I don’t suppose there are any protests planned for when John Key leaves Parliament. It would be great to give him a final hurray to let him know that a lot of people don’t like him. I don’t live in Wellington so couldn’t make it but it is a fine thought.
I also don’t think he is just disliked by the general population. He has unjustly ruined the reputations and careers of a lot of people by passing the blame, particularly in the Public Service. They, their families and friends must know the truth when someone further down the chain of command has been the scapegoat for the actions of Key and his ministers.
He may have unjustly ruined the reputations and careers of a lot of people. He may deserve a noisy send-off. (or better still a ‘Bugger off!’) I personally think he was a lying, weasly opportunist.
It’s a fact though that he was not disliked by the general population. Certainly not by any significant numbers.
Media assisted Key. Take this weeks Nation and Q&a, both had annoying stupid greying balding hacks on, no doubt paid by the 1% to go on TV and say annoyingly stupid things. Franks says Greens caused Aucklands Housing crisis, you know the Green party that constucted the stupid city, Key, and the ACT MP Hide who became local govt minister. Then on Q&a former ACT leader, the more balding one, says that not only should foregn buyers have no cultural concerns when shifting to a new different culture, but once here should total act without any community spirit, doubling down on how mney makes rich people invinsible invisible even to us general oiks. This is how Key got such an easy ride, dumb and stupid are merged and put into the media spotlight, just right, that it does not show. As long as the talking heads dont shift the shadows, insure the obvious lies aren’t not asked or answered, then the distraction is complete. everyone gets paid. Hey think about the Chinese tourists, how can they feel about bringing their monkey year child up on NZ milk, to NZ and feeling at home swimming in a shitty river like back home.
The dairy boom was a politicial Chinese need for milk and we all paid for it with farm debt, land misuse in conversions, overstocking and shiity rivers. No wonder NZ gets poorer, it grows and takes on all the risks and hands off the profits.
You do realise that Q & A usually has a political scientist, plus a commentator from the left and the right; same with the Nation. As publicly funded political programmes I guess they naively think balance is important.
So it is no doubt really annoying for you to put with comment from the right as well as the left. Though Jamie Whyte is a true libertarian and does not really buy into regulation, certainly much less than National supporters think appropriate.
At least it gives you something to complain about.
“Jamie Whyte is a true libertarian and does not really buy into regulation.”
Must be a real bastard for him that there are traffic lights and speed limits restricting his freedom to choose.
The right by which you mean super individualists whose objective is to stymie the issue and keep systemic wealth unaccountable. Essentially false libertarians whose job is to hose down any issue. Any company that grows has growing pains, its essential those matrs are brought to the boardroom, inequality, low pay, high rents, por public transit, shitty rivers, etc are all met by these paid supposed libertarians with ad hom, distraction fed by mediator of some gen war. If the nats really thought these particular commentators are doing themselves any favors then sirely they deserve the now obvious joke. Trump, like them makes bald obvious untrue claims of greatness, how he’s great with the economyetc Facts are nAtional are woeful managers of the economy, who shorts their kids? Tax cuts coupled with taxing education, its decades of shoving future weath into the pile of present politicial expediancy.
And its all now coming back to bite. The ultra stupid savants of ACT are hardly credible rightwing commentators, just lousy socialists for the few.
Christ Wayne – you really are quite a naiive little wall flower aren’t you. And here’s me thinking you were the Brains of Britain with a wealth of experience.
No accounting for a closed mind, rote ‘learnings’ and ideology though I ‘spose.
Btw…..did you check out Matty boy this morning?. Someone’s obviously told him to try and be cool calm and collected. He ALMOST made it.
He was almost convincing. He certainly had Nick Smith and major friend Bill pegged (as to their mediocre intelligence, disguised by polly and spin speak).
It was probably Matty’s attempt at exercising a smidgeon of honesty (going forward).
Congratulations Matty – you almost made it.
