunity to outline the Government’s ambitious plan and what we hope to ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti has announced the Government’s commitment to the Auckland Secondary Schools Māori and Pacific Islands Cultural Festival, more commonly known as Polyfest. “The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is a longtime supporter of Polyfest and, as it celebrates 49 years in 2024, I’m proud to ...
Before moving onto the substance of today’s address, I want to recognise the very significant and ongoing contribution the Breast Cancer Foundation makes to support the lives of New Zealand women and their families living with breast cancer. I very much enjoy working with you. I also want to recognise ...
New Zealand has notched up a first with the launch of University of Canterbury research to the International Space Station, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins says. The hardware, developed by Dr Sarah Kessans, is designed to operate autonomously in orbit, allowing scientists on Earth to study ...
Introduction Thank you for inviting me to speak with you today and I’m sorry I can’t be there in person. Yesterday I started in Wellington for Breakfast TV, spoke to a property conference in Auckland, and finished the day speaking to local government in Christchurch, so it would have been ...
The Coalition Government is contributing more than $1 million to support the establishment of an emergency multi-agency coordination centre in Northland. Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced the contribution today during a visit of the Whangārei site where the facility will be constructed. “Northland has faced a number ...
New Zealanders have enjoyed a broader range of voices telling the story of Aotearoa thanks to the creation of Whakaata Māori 20 years ago, says Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka. The minister spoke at a celebration marking the national indigenous media organisation’s 20th anniversary at their studio in Auckland on ...
Commercial catch limits for some fisheries have been increased following a review showing stocks are healthy and abundant, Ocean and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. The changes, along with some other catch limit changes and management settings, begin coming into effect from 1 April 2024. "Regular biannual reviews of fish ...
Pacific Media Watch The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog RSF (Reporters Without Borders) has appealed for information about the “disappearance” of Palestinian journalist Bayan Abusultan. She was reportedly last seen on March 19 among people “sequestered” in this week’s raid and siege of Al Shifa hospital by Israeli troops in ...
EDITORIAL:The Jakarta Post It happens again and again; indigenous Papuans fall victim to Indonesian soldiers. This time, we have photographic evidence for the brutality, with videos on social media showing a Papuan man being tortured by a group of plainclothes men alleged to be the Indonesian Military (TNI) members. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Director of the Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy & Associate Professor, New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity A strange and eclectic range of activities takes place across these few weeks of the year. Some ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University It’s Easter weekend, which means many of us will be kicking back with the greatest hits on repeat. But whether you’re a boomer, or an ‘80s or ’90s kid, you might be ...
RNZ Pacific Fiji’s Acting Public Prosecutor has filed an appeal against the sentences of former prime minister Voreqe Bainimarama and suspended police chief Sitiveni Qiliho in their corruption case. Bainimarama was granted an absolute discharge for attempting to pervert the course of justice while Qiliho received a conditional discharge with ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Arosha Weerakoon, Senior Lecturer and General Dentist, School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland Casezy idea/Shutterstock How does toothpaste work? What did people use before toothpaste was invented? – Amelia, age 7, Meanjin (Brisbane) Thanks for your ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Hallam, Associate professor, UNSW Sydney IM Imagery/Shutterstock Solar SunShot is well named. The Australian government announced today it would plough A$1 billion into bringing back solar manufacturing to Australia, boosting energy security, swapping coal and gas jobs for those ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Clare Dix, Research Fellow in Nutrition & Dietetics, The University of Queensland Easter is the time for chocolate. The shops are full of fantastically packaged and shiny chocolates in all shapes and sizes, making trips to the supermarket with children more challenging ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Felton, Adjunct Senior Researcher, University of South Australia Even in a stubborn cost-of-living crisis, it seems there’s one luxury most Australians won’t sacrifice – their daily cup of coffee. Coffee sales have largely remained stable, even as financial pressures have ...
Mining company Trans-Tasman Resources has unexpectedly withdrawn its application for a consent to suck the valuable metals vanadium and titanium from the Taranaki seafloor, as it apparently wagers on the Government’s new fast-track process. It had spent two-and-a-half days putting its case to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision-making committee, at ...
Contrary to the Associate Minister of Education’s claims, analysis of Healthy School Lunches Programme - Ka Ora, Ka Ako assessments has revealed it provides excellent value for the taxpayer dollar, as a groundswell of public opposition to Government ...
Greenpeace says wannabe Taranaki seabed miner Trans-Tasman Resources is likely banking on Christopher Luxon’s fast-track process to side-step proper scrutiny of its Taranaki seabed mining proposal by bailing out of the Environmental Protection Agency hearing ...
Kiwis Against Seabed mining today slammed Australian owned would-be seabed miner Trans Tasman Resources (TTR) for abandoning its application to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight. The company ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Attwell, Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, The University of Western Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Months after COVID vaccines were introduced in 2021, governments and private organisations mandated them for various groups. Health and aged care workers were among the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dzurak, Scientia Professor Andrew Dzurak, CEO and Founder of Diraq, UNSW Sydney Diraq For decades, the pursuit of quantum computing has struggled with the need for extremely low temperatures, mere fractions of a degree above absolute zero (0 Kelvin or ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Essential poll, conducted March 20–24 from a sample of 1,150, gave the Coalition a 50–44 lead including undecided, a reversal ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has today made a formal request under the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Open Government Information () for information held about how New Zealand Members of Parliament are spending taxpayer ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Nelson, Honorary Principal Fellow, The University of Melbourne A Byzantine depiction of the Eucharist in Saint Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv.Jacek555/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA A nasty quarrel arose in the 11th century over what kind of bread should be used in holy ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick Hesp, Professor, Flinders University Patrick Hesp In some parts of Australia, coastal dunes are retreating from the ocean at an alarming rate, as waves carve up the beach and wind blows the sand inland. But coastal communities are largely ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Luke Heemsbergen, Senior Lecturer, Digital, Political, Media, Deakin University With an impressive 60% of the US smartphone market, Apple is undeniably big, but not a clear monopoly. Yet, years of innovation by Apple have effectively given the company its own exclusive ...
Whether you’re facing layoffs or are just an emotional junior staffer, it’s always a good idea to scout out a good crying place before you need it. It’s an incredibly hard time for Wellington. Across the city, thousands of public servants are hearing tough news about redundancies and layoffs. Government ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Miller-Jones, Professor, Curtin University Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets. Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam, CC BY-SA How fast can a neutron star drive powerful jets into space? The answer, it ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daryl Adair, Associate Professor of Sport Management, University of Technology Sydney Earlier this week, independent MP Andrew Wilkie accused the AFL of conducting “off the books” illicit drug testing to identify players using substances of abuse, then inappropriately withdrawing them from matches ...
The Government’s announcement that it will scrap plans for a vast marine sanctuary around the Kermadec Islands is ‘shameful’ and will make it impossible for Aotearoa New Zealand to meet its international commitments, says the World Wide Fund for Nature ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Shutterstock The federal government has bowed to pressure from the car industry, announcing it will relax proposed emissions rules for utes and vans and delay enforcement of the new standards ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Rutland, Professor Emerita, University of Sydney In his latest book, Jewish Life in Medieval Spain, Jonathan Ray focuses on the tumult of the 14th century in Spain – a time of the plague, civil strife and war between the two largest ...
While creating a slate of world-class shows, Whakaata Māori also developed a generation of world-class creatives. Television is an odd word. It mixes the Ancient Greek and Latin languages, and its most literal meaning is “far-off sight”. In the contemporary and living language of te reo Māori, “whakaata” as a ...
Yesterday the UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s war on Gaza. This significant step and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza prompted an urgent debate in the New Zealand Parliament. Leader ...
The Government’s decision to reduce access to continuous glucose monitors (CGM) not only threatens the lives of children with type 1 diabetes and increases the potential for ‘Dead in Bed’ syndrome, but also threatens the health of their parents an ...
Apples are available year-round, but the wide variety on offer involves intensive scientific research – and large-scale commercialisation. What’s beautiful, red, sweet and crunchy? Tony Martin’s favourite kind of apple: Sassy. The CEO of apple and pear breeding organisation Prevar, Martin’s fondness for Sassy represents professional success as well as ...
Family violence specialist service Shine is calling on employers to stop asking for proof of domestic violence in order for employees to access domestic violence leave. The call comes five years after the introduction of the Domestic Violence ...
The Deputy Chairperson of the Finance and Expenditure Committee is calling for public submissions on the Budget Policy Statement 2024. The Budget Policy Statement 2024 (BPS) sets out the Government's priorities for the 2024 Budget. It explains the approach ...
Brutal government spending cuts that will see the size of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples slashed by 40% will hit Pasifika communities hard, the PSA says. The Ministry has told staff that it is seeking voluntary redundancies, and to redeploy and reassign ...
I live with five people I mostly love, but our different ideas about generosity are starting to really irk me.Want Hera’s help? Email your problem to helpme@thespinoff.co.nzDear Hera,This is a bit of a random one but here goes. I’m 22 and work an OK job (OK meaning I get paid ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Nicholas, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literacy Education, Deakin University Earlier this month, the New South Wales government announced it would roll out programs for gifted students in every public school in the state. This comes amid concerns gifted school ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Rudge, Law lecturer, University of Sydney Massachusetts General Hospital In a world first, we heard last week that US surgeons had transplanted a kidney from a gene-edited pig into a living human. News reports said the procedure was a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Tombs, Howard Paterson Chair of Theology and Public Issues, University of Otago The 5th-century Maskell panel showing Jesus in a loincloth.British Museum, CC BY-NC-SA When Jesus is shown on the cross, he is almost always depicted wearing a loincloth around ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Panizza Allmark, Professor Visual & Cultural Studies, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock When you think about a red object, you might picture a red carpet, or the massive ruby in the Queen’s crown. Indeed, Western monarchies and marketing from brands such ...
COMMENTARY:Jewish Voice for Peace The UN Security Council passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Monday — and for the first time since the beginning of the Israeli military’s genocide of Palestinians, the United States abstained rather than vetoing it. Security Council resolutions are legally binding, ...
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My Nephew is 24, he drives a $650,000 cattle truck. He works 6 days a week and is required to clean the truck on day 7. He arrives home after 9pm, he leaves for work 6 to 7 am. Not sure how he deals with his log book. He has given up all of his recreational interests, selling his trail bike 6 months ago. The work hours and conditions are really getting him down.
Anyway, he seems to be one of the thousands of young Kiwi workers who seem to treated like slaves these days.
I want to tell him to vote for Labour…can someone tell me what Labour would do for him?
http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/factsheets/02/docs/02-work-time.pdf
Interesting document, BM. Thanks.
In it, it shows that a driver can be fined $300 minimum for omissions in his/her log book.
Should the users of the credit cards in the Kohanga scandal, which Parata is in trouble over, be fined in a similar way for omitting to provide documentation for their koha and other payments?
If he is waiting for politicians (of any party) to fix things at his workplace he is in for a bloody long wait.
He would be better off persuading his workmates to join the union. If the workers at any workplace are united they can make bastard bosses change their ways.
FIRST Union is the union for drivers and where enough workers in a particular workplace join up they are usually able to get significant improvements in conditions.
What he needs to do is donate $55k to the National Party, then invite his boss to dinner with the Justice Minister and her close personal friends.
But I suppose joining a union would be a good idea too.
Saarbo, Labour propose moving to a system similar to that used in Oz. All workers would be covered by minimum industry standards, and unionised workplaces would be able to negotiate better conditions on top of that. The industry standard would provide both reasonable health and safety conditions and minimum wages and other rights, providing a level playing field in each industry. Unionised workplaces can then get better rates of pay etc. based on the profitability of individual enterprises.
I understand the Greens are thinking along similar lines and that, at least in manufacturing, NZF have given tacit support to the concept.
it’s almost like SPC, holden, ford, toyota and qantas never happened in your world
its almost like compassion for fellow kiwis never happens on your planet.
It has nothing to with compassion. it has everything to do with the destruction unions have wrought in australia. they’d rather lose their jobs than some of the perks. I feel bad for those non unionised people in associated industries who now face the prospect of losing their jobs alongside the union workers who caused the problems.
Stop being a goose for a moment TR. The wind down of automotive manufacturing in Oz has nothing to do with wages and conditions and everything to do with an industry whose time had come. The companies themselves (Ford, Toyota and GM) have been open that it was not wages and conditions that were the problem.
By your logic, every industry in Oz would be closing, including mining. Oz is heavily unionised, yet carries on profitably. The problem isn’t workers, it’s your bigotry.
yup. keep telling yourself that.
Mining in australia will succumb quickly if there is a further downturn in demand. bigoted because I believe unions are about the short term goals unions, not about the workers and long term sustainability of industry? workers aren’t the problem either. labour is an equally important part of the economic equation as capital.
Tell you what, son. Howabout you do some research. Come back with any evidence that you can find that the CEO’s of SPC, Holden, Ford, Toyota and Qantas are blaming their workforce and the unions that represent them for their current woes. Go on, show us the facts that prove you’re not an ignorant, one eyed bigot.
Toyota disputed the suggestion of Joe Hockey that they had ever blamed their workers’ pay and entitlements, however it was no secret the company was negotiating with the unions over conditions in an effort to save approx $3800 per car.
There was a variety of factors in the decision to close, such as a strong currency, domestics sales and reducing tariffs, but production costs were no doubt a critical factor –
And then –
Two weeks later Toyota pulled the pin, citing amongst other things high manufacturing costs.
As for SPC –
Subsequently, last year –
“… but production costs were no doubt a critical factor -”
It’s evidence for this that I’ve asked TR for. You haven’t supplied anything that proves that wages and conditions were anything but one of a range of factors, and you yourself note that ‘high production costs’ were a factor. Part of that factor was wages and conditions, but it was only one aspect amongst many others. Paying slave wages would not have saved the auto industry.
The point I’m making is that the cost of labour was not the determing factor in any of those closures. Further, in the auto industry, the main unions, particularly the AMWU, have agreed ‘dead rat’ deals to help stave off the inevitable. But those relatively small concessions pale into insignificance compared to the big problems such as the high dollar and a diminishing market share.
But thanks for the effort you have put in. I much prefer dealing with facts than the mindless memes TR pushes.
Thanks Seti. you laid out exactly what the problem with the high level of unionization in australian industries is.
you might have asked me TRP, but there is no point in me repeating seti’s far better argument.
About SPC ardmona. Did the employees keep that 13.5% pay rise? were the options keeping 73 workers in a job or giving back some of the extra entitlements the union had won for the workers? seems to me like solidarity is only good when the union has an axe to grind.
edit: my “mindless meme’s” have prompted the discussion which you now find yourself battling for success in. i hardly think they are mindless now they have been proved to be based on fact and observation. not by me, as i’ve been busy, but i don’t care and full credit to seti
Of course the desire for the board/shareholders/owners of companies to wring out every last cent of profit for themselves has nothing to do with short term blindness either. If you kill all your workforce you won’t be making money either.
In reply to TRP (no reply button, is there a limit to replies in sub-threads?)