But as for you Wayne – much as I tried to think otherwise, now I know you’re really just full of shit dressed up in the robes of academic rationalism and supposed experience.
You’ll go far (going forward). A+ with honours
And oh btw @ Wayne
Did you hear Nick Smith on Q+A or The Nation (both fairly feeble efforts at holding our political ‘representatives’ to account in a democratic nation state) say
“I did them the courtesy of meeting them in my office”.
??
It seems to me that Nick the faux has lost all notion of what his job is, what a functioning rep dem is, and the idea that he is a servant. (As of course were you and ilk if you could just get past your priviledges and swilling at the trough)
Historically, that’s the sort of arrogance that got the natives really really restless. Lucky we don’t really have a functioning mainstream media that picks up on those details – though as Dear Matty suggests – Nick Smith is managing to piss off people all on his own
Ah well it’s been about 4 hours and fuk all response from ‘The Wayne’.
My reason for not engaging in discussion in the past was more about the state of TS – whereas, it appears ‘The Wayne’s’ is more about a troll-like hit and run agenda in pursuit of his agenda and in the name of self preservation.
@The Wayne, and @The Nick Smith …… we know you present yourselves as the gorgeous voices of reason (going forward), and as the intelligensia of the Neshnool Party along with that bitter old queen from the Eastern suburbs trying to define High and Might (there’d be one or two Snots Porridge old boys along with a few polly bois that still have ushooooos).
(There are a few of them that set themselves apart from the feral leopard skins but who are publicly so-in-sync with the same publicly – for some – it hurts: IT REALLY HURTS)
Why do you keep at it @ Wayne? (It’s a genuine question).
Are you actually as thick as I suspect you might be and just riding on your past, or are you getting just an eeensie teeeensie little bit scared.
I think Matty Dear the Hooter could actually be correct, and that you, along with Nuk Smuff could actually be just a little bit FUK
Let me clarify @ Wayne
by which I mean you have the capacity for argument but not reason, ideology over issue, and a total lack of critical thought processes.
Polly wanna Cracker?
Wayne – you’re in ….compliant? ideologically comitted’ cultural? company. There’s a Hekia to ya roit, and a Crus to ya left. A part time feminist to ya roit, and a bitter old poof to ya left (even though he’d be too scared to move)
. And both sides protesting a high ground in a compliant and main stream media (check out that AM Show fukwit trying his hardest to cling to yoof and relevance for a start -and no ….. not the “Dunk”
A tuff on croim coward to ya roit, and probably half the fucking back bench asking where to point their tounges: should it be towards a Bling giving a thrill his wife yet never has – or ……. (And it’s a shame that so many are just a little bit ….. you know …. Nafe Goi).
Jesus! I sure as shit hope you’re getting value for the CT dollar, but I suspect (as do others in your politically defined bracket) your time is up and you’ll have to start dealing with the ushooooze
Its hard? Could be he has a lots of super rich people breathing down his neck, who are entitled to not pay tax, not pay tarriffs, not be concern for local culture, community or environment needs, and wealth for then is a pissing contest, as they cant take it with them, they find the only purpose to life is to piss highest up the wealth pole.
Put a tax on how far pottable water is transported, including bottled. People should live close to water storage, like they live close to food, transport, work, as it saves energy.
Noted. Wealthy people change nothing, nothing to see types, its so good, its never been better… …oh and bring back beatings for kids. Yeah, they hven’t ben holding back Northland with thei ineffective neolib fantasy of leaving it to the market, no not them, that stress out families, working two jobs, never able to communicate values to their kids.
New Zealand, in my considered opinion, is and has been riddled with endemic and entrenched corruption for decades.
The ‘commercialise – corporatise -PRIVATISE Neo – liberal Rogernomics’ model, locally, nationally and internationally, promoted and enforced the contracting out of public services that used to be provided ‘in house’ by central and local government.
The ‘Rogernomics RORT’ was based upon the unsubstantiated myth and mantra
‘PUBLIC IS BAD – PRIVATE IS GOOD’.