The difference is the unions would not budge in an attempt to keep their industry afloat. Any savings had to be found elsewhere even though workers were “paid allowances so generous they have been phased out in most other areas of manufacturing, experts say”
Compare that to – US Autoworkers
The result is that the US auto industry is flourishing and the Australian one is no more, along with probably 60,000 jobs.
Even though the government was already throwing in hundreds of millions in subsidies.
Spot the difference in union leadership in the USA –
Hold on Seti, you actually supply information that confirms my point. The AMWU had already made sacrifices, such as the wage freeze, but it ultimately made no difference whatsoever. If they were all on ten bucks an hour, the industry would still be stuffed because the bigger factors, such as the high dollar, were the killers.
In that case why did the company spend months in court with the associated costs in an attempt to wind back those overly generous allowances if it made no difference? And why did the equivalent US union have an epiphany if wages and entitlements make no difference whatsoever?
The militancy and inflexibility in Australian unionism is coming home to roost, and there is a salient lesson that can be learned here where industries have the luxury of mobility and can relocate to more cost efficient, (foreign) locations to stay viable. It’s not Toyota paying the price here.
Both unions made sacrifices, as your evidence shows. Both car industries are still under pressure, one fatally. You need to look at what the costs of manufacturing are. Hint; wages are part of that picture, but not the dominant factor. If it was, CEO’s would cut their own pay, wouldn’t they?
Well actually labour costs are the dominant factor in being competitive –
Exactly my point, Seti. Oz labour costs are still relatively low, but they are an area that employers have some control over. Increased mechanisation in the car industry has made labout costs a smaller part of the overall cost of production, but the boss has no influence over the dollar or power prices. But the small section of costs they can influence, such as small local suppliers, contractors and waged labour will always be an obvious target.
The cost penalty referred to is the difference in cost between the cars being made in low wage countries in asia and south America and those made in the relatively high waged plants in Oz. Yet that difference is only $2-3 k per Commodore.
The quest to lower wages is not an overwhelmingly logical economic argument, its a desperate attempt to be seen to do something in one of the few cost areas where negotiation is possible. The real killer of industry remains an unregulated dollar, there and here.
only $2-$3k per car? at manufacturing. not wholesale, not at retail. It then has to have a margin added to it, it’s then sold to the dealer network, who take their margin too. that 2-3k would mean a minimum of $4k extra on the showroom floor. and that’s being very tight with margins. australian consumers, who lets face it are the ultimate judge of how expensive something is, may not be prepared to pay that cost. scratch that, have proven that they are not prepared to pay what amounts to an opportunity cost for them. commodores are a working mans car, $4k is quite lot of money for a good honest toiler. that’s half a new kitchen.
you live in a dream world TRP. costs arent’t the dominant factor? i know the left, you in particular, don’t get percentages and how they work so i’ll make it simple. $2000/$3750 = 53% of the penalty cost. and that is just one of the costs. but say the only other cost is the higher dollar. the dollar is still the second largest line cost.
More waffle, TR? Is that all you’ve got? At least seti had the smarts to do some research. My question above still stands. Show us the evidence, pal. Or just crawl away as usual.
seti’s bunged it all in. sources, evidence everything why would i repeat it? makes no sense. the only person waffling now is you.
So it’s the crawl away option, TR? Disappointed.
Funny how the bosses of all those firms, except for the moron in charge of QANTAS, went out of their way to say that the unions had nothing to do with their problems.
Bagging the workforce when they still need to sell into the market would never fly from a PR standpoint.
You’re not saying businessmen are dishonest are you? Surely not.
Hello TR
You still around. I thought that the rictus of tightness would have frozen and sealed your mouth by now and you would be heckling in the sky, free of mortal constraints. Good place for you.
Thanks TRP. Will also contact FIRST.
Im just watching a young guy losing his spirit as he is been worked into the ground. He doesn’t want to complain but he has no recreational interests, he cant socialise, he doesn’t have time to do anything except work, its disgusting. He isn’t alone though, this is just the way young people are treated now days, also seeing a lot of farm workers treated in the same way. I saw a tweet from Helen Kelly last night stating that 50% of ChCh workers are from Labour Hire…miserable existence for many kiwi’s these days.
I’ll tell you what Labour will do for him:
Because of his hours and pay rate he will get whacked with a higher tax rate
If he tries to buy a house he will have a Capital Gains Tax to deal with.
However if he resigned as a truckie and got a job working for a government department – he would be set for life -$80K a year and 38 hours a week.
CGT applies to the family home?
Really?
Nah, Jimmie, the fact that you can’t make your point without lying renders everything you say untrustworthy and pointless. A bit like you, really.
CGT will apply to investment properties – but the real problem is the family home. If you inherit a home (say from your parents who pass) and then you and siblings sell that home it is subject to CGT. To me saying that it does not apply to the family home is a bit disingenuous as it is essentially an inheritance tax.
Nah, it only looks disingenuous to mendacious partisan hacks.
While I commend your use of the word mendacious I suggest you look at the following:
https://www.labour.org.nz/sites/default/files/CGTWebdoct%20July%202011.pdf
It clearly states on inheritance when an asset is realised (i.e. sold) then CGT is applicable. If you are happy for your kids to pay this then fine. But really when you have paid a mortgage with after tax money I think it is perhaps not so good.
BTW I have no problem with a CGT – this particular clause though IMHO will effect all inheritors of family homes and without doing too much analysis most will be middle to low socio demographics – by sheer numbers.
So, not in the least bit disingenuous, on the contrary, clearly spelled out in the policy release.
It was an appropriate use of the word “mendacious”, then. I was a bit worried you were just some credulous dupe who was parrotting Tory attack lines without checking the facts, so it’s nice of you to confirm you were lying.
I really don’t care if you think I’m lying when the document is clear. What is not good is the spouting around CGT and the family home and lying by omission that it will not be subject to CGT – kind of like the baby policy.
You have a fabulous day.
Yeah, the house you live in will not be subject to CGT, and that’s what “family home” means. Now run along and find some other Tory lie to parrot.
The house I live in WILL be subject to CGT when I pass on and leave it to my children and they quite sensibly sell it to pay down their own mortgages. Now you run along and have a sail down the river denial.
You’re wrong, unpc. Labour’s CGT policy exempts the family home. However, as was said at the time, the family bach would attract a whopping 15% CGT when sold.
Wow, 15%, how will we all survive? Oh, wait, most of us don’t have two properties anyway and under National we’re heading to where most of us don’t even have one.
Sell the family home? Obviously it has great sentimental value.
It’s the cash, isn’t it? The unearned profits driven by an overinflated housing market. Pure greed.
You might have to give up 15% of the profit on the sale. Sob.
um – if they sell “the family home”, it’s quite clear that the asset is more valuable to them as cash than as a “home”.
“without doing too much analysis most will be middle to low socio demographics ”
umm maybe because the system has progressively reduced the number of wealthy NZrs?
or is it more likely that the higher income folk have everything so wrapped up in Trusts that they will breeze through with low tax obligations no matter what the laws say?
+1
Trusts are not exempt from the CGT. The family home which is exempt becomes NO longer exempt once the owner dies. It is subject to CGT upon sale. I suspect a great number of inherited houses are sold once the owner passes on as this will effect a great deal many New Zealanders.
One Anonymous – I provided you the link – it is clear on page 11 what happens – so wtf is wrong with you. So shoot me instead of the policy which is in pretty clear language.
The family home stops being exempt when it stops being a family’s home. It sounds to me as though you are too stupid to figure out how to avoid this.
but the person who paid the mortgage is dead. the home owner is dead. who is hurt by cgt being payable on the property? the dead owner?
Tracey
But it’s the principle of the thing. Nobody wants to agree with the saying that there are only two certainties in life – death and taxes. And when someone actually has died then it’s sooo unfair to make them pay taxes. After they’ve gone. People can pay out $10,000 on funeral costs but a cheaper casket and so on so they can pay some tax would be sacrilege.
“but the person who paid the mortgage is dead. the home owner is dead. who is hurt by cgt being payable on the property? the dead owner”
The children lose out on their inheritance. Some parents want to leave something for their kids. We don’t all make bad choices and live in a state house.
They’ll be getting the capital value of a house, minus 15% of the profit on the sale. Or they could always live there in a mortgage free home.
I note your determination to demonstrate idiocy, but I don’t think that’s a bad choice you made, I think it’s a consequence of your diminished intellect.
no Tracey, you’ve got it all wrong
in unpcnzcougar’s world, it’s more like this . .
um every kid has their own home see and like .. have awesome lives right and when like the folks die ok like the kids well they naturally sell the house see because like they have one already so the poor kiddies are hit with paying umm a bit of tax on a property they don’t need and so it’s like all unfair and shit.
My gran used to have a dog called Jimmie. A little foxie. Inclined to jump up and bark a lot. Sounds as if you might be related.
And still be better off.
No he won’t, that would be the person selling the house.
Sounds good and he won’t be worked to death as he is now.
There are quite strict regulations about the hours drivers can work. He would seem to be a long way outside these hours unless he has other general duties.
seems unusual for an employer to be ignoring a law that puts an employee in an awful position.
Tell him to vote as far to the left as poossible as the Nacts will only make his life worse.
Tell him to vote Green.
Saarbo
Tell your Nephew to get a job driving for Fonterra. Safety is number one priority.
Shift work, 6 on 3 off for about 75k pa
You forgot to add ‘thanks to a strong Union.’
Thanks to a profitable company that can afford to pay a good wage. Dairy workers union is piss weak.
So hang on… you are complaining about a hard working kiwi? This is someone who is going to get a head. Do you think everything should be handed on a platter? Jesus.
Good on this guy, he’s young enough to do it. I did this at age 21. I am 31 now and only work half days most days. I still work weekends every now and then. Hard work pays off.
He will end up being a National party voter.
Not if he wants a more profitable economy he won’t. National consistently do a worse job of managing the economy. It’s because their MPs are too busy feathering their own nests, not to mention reality’s liberal bias.
There was an interesting talk in Dunedin today by Max Rashbrooke. It was entitled “Income inequality: what are the solutions?”.
Some interesting points and ideas that have been discussed here, but he also cam up with the thing that more equal societies perform better over the long term than less equal societies. Even in pure GDP/neolib terms. The supposed mechanism is that unequal societies give more political power to the wealthy, who use that power to prevent efficient economics like cracking down on monopolies and tax dodgers (sound familiar?).
The IMF got the memo, but it hasn’t reached the National Party yet.
‘Some interesting points and ideas that have been discussed here, but he also cam up with the thing that more equal societies perform better over the long term than less equal societies.’
This is the premise of the 2009 book The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better. The most influential social science book for years basically fell into Labour’s lap when it was new in opposition. I would have had its basic premise on sound bite high rotation over the last 5 years.
Anyway here’s an update from the Spirit Level authors in the Guardian this month.
Rashbrooke’s basically added to the material in TSL, concentrating on a NZ perspective.
Yep; I thought Rashbrooke’s talk was tomorrow in dunedin, but he must be giving more than one.
BS Pants
Hahahahahahahah And what line did you make your pile in. The guy I knew who retired early from work had properties that he rented out. He didn’t seem happy though – didn’t
seem to have much of a life. Dead in middle age. Probably frightened to death by the CGT.
The arrogance of this government, now openly flaunting ties with their cronies – PM’s own dinner with Oravida’s chairman
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11222859
Slippery the Prime Minister gave a grand display of arrogance on the TV3 news last night, it would seem that among the media Patrick Gower now has a taste for exposing the PM for exactly what He is,(an arrogant prick with an over-blown sense of entitlement),
The Prime Ministers round of golf with Oravida owner Stone Shi heavily publicized by TV3 and other media with the proceeds going to Charity,
And the charity??? turns out the charity was none other than the National Party, so here’s Slippery Bullshitting the media that he is involved in a golf match with a leading businessman, (Stone Chi), gaining political favor from the gushing of all the acolytes out there in suburban land who all swoon as one at the thought that our PM is ‘giving to charity’ and its all bullshit,
The only money that changed hands was from Stone Chi directly into the National Parties coffers,
Paddy Gower, who i am growing a little respect for got right in Sippery’s face about this, and so He should, it aint only the public that is being taken for a ride here being treated as mere fools by the PM’s little side-show, the media here are being used as tools by an admittedly cunning Slippery Prime Minister,
Asked by Gower how many ‘other’ charity events much publicized by the media had been used by the Prime Minister as fundraisers for the National Party Slippery, ever the arrogant little prick, answered that He didn’t know and didn’t care…
char·i·ty (chăr′ĭ-tē)
n. pl. char·i·ties
1. Provision of help or relief to the poor; almsgiving.
2. Something given to help the needy; alms.
3. An institution, organization, or fund established to help the needy.
4. Benevolence or generosity toward others or toward humanity.
5. Indulgence or forbearance in judging others
Which of those could John key imagine fits his definition of charity? The point of charity is that there is no benefit to the giver, and money paid to National for a game of golf with the PM with its attendant opportunity to lobby and/or big note is not charity.
It’s paying for some-one’s time. It implies a buyer/seller, services purchased, quid pro quo relationship.
Is this what Key means when he says he gives away his PM salary to charity?
Rent-a-Prime Minister, what’s that make Slippery, a mere political prostitute perhaps???…
Prostitution involves a buyer/seller relationship, usually with the buyer in the top position.
For buyer, read”Corporate America”
and yet nationalmuch hyped 30bn per year deal with china. but that is the total between the two countries. what percentage will come to us, and lets hope we dont get more trains from them.
Thanks for the info about last night’s 3 News. bad. I was out last night & didn’t see it.
If Gower keeps this up, I will do a post on it – seeing as I have done more than one post in the past slamming Gower.
Karol, maybe all the criticism has actually provoked Paddy Gower to change His ways, i was so surprised by last nights interview that i went looking for it again on the TV3 website this morning,
Couldn’t find it, which doesn’t mean its not there, just my skills at site navigation are pretty non-existent,
Credit where credit has been well earned and it was one of those moments that no-one should miss, you could tell that Slippery, doing His ‘i am the star of the show here in China’ bit for the gathered media was pissed at Gower for bringing up the golf game with Stone Shi and the fact that ‘the charity’ was actually the National Party,
The ”i don’t know and don’t care” answer to Gower asking how many more of such ‘charity events’ there were i would suggest is a preclude to Slippery losing His rag completely with Gower who up until a few weeks ago seemed more than willing to take the PM at His word being unquestioning on every occasion,
That one, the PM losing His rag on the 6 o’clock news will be a joy to watch and the ‘new’ version of Paddy Gower using ‘facts’ should have all the Party leaders sharpening up…
Here’s Paddy’s print version.
Does the fact that he’s found something true to report for once mean he’s going to stop making shit up on other occasions?
The jury is still out.