That public service provision, under the genuine non-commercialised (not for profit) public service model was supposedly ‘inefficient’.
‘Inefficient’ in my view, was corporate-speak for ‘we haven’t yet got our filthy hands on it’.
The NZ Business Round Table (made up of CEOs of NZ BIG business) who both vigorously promoted and directly benefited from the Rogernomics reforms which served their vested interests – focused on a form of ‘grand’ corruption which most New Zealanders have never even heard of.
STATE CAPTURE – where vested interests get their way at the POLICY level, to get laws passed which serve their vested interests.
Where do you look to find STATE CAPTURE in New Zealand?
Look at the Regulatory Impact Statements that are produced before proposed law changes go to Cabinet.
Look at those with whom the ‘policy analysts’ have consulted.
That’s how this form of endemic ‘grand’ corruption has been carried out for decades in this corrupt, polluted tax haven, falsely and misleadingly marketed as ‘clean, green New Zealand’.
What a total CROCK.
The answer?
In my considered opinion ?
Open the books.
Cut out the contractors.
Return public services to ‘in house’ provision under the public service model.
Penny Bright
Proven ‘anti-privatisation / anti-corruption Public Watchdog’
Bruce has got a great idea, the natural world doesn’t like the west coast or people very much so the plan is to export the natural world to China. Genius!
This is a great boost for the West Coast, S.I. NZ The locals think it’s all right.
Yeah, a good idea we’ve got plenty of it heh heh, says Fred Dagg, a local.
I’ll become a supplier, wear one of those heavy waterproof coats and a hat with a rim and catch the flow in a container at the hem. The way it rains here I’ll be a millionaire in ten years. They are short of water in the world but we will always have plenty to spare. Great idea, need some business and new people to boost house prices here.
Great news. Today’s farmers have a new idea – they are putting in water troughs like NZ farms always used to have. However the energy being used as of now to move the water is not provided by solar, so they are really starting with an old model which would probably have been gravity-fed and adding old technology to it. Hey guys and girls there are things that have been discovered since then – solar, and of course there is the ancient method of windmills that have been updated. So much to learn, it’s a problem.
Up-front capital costs included pipes, troughs and tanks, as well as fences and additional stock. Running costs were fuel or electricity, insurance, as well as additional fertiliser and extra supplementary feed.
It takes a very switched on farmer to farm the organic way , there have been some horror stories about animals suffering under people that have tried and failed.
It’s not hard technically. Organics is just another set of skills and approaches (although I think you probably do need to have the philosophy clear in your own head too). I can’t see how it would be any harder than switching from sheep to industrial dairying for instance.
The problem is that the huge infrastructure that exists to support farming doesn’t support organics very well. Banks, farm advisors, support organisations, govt research etc are still massively weighted towards industrial and conventional farming. Not to mention supply line issues. Farm debt is a big one too from what I understand. Banks are less likely to lend to operations they don’t understand and perceive as risky. Risk assessment being affected by all that other weighting.
we’ve breed sheep and cattle for at least 50 years using all manner of potions to keep them safe ,they have no natural resistance , the most successful ones i’ve heard of have two blocks ,one organic one not so they can transfer the weaker stock that need help to the chemical farm
yep that would be the biggy , some ram breeders are working on worm resistance , as drench resistance is becoming more of a problem we may be forced to go drench free at some point down the track, unless they come up with a new one.
fly strike would be a hard one too, and with things getting warmer that is a problem that will only grow. on the bright side the new dips are a lot less toxic than the old ones
Vaccines have been the saviour of us and animals though.
I read in a series of novels set in the 18th century that there had been a bad cattle plague. It certainly was a doozy.