OAB, for once???, make that twice if you include Gower’s job done on Slippery the PM on last week-ends the Nation,
A week is a long time in politics and all that, better to let the past go and if Paddy carries on interviewing in the vein He has been then He has earned the applause…
Here you are Karol and Bad12 – link to Gower’s video on TV3 last night. I didn’t see it then, but it is well worth watching and confirms that Gower is not going to let the Oravida matter die. Key’s arrogance and “Don’t know, can’t remember” approach is over the top.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Assurance-but-no-apology-from-Key-in-China/tabid/1607/articleID/336569/Default.aspx
PS – As a complete aside, I had also been wondering and much as I cannot stand Paul Henry, this video answered my question.
http://www.3news.co.nz/Who-even-is-Emma-Kelly/tabid/1837/articleID/336438/Default.aspx
Nice links VV, i think Paddy Gower is as pissed at being taken for a fool by Slippery the Prime Minister as the PM is pissed at Gower for daring to question Him,
Who wouldn’t have immediately connected the PM’s version of being ‘won’ in a charity event with a ‘good’ cause like Auckland’s Starship children’s hospital,
Nothing our PM utters can be given face value by the media and Gower seems to be coming to grips with this fact well ahead of the rest of the ‘press pack’ who are still stuck in the ‘simpering sycophancy’ accorded the PM in His first term of ‘smile’n’wave’ snake-oil politics,
If this exposure of the PM as a fraud deepens into a battle between Gower and the PM, which if the looks Slippery has been directing Paddy’s way during recent interviews makes this a given, then we can expect in the coming months some real fireworks,
It’s not a fight the PM can ‘win’ as they are both locked to a certain extent in the dance of the mutually co-dependent but in the final analysis further exposure of the PM’s inherent ability to favor dishonesty while in search of publicity will hurt Him politically and having Gower expose Him via the use of a nationwide TV channel doubles the damage,
i havn’t been watching the Parliament’s TV but it will be disappointing if the Opposition do not seize upon the actions of the PM to grill the government at every turn about what is and is not a charity,
It isn’t the incompetence of Parata nor the perceived conflicts of interest of Collins that will bring this Government down, it is convincing enough of the voting public that their Prime Minister is a sleazy little piece of flotsam who would happily ‘use’ and ‘lie’ about ‘Charities’, to which we all at some time or other donate either our time or monies, that will rid the country of an ugly little scab and an uglier National Government…
Karol, it is also worth checking Patrick’s blog today on TV3’s website, and his Twitter stream. He has got the bit between the teeth on this. I commented on this on MS’s post stream here with links to the blog and Twitter account here
http://thestandard.org.nz/parata-replaces-collins-and-adams-as-nationals-weakest-link/#comment-788364
It is just outright wrong that political parties in government get money from individuals and businesses who do deals with and get favours from the government.
It is outright corruption.
The stench is rancid.
Fuck we New Zealanders live with our heads in the bloody sand. Fools we are, fools. I think we con ourselves because we have some green hills, snowy mountains and tweeting birds – we think all is good ……. while the realities of the human beast and its history are pushed behind the blinkers…
Oh my, political parties receiving money from individuals…trusts……corruption?
glad Labour dont do that.. oh thats right.
Your heads in the sand for sure.
Chill out our economy is doing good.
Sorry? Perhaps you could point to where I referred to a difference between the parties?
“in government”
“Chill out our economy is doing good.”
No, it is not. The Dairy Industry is “doing good.”
Rebuild firms and Insurance firms are “doing good.”
The economy is a large machine with scale and momentum that is not steered solely by goodwill.
Or spin. As a small country at the bottom of the world, the NZ economy is always facing an uphill battle. The thing with the machine today is it is going backwards. The debt is bigger than it has ever been and we are heading into a job drought that resembles the last few drips from a desert spring tap before the dust bowl hits. Technology is limping along and has real promise for enduring the incline ahead but if we do not do something progressive soon the people doing well will move offshore where the road is a little easier.
Manufacturing is in a well observed decline. This is unnecessary, as it could benefit from the aforementioned technology growth and a little more home focused purchasing but is stymied at every turn by short sighted purchasing of inferior foreign goods because they are [reportedly] cheaper. Redundancies across the board are a steady news item, though oddly, most don’t make the headlines anymore. Hospitality is having one of its toughest years in, well, years. Horticulture is having some serious ongoing struggles with pests and viruses, and most of them are exporters. Exporters, well as a whole, they absolutely love the dollar being so ridiculously high. Don’t they? Of course the high dollar helps Tourism, but sadly dairy and mining will notably restrict the long term potential of that particular golden goose. But golden goose stories are just nursery rhymes.
You want to talk about rock stars.
So back to the rock stars.
The rebuild will soon be evening out and within five years it will also be in decline.
Dairy has maybe ten years before the emerging suppliers replace our suppliers. This is inevitable as not only are they closer to the growing markets, in many cases they are the growing markets. They will soon be producing volumes outstripping our own supply. So we grow more cows right, and more cows and more cows. This scenario is even more likely when you consider the amount of irrigation the Dairy Industry wants to steal from NZ. Where will that get us? By that time, and with current borrowings as a guideline, our National debt will top one hundred billion dollars.
So all in all BryC,
if you actually look beyond the press releases of the vested interests,
the economy is not “doing good” at all.
Really Freedom
So here is the latest press release for Stats NZ on their view.
Freedom I think you have just got to point of endless repitition, you have no current idea of how anything is progressing. Hint – sitting in a darkened room all day and typing on blogs does not make you understand industries.
I love your assumptions about how others live. For one thing, I write from my studio and a less dark room you will struggle to find. In fact the glorious amount of natural light in my studio is usually one of the first things visitors comment on, especially other artists who usually express great globs of envy at the amount of real light I get to work with.
My studio is situated in an Industrial area which houses some manufacturing firms with nationwide operations and ongoing discussions with them and their truckers who travel the country is far more reliable than a stats NZ happy ending massage.
I think it is fair to say almost all the manufacturing increases noted above are directly related to the rebuild which is a finite term and to dairy which is kind of supporting what I expressed earlier.
I know that the market never looks past the next quarter and you seem happy to follow that paradigm but I am looking at the next generation, which is what a society should always be doing and as a country we are not in any way shape or form looking past the end of our next credit card default notices.
Regarding the repetition, I call ’em as I see ’em. Ask yourself a simple honest question Rob. Why do they no longer report credit card spending as a separate item from other electronic card spending? There is no point quoting figures about how many goods people are buying when there is no reliable evidence on where the money to purchase those goods comes from. But thanks for attempting to get me to bite. Have a nice day.
Well I suppose Freedom your “insights” are true to form for The Standard regulars. We have a massuese giving us regular lessons in economics , now we have some form of artist given us the true word in manufacturing purly because their studio is based in an industrial area. This will soon be followed by the primary school teacher who will tell us about fusion.
I think you guys have got to get over the idea that you have some form of intellectual and academic superiority.
“now we have some form of artist given us the true word in manufacturing purly because their studio is based in an industrial area.”
I’ll ignore the grammar and the spelling, typos I guess. But as for the true word, no, I am only giving an opinion based on real world dialogue with people involved in the sector, not copy-pasting info from government department press releases.
I still hope you and your prejudices have a nice day 🙂
Thats Ok Freedom, I’ll continue managing my manufacturing operation, that also happens to be in an industrial area, that also utilises freight and trucks and everything. Obviously my direct knowledge of NZ based manufacturing , coupled with stats NZ data still does not surpass your in depth insight. You call me prejudiced, thats fine .