Wikipedia: Cattle plagues recurred throughout history, often accompanying wars and military campaigns. They hit Europe especially hard in the 18th century, with three long panzootics which, although varying in intensity and duration from region to region, took place in the periods of 1709–1720, 1742–1760, and 1768–1786.[14]
There was a major outbreak covering the whole of Britain in 1865/66. Later in history, an outbreak in the 1890s killed 80 to 90% of all cattle in southern Africa, as well as in the Horn of Africa. Sir Arnold Theiler was instrumental in developing a vaccine that curbed the epizootic. More recently, a rinderpest outbreak raged across much of Africa in 1982–1984, costing at least an estimated US$500 million in stock losses.
But good news! On 14 October 2010, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced that field activities in the decades-long, worldwide campaign to eradicate the disease were ending, paving the way for a formal declaration in June 2011 of the global eradication of rinderpest.[5]
On 25 May 2011, the World Organisation for Animal Health announced the free status of the last eight countries not yet recognized (a total of 198 countries were now free of the disease), officially declaring the eradication of the disease.[6]
In June 2011, the United Nations FAO confirmed the disease was eradicated, making rinderpest only the second disease in history to be fully wiped out, following smallpox.[7]
In relation to Organic Dairy Farming the limited amount of supply was reduced further 2-3 years ago by incompetence (a particular manager) at a mid-management level in Fonterra when their dedicated group of organic suppliers around the Manawatu and Wanganui regions were told that their Organic premiums were going to cease and their organic milk would be pumped in with the regular milk supply.
After a couple of years many of the suppliers forwent their Organic status as the low payout meant their farms lost much of their profitability.
Role on a couple more years and the incompetent had been fired and then Fontera were begging for Organic supply again – not so easy to regain your organic status.
How many farms? That sounds like someone who doesn’t know what they are doing rather than being about organics. What kinds of farmer would let their animals get in that state?
”What kinds of farmer would let their animals get in that state?”
a useless one and as there is no licence to farm there is no way of stopping his type,
although a bad outbreak can catch out even the good cockies.
“The reported incidence of Crohn’s disease in Canterbury, New Zealand has doubled over the past decade, crowning the region with the highest reported incidence globally. Scientists around the world believe environmental factors are contributing to this disconcerting rise. In this investigation, we present the research on a disease found primarily in dairy cattle called Johne’s disease, which has the same symptoms as Crohn’s disease and is recognised on over half of all dairy farms in New Zealand. If the MAP bacteria which causes the immune responses in dairy cattle is tested and found in our local drinking water supplies, our air and our dairy products, we could be facing a public health issue of massive proportions.
Johne’s (“Yo-nees”) disease is a contagious, chronic and sometimes fatal infection caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Johne’s disease is found primarily in agricultural ruminants such as cattle and sheep, and is an immune system response following MAP infection which leads to deteriorated bowels. This inability to process nutrients leads to the most obvious signs an animal may have contracted Johne’s such as weakening, weight loss and even death. Most animals are infected during the first months of their life, yet signs of the infection can take years to show.”
Sabine thanks for that heads up.
That is really interesting. And it might be one of those illnesses that faecal implants are able to help. I’ve heard Crohn’s is horrible. A real kick in the guts.
It sounds similar to leptospirosis, which is passed on from animals.
http://www.medicinenet.com/leptospirosis/page2.htm What causes leptospirosis?
The cause of leptospirosis is bacteria, Leptospira interrogans, a Gram-negative spirochete (spiral-shaped bacteria). The bacteria infect many types of animals (many wild animals, rodents, dogs, cats, pigs, horses, cattle, for example) that subsequently contaminate water, lakes, rivers, soil, and crops when they urinate because the bacteria are present in urine.
The bacteria then infect humans when they invade through breaks in the skin or mucus membranes or when people ingest them. The bacteria multiply in the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system. Person-to-person transfer of this disease is rare.
That too leaves a person weaker and vulnerable to illness and seems chronic.
So on top of all the other factors which make dairy farming bad economically.