Why didn’t you say you work in the sector then? Why don’t you let us all know how your particular sector is doing? How are we to learn if all we get access to is a copy paste from a stats nz press release with no qualifier that you actually have expertise in the field? So what area of manufacturing are you in? What growth has the company experienced this past year?
btw- The prejudice I refer to stems from your own statements that people who work in one particular field apparently have no right to pass an opinion on any other sector. The one I found particularly funny was this one “This will soon be followed by the primary school teacher who will tell us about fusion.” I know a physicist who actually teaches primary school. Not here in NZ but still, Rob, pretty elitist attitude being exposed there.
Peace …. I have been flamed here before talking about personal business performance and been bullied to show links or citations.
I certainly do not feel that people from other areas and/or industries should not comment on aspects outside there sphere. I get defensive with manufacturing ( as in this business we have fought to retain it in NZ) and have got sick of people kicking it around to make political points.
Our business is a medium sized (+100 staff) manufacturer / marketer that sells consumer durables through mainly retail and dealers. We are growing at 17.5% on LY. We are employing and will increase head count by 7 – 9 new staff over the next 6 months.
I am not elitist , in fact I really hate that. But I am also ‘drier economically” (probably the most polite way to summarise) than many here.
“I certainly do not feel that people from other areas and/or industries should not comment on aspects outside there sphere.”
doesn’t that completely contradict what you wrote earlier?
and would you not agree “consumer durables” is a tad vague?
All that aside, I hate flame wars too, which is why I like The Standard. At The Standard, despite the odd drag strip crash that goes down, mostly people really are interested in real world experiences and the dialogue that goes with it. As I wrote about the other day, the sharing of experiences is what grows a community. Without sincere attempts to learn about the lives others are living, how can the differences or the similarities be focused on? If that focus does not exist, then it is extremely difficult to adequately and honestly identify problems. As you work in manufacturing you would agree that without identifying a problem it will be impossible to resolve it.
Good to hear you are doing well, peace.
see latest stats release, manufacturing up
Wages are up as well, apparently.
As is government debt, household debt, power prices, real unemployment, Insurance costs, council rates, hospital waiting lists, food prices, house prices, postage, petrol, etc
really? That’s nice.
The longer term suggests that manufacturing is not a career to get into.
This is the December 2013 quarter? Since you didn’t link to it, then lets go with that shall we…
Look at it a bit more closely (foolish dickhead). Look at the rise in non-primary sector manufacturing. Minimal eh?
Tell me what does increasing milk powder production do for the rest of the economy? Short answer is fuck-all. Which is also a good expression for your attention to detail.
And if you have the National Party in your pocket, it’s even gooder, especially when all the little Party followers come out and start shushing and smearing and covering up.
So what if you’re a micro-dairy business that doesn’t own its own justice minister? That’s just the breaks, and anyway, the largest minority voted for kleptocracy, and that’s what we’re getting.
vto
Cool it. Don’t wear yourself out so early in the election run up. Take a nice glass of water and listen to 10 minutes of music that’s the prescription of Dr Doctor.
yeah I know, chill out… the economy is good …. all else is irrelevant …. corruption no matter …. nothing like that happens here in good old kiwiland …. we’re the best …
sheesh fulla, talk about confirmation of the point made
tra la la ….
there is no depression in Noo Zeeealaand
…. tra la la
I like your music vto – keep up our spirits as you go. Soon it will be May day and we could skip around the pole and so on.
That’s an idea. Could we in the future make enough electricity to keep some outdoor lights going or something not needing too much electricity by having a childs playground roundabout and everyone that goes down the street during the day, takes a turn to run it, wind up the battery for the lighting at night. And it would play music as it was turning. So there would be a payoff for the actor.
Some mothers do have ’em. I come up with these regularly. They possibly could work too but any new idea to a NZ is a wild and odd thing so they are bound to produce hilarity. Hope this made you laugh vto.
best ear worm ever
This is outrageous.
This will be the end of Key. His corruption has been exposed.
He simply must resign today. There is no other option available to him after being exposed like this.
an aspect of the legal-high ‘problem’..
..that most seem to miss..
..(and which has been repeated/emphasised by the recent ‘experts’ rolling thru the country..)
..is that those places that have a legalised/regulated/taxed cannabis regime..
..they have no ‘legal-high problem’..
..and i hafta say..being in day four of ‘withdrawals’ from years of daily cannabis use..
..meh..!
..and for me..
..this personal experience/anecdotal just confirms what a safe intoxicant cannabis is..
..and as we are in day one of a (regular) major pot-sweep thru nthland..(costing how much..?..)
..it could pay to think of colorado for a mo’..
..’cos in their first month of legalised/regulated/taxed cannnabis..
..the state not only received $2 million in that tax revenue..
..into that plus you also have to factor in the savings from not having police engage in these costly rope-a-dope exercises in intimidation..
..and of course..were police not engaged in this ultimately futile exercise..
..they could focus on the crime they claim they are under-resourced to fight..
..y’know..!..real ‘crime’..
..eh..?
..with victims..
‘.. “..Mother’s Powerful Tale: Despite My Son’s Heroin Addiction – I Held Biases About Drug Addicts..
.A nurse shares her story – about coming to grips with the realities of drug addiction..”
http://www.alternet.org/drugs/mothers-powerful-tale-despite-having-son-addicted-heroin-i-held-biases-about-drug-addicts
(and further to conversation from last nite..ie..’proof’..)
“…Historic Shift in U.S. Drug Policy: Public Health Service Approves Medical Marijuana Study..
..The federal org approved protocols for a study of cannabis and PTSD..”
http://www.alternet.org/drugs/historic-shift-us-drug-policy-public-health-service-approves-medical-marijuana-study
The people of NZ generally realised that decades ago. The problem is that the police and the politicians haven’t.
@sarbo, Labour will do next to nothing for him better to vote Green or Mana
I don’t think what you’re saying is correct. We haven’t seen Labour’s industrial policy yet but I imagine it will be specifically focussed on helping the likes of Saarbo’s nephew.
regardless, a Left vote is the most important thing.
A vote for Labour is NOT a left vote.
agree… its at best a national lite vote.
oooh, red guard alert. All religions are false, except mine. Heaven comes to those who believe in me, but beware false prophets, such as my twin. There is one true path to salvation, eastasia is at war with eurasia and always has been.
Perhaps you could link to the relevant Labour policy, TRP (I can’t find it on their website).
Here’s the Green Party policy
https://www.greens.org.nz/policy/industrial-relations-policy-sustainable-working-life
Thanks for that, Weka. Labour foreshadowed the ‘industrial standards’ framework at conference 2012 (some sterling work there by Darien Fenton, now also with Andrew Little’s input) and the final version will be announced as part of the election policy rollout. As I noted, it fits in well with the Greens policy of employment fairness and we can look forward to the best working environment in NZ in 30 years when we change the government.
The only false religion of concern here is neoliberalism. Perhaps we could have camps to get rid of the indoctrination with this false religion that so many of the Labour caucus still suffer from. Left wing politics in general doesn’t require religious belief at all. Most of us are happy dealing with facts and, if a policy prescription doesn’t work, we don’t think that we haven’t applied it in a pure enough form. We look for an alternative. I haven’t yet seen anything to suggest that Labour’s leaders have reached this stage.
Looks like “red blooded” Shane is at it again :p
Jones:
13 % of members
11.92% of affiliates
Cunliffe:
60.14% of members
70.77% of affiliates
Red Blooded’s attack on the Supermarkets & Green and anything Australian gave him headlines but oooops the Labour figures still went down! Shane can’t help himself: vanity of that degree is a terrible affliction.
An interesting article – http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11222665
Why the difference or rather what factors influence the difference I wonder.
Is European an ethnicity? Do people from ‘europe’ think they have the same ethnicity? I would find a yes to be quite strange – the same with Asian – there are lots of ethnicites within ‘Asia’ I would have thought.
A worsening quality of life is shameful but not as shameful to this country as this
I feel like crying when I read those statistics – we lay waste to generations of men and then wonder why they struggle to parent, to be non abusive partners, to have self esteem. We don’t send them to the trenches but they wallow in mud and rats and despair just the same. And then we blame them for the misfortune we heaped upon them.
according to tighty righty if the economy is growing thats all that matters. a vote for labour changes nothing of the problems you outline. they are prepared to be or look lacking in compassion to win the mysterious ordinay nzer, who i dont accept has no compassion, they may have forgotten they have it.
What is “ethnicity”?
In sociology, it’s usually defined as a group of people sharing the same culture. “Race” is usually defined as a (failed) attempt to define people by biological characteristics – failed because inter-breeding between “racial” groups have been going on for millennia.
One definition of the difference between “race” and “ethnicity”:
But a group sharing the same culture also is usually made up of a network of (biological) ancestral lines – whanua, hapu, iwi, etc, in the case of Maori. So biology and culture become interconnected.
I identify myself as Pakeha, NZ European, NZ-Brit (with a strong Scottish ancestral line). Not clear cut. But in terms of shared culture, there are some (relatively general) historical values and cultural practices that are shared throughout Europe. Within that, there are differneces – for instance, Scottish people tend to lean more to the left, and value things like a good liberal-democratising education for all, than the majority of English descent.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/9846923/Will-Key-forgive-this-breathtaking-disaster
Yep….. why he backs this idiot is beyond me
I say keep her in. She is as big a fool as Brownlee……..
risldowgtn It seems likely that the shift to the SFO is a ploy to shut the matter down. “Can’t answer that as it is now in the hands of the SFO.” The threshold for the SFO involvement does not seem to be anywhere near being met. The huge shift from one day to the next looks like someone else took over the problem. Eggleton?
+1
@sarbo Probably tax his company out of existence and put him on a benefit so he gets some free time?
brett..have you met ‘jimmy’..?
..you could form a support-group..
🙄
Yet another wingnut with a feeble grasp on reality.
this is so true – it’s sad and brilliant at the same time
“Politicians discussing global warming” – a statue in Berlin by Issac Cordal
https://twitter.com/NigelBritto/status/445907334410166272/photo/1
Te Maori Parties Te Ururoa Flavell will be on National radio’s Nine to Noon in about ten minutes in the ongoing election years interviews being conducted with Party leaders,
This might turn into an elongated mea culpa from Flavell for the Maori Party having been the lapdog of the National Government for the past nearly six years…
re flavell..
..um..!..no..!
.and i can’t listen to flavell..
..he has such a whiny voice..
Judith Collins has laid some sort of complaint with TVNZ over her coverage. What is this all about?
Found it “Asked about Ms Collins lodging a formal complaint against TVNZ for its coverage, Mr Key said he had not seen the report in question.”
Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=11222859
I can’t find the actual report. So now Collins is trying to silence the media.
If it is true I imagine her complaint would be stronger against TV3 But a daft way to close down discussion about her shortcomings.
will someone in parliament offer her some cheerios today… from one wee sausage to a sensitive wee sausage
(this vid is kinda cool..for a ukraine perspective/context..
..and how about that poland..?..whoar..!..
..now you see it..now you don’t..)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/crimea-just-a-blip-time-lapse-map-video-shows-1000-years-of-europes-history-in-three-minutes-9201414.html
and..bloody hell..!
..i find i am in agreement with american libertarian/rightwinger ron paul..
..he has penned an opinion-piece titled:
‘..crimea secedes – so what?..’
(gulp..!..does this mean i now have to go and join act..?..)
So, do we compare Crimea with the Sudetenland before or after Putin decides Ukraine is part of greater Russia?.
don’t you think that 90%+ vote in support of rejoining russia..
..is difficult to ignore..?
..(and of course..america/england issuing pious platitudes about countries ‘sovereignty’..
..in the light of the countries they have invaded/regime-toppled in recent times..
..is kinda beyond irony..)
Didn’t the west just help topple a democratically elected government in Ukraine?
Why are they not applying the same approach there as in Crimea?
Why?
te ruskies are having a good laugh at the west’s expense and I can’t help but join in their laughter (just as long as they don’t threaten us with attack as they did 100 years ago… but yeah, nobody ever invades good ol’ NZ, the germans never laid mines across Lyttleton harbour, the Japs never flew sorties over Northland ….. tra la la … there is no depression in noo zeealaand … (to borrow from above)) – sandholes available for heads. $2 each.
Voters were given two options, to rejoin Russia now or to rejoin Russia later with no option to stay with Ukraine.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26598832
but voting wasn’t compulsory..
..and the turnout was high..
..meaning as a result showing the will of those people..
..that can’t really just be ignored/of no matter..
..surely..?
..a comparison could be 90% of nz’ers voting to decide to a formal union with australia..(unlikely..i know..)..
..and america and britain going..’no yr not!’..
..we’d likely tell them to just fuck off..eh..?
and of course..it is hard to forget that this has all come about as a reaction to the latest regime-change attempt by america..(neo-nazis..?..anyone..?..)
..had they left well alone..
.we would be talking about something else..
..did they really/seriously think putin wd just roll-over..to the idea of having an american-supported regime..
..squatting right on his doorstep..?
..w.t.f. were they smoking..?
It’s the basic hubris of an empire at the end of it’s reign. Instead of working to bring about their desired end they think that they can simply declare it to be the way that they want it to be, then they get upset when it isn’t and declare what actually happened illegal according to their rules – rules which they themselves ignore.
DTB
Well put.
Lots.
http://anton-shekhovtsov.blogspot.co.nz/2014/03/pro-russian-extremists-observe.html
edit:
Indeed it was.
http://news.antiwar.com/2014/03/17/questions-on-crimea-vote-sevastopol-turnout-123-percent/
from yr second link..
“..International observers who oversaw the referendum also said the vote was carried out surprisingly professionally –
considering how little time there was to prepare, –
and even if who was allowed to vote was a little bit unclear, –
the vote itself seems to have been credible..”
Your faith in people like Christian Verougstraete (Vlaams Belang) and Béla Kovács (Jobbik) is touching.
/.
c’mon joe..
..they weren’t the only ones…
(in yr link above..the author admits there were 50 other observers..that he knows diddly-squat about..)
..so you think we should just ignore that referendum result..?
..and ignore that crimea people are russian..?
..here is gorbachevs’ perspective/take..
“.The world should welcome the prospect of Crimea becoming part of Russia as it rectifies a historic mistake from the Soviet era, the Soviet Union’s last leader Mikhail Gorbachev said Monday.
Mr. Gorbachev said that Crimea had only ended up in the territory of post-Soviet Ukraine because it had been transferred from Russia by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev when both countries were part of the USSR..”
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article37985.htm
AFAIK the Eurasian Observatory For Democracy & Elections hasn’t provided any details on who the observers were and I’ve linked up-thread to a list of the observers who’ve been identified so who were the other ones?.
who were the others..?
..ask yr link..eh..?
..and the only humour i have seen from this..
..is a russian cabinet minister commenting on threatened boycotts/sanctions from america..
..he said:..’the only thing i like about america is tupac..and i will still be able to listen to him..’
(anyway..q-time commentary calls..answers will be delayed..)
hahahaha, no 😈
good link..dtb..
Tony Ryall got a comment some time ago that he had kept the health portfolio on an even keel everything quiet on the western front. Well now Auckland DHB appears to be seriously worried. Ructions ensue. Experts comment – Salaried Medical specialists, Nurses Organisation, Health Organisation watchdogs. Watch this space.