Now it would appear, that those with a predisposition to catching Crohn’s disease (which we have no idea of those numbers) are catching the disease because it is a zoonotic (transferable from animals to humans) in nature. And our dairy heard is full of the disease.
This national government, does nothing beyond short term – at the expense of the long term health of the population. What else will we learn that their shortsightedness has done to hurt the population I wonder.
we shifted house 8 weeks ago, but because of our chinese landlord not being here in nz and not having signed the form we must wait 31 working day for a time out and then we will be re-funded our bond.
Now luckily we are not too poor and moved into our own pad, so did not need the bond to be returned in time to pay for another bond (or pay back any advances from the bank).
I wonder how standard this is, how much interest people loose on their bond money, and how many overseas landlord make it hard fro people to get their money back.
Also, can someone explain to me why bond money that is held for years is refunded without interest?
the reason i am asking is simple, the government holds the bonds paid by people. It would be fair to assume that the money held is accruing interest. where does that interest go?
again boring but, in Germany the bond (kaution) is held in an savings account on behalf of the tenant by the landlord and when both parties sign to release the bond, the amount plus interest is paid back to the tenant as it is their money security to save keep the house/flat. Right?
http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/index.php/t97250.html
“The fairest way to deal with the Kaution is to put it in a savings book. This is held in the tenants name, the landlord looks after the book. The cash can only be withdrawn when both parties sign at the end of the tenancy so landlord and tenant have to agree any deductions before either get the cash. This is called a Bankburgschaft. As it is a savings account it collects interest and the tenant will recieve this.”
Another benefit of the intensive dairying in NZ
No doubt the scientist have got it all wrong just like the scientist who warn us about global warming sarc/
A thoughtful piece by the President of the PPTA and a totally predictable reply by Alan Price – National Party’s Kaikohe Chair. “It’s abundantly clear that the last 32 years haven’t seen teachers wishing to turn back the clock. Unless Alan Price was willing to staff schools with National Party branch chairs and members of Family First, it’s hard to see how reintroducing corporal punishment could happen.” http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/327017/why-corporal-punishment-doesn't-work
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When it was revealed that NZ First had tried to enrich itself from public office via the Provoncial Growth Fund, the Prime Minister assured us that everything was OK as Shane Jones, the Minister responsible for the fund, had recused himself. Except it seems that that recusal came very late ...
Today is a Member's Day, and probably the last one of the year. After the marathon of the End of Life Choice Act, most of the bills up for debate today are uncontentious. First up is the second reading of Chlöe Swarbrick's Election Access Fund Bill. This will be followed ...
The Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee has reported back on the government's odious and tyrannical control orders bill. As expected, the fraudulent select committee process has made no significant changes (partly because they couldn't agree, but mostly because it was a stitch-up from the start, with no intention of ...
Yesterday, the government released its draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, which will be put to a non-binding referendum at the next election. I'm not a drug policy expert, but Russell Brown is, and he thinks its pretty good. And pretty obviously, it will be a massive improvement on the ...
As you're probably aware, the draft bill outlining the proposed legal cannabis regime to be put to a referendum late next year was published yesterday, and has already attracted a flurry of comment. It's notable that a good deal of the comment is about proposals that aren't actually new.A minimum ...
One of the big problems in New Zealand climate change policy is the government working at cross-purposes with itself. It wants to reduce fossil fuel use, but encourages oil and gas exploration. It wants to reduce transport emissions, but then builds enormous new roads. The problem could be avoided if ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzAccording to the United Nations, food shortages are a threat ...
Last year, the government announced it was ending offshore oil exploration by no longer issuing new permits. The idea was that the industry would then die off as permits expired. Except almost immediately the government revealed its bad faith, by saying they would extend permits and alter conditions to keep ...
The government introduced the Education and Training Bill to Parliament yesterday. Its a massive bill, which replaces both existing Education Acts, as well as various other bits of legislation (including some which are still proceeding through the House). I'll leave the serious analysis to teachers and people who actually know ...
Amelia SharmanThere’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to micro-credentials, those bits of bite-sized learning that can help workers stay on top of technological change. What’s a micro-credential? While definitions vary, micro-credentials can be understood as short courses that allow people to learn new skills or have an existing competency recognised. ...
All Smiles Now: Claire Szabo is taking up her presidential role after serving as the CEO of Habitat For Humanity. Which is absolutely perfect! After KiwiBuild was so comprehensively mismanaged by Phil Twyford, the party has not only elected a new president from a thoroughly respectable not-for-profit, but one who ...
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...
by Daphna Whitmore At Golden Oaks, a luxurious country retreat in the Hudson Valley, pregnant women have the best care money can buy. From the organic food, personalised exercise programmes, private yoga instruction and daily massages Golden Oaks looks like a country lodge for the upper class. Set some time ...
When Labour was running for election in 2017, it felt it needed to demonstrate "fiscal responsibility" and signed itself up to masochistic "budget responsibility rules". It was a fool's errand: the sorts of voters who demand fiscal responsibility are also the sorts of voters who believe that labour can never ...
Writing in Stuff, Joel MacManus looks at what we need to do to meet the Zero Carbon Act's targets. The core of it:1. Convert 85 per cent of vehicles on the road to electric. 2. Eliminate fossil fuels from all industrial heating up to 300 degrees Celsius. 3. Double our ...
Professors Janet Hoek and Richard Edwards, Emeritus Professor Phil Gendall, Jude Ball, Dr Judith McCool, Anaru Waa, Dr Becky FreemanRecent media reports have presented conflicting evidence on youth vaping in NZ. While some NZ school principals report concerns about increasing vaping on school grounds and confiscating vapes, ASH Year ...
“America the Beautiful!”, staunch defender of democracy, freedom and… a whole lot of despotic tyrants that play nice with what is called “the Washington Consensus.” America is indeed capable of immense good, but like any Nation, and most assuredly any aspirant to the mantle of Empire, great, immense evil. All ...
Image credit:The beginner’s guide to blogging I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is altered. If your blog is ...
1080 is used to control pests in NZ. Its use is contested by a noisy few. A new report claims high levels of 1080 in rats washed up on a beach. Flora and Fauna of Aotearoa (F&F) won’t name the laboratory that did their testing. It has sparked a hunt ...
What Kind Of Empire? The thing for Kiwis to decide is what kind of empire they want to belong to. The kind that, while offering its own citizens democratic rights, demands absolute obedience from its “friends”? Or, the kind that, while authoritarian at home, takes a relaxed attitude to the ...
It hasn't been a good week for the Conservatives, pollwise. All major recent polls are showing their lead shrinking.Comparing each pollster's current (between 29/11 and 22/11) and previous most recent poll.Com Res - Conservative lead down 3 points.You Gov - Conservative lead down 1 point.Kantar - Conservative lead down 4 ...
Within quick succession, Countdown maths wizard and twitterer Rachel Riley, alleged comedian David Baddiel and prominent lawyer Andrew Julius have all expressed very similar opinions / ideas:
These #3billboards are going round London today, organised by ex-Labour people, horrified by what their party has become. Their principles haven’t changed, they’re ...
So, there have been a bunch of bad polls out for Labour, and even the Leftie's friend, Survation, have recently given the Conservatives a rip-snorting 11% lead. You Gov's much vaunted MRP poll - which pretty much nailed the result in 2015 - is currently predicting a comfortable majority for ...
The European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to declare a climate emergency:The European parliament has declared a global “climate and environmental emergency” as it urged all EU countries to commit to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The vote came as scientists warned that the world may have already crossed ...
Pure Fear: Worse than Heroin, this drug’s addictive power was terrifying. People under its influence didn’t drift off to Elysium. Nor did it persuade inadequate individuals that they could conquer the world. No, this drug – pure crystal methamphetamine, “P” for short – unlocked the gates of Hell itself. It ...