And Hone Harawira this morning on Radonz about Te Kohanga Reo Trust was superb. He made good points in a strong, firm clear way. Assertive not aggressive. Great. He is sounding like Winston Peters who is I think a superb speaker and good at holding his point.
But Hone is coming over as having real integrity.
The Maori TV reporter was interesting. The Trust no longer lets them know when they are holding media conferences. They aren’t wanted apparently. Things have been revealed that are embarrassing.
But the integrity of Maori organisations needs to be scrutinised if they are to progress and get the fair funding that they need. Can’t have rednecks slagging off Maori projects as rorts. One of my relatives has had input into a Maori business and noticed a tendency to spend up on individual wants and not pay enough attention to the good running of the business to ensure it was staying healthy. In the business contracts had to be met, machinery needed to be checked and serviced, and that was not always done. Money was spent elsewhere.
The project, the enterprise, must be cared for as a taonga, whatever type of thing it is, and must receive adequate care consistently and carefully. This includes keeping an eye on money, wages, the outgoings going to the right places. It needs someone responsible who insists on the important rules being followed and has power to enforce them. And doesn’t put up with carelessness, shiftiness, flouting, ignoring those instructions and rules.
Great work from the left in parliament yesterday
Jan Logie, Trevor Mallard, Russell Norman and David Clark’s speeches are well worth the read. (These are only the ones I saw – there are likely other very good ones from the left that I didn’t see)
Draft Transcript here
Very interesting information from Trevor Mallard:
q-time commentary..
http://whoar.co.nz/2014/new-zealand-parliament-list-of-questions-for-oral-answer-thursday-20-march-2014/
trotter has done a good piece on what cunnliffe/labour have to do…
http://thedailyblog.co.nz/2014/03/19/what-the-hells-gone-wrong-with-cunliffe/
A good one from Trotter, think tho Jones and Roberston are doing the job they are supposed to be doing while Cunliffe will be out on the road selling the message,
Chris is right tho, with His prescription of what the Joe Average bloke would want to see from Labour,
Its the ‘bread and butter’ stuff that is missing from Labour, and i would suggest its missing because Labour have no intention of delivering anything of the sort,
Do i see any ‘great’ difference between what David Cunliffe’s Labour is promising in 2014 than what Phill Goff’s Labour were promising in 2011,
Sadly no…
Trotter has taken to joining the Herald columnists and pissing on Labour’s fire just as it looks like it could take off.
no doubt if it looks like Labour can pull off an election win then trotter will instantly change his tune and it’ll be as if these last few columns never existed.
That’s why I have no respect for his opinion.
I don’t think he is in touch with the internals of the Labour party anymore either. I’d say quite a few of the new power players in the party would have nothing to do with Totter and so he’s out of the loop and resents that.
China. It sneezes we get a cold.
What does Putin invasion of the Crimea mean for Taiwan? Does China’s airspace policy over the China sea mean for peace? And what would have happened had MH372 gone east not west, crashing into the south china seas?
The USSR cleansed Crimea of Tartars, who were returning under the Ukrainian government, will this be reversed? Will other former soviet states now be looking decidedly uncomfortable if they have large russian speaking populations. Didn’t Poland sign a peace treaty with the UK after Hitler invaded the Sudatun province???
I suspect DotCom, the Green’s wealthiest backer, is in trouble for not paying his people even the minimum wage.
Shame on him, while we await Norman’s condemnation.
Backer? Funny kind of backing to form a party against their co-leader’s advice. Still, I guess wingnut trash will say anything rather than face up to Gusher Collins and Parroty.
Serious Fraud Office, conflicts of interest, audiences with the lying Prime Minister for sale. No wonder you’d rather dribble over John Banks’ owner.
Tigharse almighty seti.
So no mention of the factories that holden and f&p given rent free and tax free for 15 year breaking world trade rules by the Thai govt no mentio.
Also destroying the strategic manufacting ability within Australia and NZ.
Factories are reopening in the US because of supplying savings and subsidies.
Boeing wants a $ 9 billion state subsidy to continue manufacturing planes in washington state.
Your free market doesn’t exist.
Except where big players bully small players out of the market so the big players monopolize to guarantee no competition.
Nakered man.
So farmers band together to form a coopetative union called
Fonterra to make sure they get good profits and markets when workers band together to get good conditipns its all bad according to you.
Nakered man.
So farmers band together to form a coopetative union called
Fonterra to make sure they get good profits and markets when workers band together to get good conditipns its all bad according to you.
FYI – I should be hearing back very soon from Auckland Central Police as to the outcome of the following four complaints I have filed:
Two against Mayor Len Brown (alleged money-laundering and bribery and corruption),
One against former Auckland Council CEO Doug McKay for alleged contravention of statute, because the bogus Ernst and Young Report did not follow the due process outlined in s.8 (Compliance) of the Auckland Council Code of Conduct.
An assault complaint against two Council Officers who tried to forcibly remove me from the CEO Review Committee meeting on 20 February 2014, after I was denied speaking rights by Auckland Councillor Chris Fletcher when I tried to expose new CEO Stephen Town’s conflict of interest by being a member of the unelected, highly powerful private lobby group – the Committee for Auckland (which he purportedly denied, despite my evidence to the contrary).
Could this have anything to do with the threat to sell my house?
Gosh – I wonder ………….
Seems that anti-corruption citizen ‘whistle-blowers’ in New Zealand have no legal protections whatsoever when trying to expose corruption at local government level.
High time that changed.
Fascinating the difference between my treatment as an anti-corruption ‘whistleblower’, defending citizens’ lawful rights to ‘open, transparent and democratically accountable local government, and Minister of Justice Judith Collins, who most definitely has a major conflict of interest in helping to promote a company (Oravida) of which her husband is a Director.
In my considered opinion as an anti-corruption campaigner – her actions were CORRUPT.
End of story.
I get censored, assaulted and now Auckland Council are threatening to sell my house – yet Judith Collins – Minister of JUSTICE gets protected by NZ Prime Minister – shonky John Key – in a similar way to his protection of dodgy John Banks?
Well – we all know what has happened to the DEFENDANT John Banks ….
A 10 day trial for electoral fraud, starting on 19 May 2014.
PS: If the Police chose not to act on my above-mentioned complaints – then there is always the possibility of Graham McCready / NZ Private Prosecution Services Ltd picking up the ball, the same way he did with John Banks.
Hopefully – that will not be necessary …………
Penny Bright
http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz
http://tvnz.co.nz/seven-sharp
Jehan fights back. The clip on Miniginui fighting back could go viral and global. A right winger being held to account.
Xox
I spoke to a horticultural worker and he tells me of seasonal Labour from the islands, 18 workers to a residential house, charged $130 per week. That’s 4.5 to a room (4 square metres per person) Plus charged to transport to work. And these are low paid labour, so what they get in the hand is… It’s OK though, as is approved by our Government Authorities. This reflects badly on New Zealand Inc. Reminds me of the movie “Twelve years a Snave ” These people are being exploited at a vinyard, Orchard or farm near you. Is this the “Brighter Future” promised by the Key Gang?
Seems these days if you sit down to read The Standard in about 5 minutes of starting you get this rock in your guts yes its the stone of the corporate national party and the impending reality that your not alone(GCSB snooping ?)
If your a lefty or commee in your communications with the appropriate collection of alert words will almost see you on the list of rising concern
Fuckin Key bugger off and take your control freak corporate money govt to the grave asap while decent people get on with life without your pseudo paranoid shit dribbling down on every worker in this country whose a slave to your protectionist right wing bullshit which will destroy this nation
That should about do it?