As the rate of measles infection, and of deaths, continues to climb in Samoa, antivaccination activists infectious disease proponents seem intent on doubling down on their claims about vaccination. (Check pretty much any news-media FB post about measles & you’ll see exactly what I mean.) Unfortunately, some of them have ...
New Zealand First MP Darroch Ball’s bill introducing a six-month minimum sentence for assaults on first responders has passed its first reading in Parliament. Mr Ball said the new offence of "injuring a first responder or prison officer with intent" would target people who attacked paramedics, police, firefighters, and corrections ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters gave his final interview for 2019 on The Country to tell farmers they have never had it better under the current coalition Government. “Here you've got these record returns [for farmers]. These returns would be nothing like a record if the currency under the ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that New Zealand's Cook Islands High Commissioner, Tessa Temata, has died over the weekend. Ms Temata, 52, died in Palmerston North and had returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. She was the first New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands of Cook Island ...
A new defence report has mapped out how New Zealand's soldiers will navigate rising seas, and a year after the Defence Force announced its need to prepare for climate change. In the “Responding to the Climate Crisis” report, the Force restates its operational plan and sets goals to tackle climate ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, has called for awareness to be raised and more stringent biosecurity checks to be put in place for African Swine Fever (ASF), a widespread virus that is uncontrolled in most of Asia and a serious ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Human Rights A critical step has been taken to end gender based violence against women and girls in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Human Rights Jenny Marcroft MP has welcomed the passing of the first reading of the Crimes (Definition of Female ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says it's time to recognise market forces haven't led to the expected reduction in Māori smoking rates and try a new approach. The Party had recently invoked the agree to disagree clause in their Coalition Agreement with the Labour Party, and will not support ...
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...
The Coalition Government will be banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, ahead of next year’s general elections. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament and passed under urgency – emphasising the need for such restrictions to safeguard our democracy. The bill introduces a new requirement that party secretaries and ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones opened Taipā's $19 million bridge recently, improving transport infrastructure in the Northland region. The two-lane bridge is 107m long with a 2.5m-wide shared walking and cycling path, and will reduce the congestion that the old one-lane bridge was notorious for. The project had also included ...
The Overseas Investment Office have rejected the application of Mercury Agriculture LP, which is 92 per cent controlled by Canadian interests, to purchase more than 2000 hectares of South Canterbury and Otago land. Mercury wanted to buy 2000ha at Rangitata, 1494ha near Ashburton, 816ha near Cromwell and 212ha near Temuka. ...
This weekend was Labour's 103rd Party Conference! We welcomed over 500 of our Labour whānau in red to Whanganui, where we reflected on the last two years in Government, and looked ahead to 2020 and beyond. We know the long-term challenges facing New Zealand won't be tackled overnight, but we're making ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced that the Provincial Growth Fund will invest $9.6 million to seal the final unsealed section of State Highway 43 from Stratford to Taumarunui. The Minister said sealing the 12-kilometre gravel section of the highway – also called the “Forgotten World Highway” - through ...
Former Finance Minister and former chair of the Tax Working Group, Sir Michael Cullen, has voiced his support for New Zealand First’s decision to oppose the planned increase in tobacco excise tax. In an interview with The Weekend Collective, he said that increasing the price was no longer effective in ...
Māori are natural storytellers. On the marae we use stories to tell our history, to teach the next generation life lessons and to let people know, in our most creative of ways, who we are and where we have come from. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First has invoked the ‘Agree to Disagree’ provisions of the Coalition Agreement because it cannot support the announced 11.46 percent increase in the tobacco excise from 1 January 2020. “Studies show that the automatic tobacco excise increases are having less effect ...
Taupō-based company Geo40 has made a breakthrough in extracting near battery-grade lithium from geothermal fluid which its says could be a gamechanger. Its chief executive John Worth said the earth mineral was highly prized, with battery-grade lithium selling for US$10,000 (NZ$15,600) a tonne. Geo40 was founded in 2010 to find ...
Crown research institute AgResearch Ltd, as part of its Future Footprint plan, had intended to relocate top scientists and support staff — particularly those focused on sheep genetics and genomics — from Invermay to Lincoln. However, those plans seem to have been shelved at the request of the Coalition Government. ...
Ten engineering firms in Southland are receiving a total of $2.13 million in Provincial Growth Fund funding to lift productivity and create new jobs. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced in Invercargill that the 10 engineering and manufacturing firms would receive funding to assist them with buying equipment that ...
The number of new residents to New Zealand is the lowest it has been in nearly two decades and it has earned the ire of the immigration industry. The industry alleges that 'Trump-style extreme vetting' is being put in place aimed at keeping a lid on immigration numbers. June Ranson, ...
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is one step closer to modernising its fleet after the United States State Department recently approved the sale of five new C-130J Hercules aircraft to New Zealand. Arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in Fort Worth, Texas, will provide the aircraft, but as a "foreign military ...
Hon Ron Mark, Minister of DefenceTērā te haeata takiri ana mai i runga o Pukaha!Ara tai uru, whai uru, whai uru!Ara whai ato, whai ato, whai ato!Ara rā tini, ara rā tini, ara ri!The rays of the morning sun strike a new dawn upon Pukaha ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today the appointment of diplomat Sarah Lee as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to South Africa. She will be the first female Head of Mission to represent New Zealand in Africa. “New Zealand’s relationship with South ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones wants to create a log barging facility at Hicks Bay and turn the area into a Special Economic Zone. The move would be part of protecting New Zealand's forests from being depleted by India and China, he said. It follows his announcement last week to strengthen ...
New Zealand First supports the changes recommended by the Winter Grazing Taskforce to improve animal welfare outcomes through the winter months, and the establishment of a pan-sector action group to implement them. New Zealand First Primary Industries Spokesperson Mark Patterson says the report highlights areas of concern about the animal ...
Former prime ministers Helen Clark and Sir John Key, formerly from the Labour and National parties respectively, have joined forces in support of New Zealand First’s plan to relocate Auckland's port to Whangārei. While Ms Clark and Sir John spent their political careers on opposite sides of the political divide, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in Japan for the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the G20 grouping of countries as one of nine "invited" countries. He has used the opportunity to cast a spotlight on the plight of Pacific countries, calling out countries which still offered subsidies or Government assistance to ...
The days of vulnerable consumers falling victim to loan sharks, truck shops and other predatory lenders are numbered, following the Credit Contracts Legislation Amendment Bill passing its third reading tonight. “Too many Kiwis are being given loans that are unaffordable and unsuitable, trapping them in debt and leaving their families ...
A Bill that prevents terrorism and supports the de-radicalisation of New Zealanders returning from overseas has passed its third reading, Justice Minister Andrew Little says. The Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Bill is a carefully targeted response to manage the risk posed by a small number of New Zealanders who have ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio will travel to Samoa on Friday, where New Zealand medical teams are helping Samoa respond to an outbreak of measles. “New Zealand has been working closely with the Government of Samoa and offering our assistance from the ...
The Government has changed the law to improve student safety and welfare in university halls of residence and other student accommodation. The Education (Pastoral Care) Amendment Bill passed its third reading this afternoon and details of an interim Code of Practice setting out the Government’s expectations of tertiary providers have also been released. ...
A new tool to help councils fund and finance infrastructure could mean some housing developments happen a decade earlier than currently planned, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said today. “This new tool, developed by the Government in partnership with industry and high-growth councils, will allow councils to access private debt ...
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has welcomed the release of a bold new vision for the country’s vital food and fibre sector. “I’m delighted that New Zealand’s major farmer and grower organisations are today supporting the Primary Sector Council’s vision – Fit for a Better World,” he said. “The international consumers ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has congratulated the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government for completing a well-conducted referendum on the future political status of Bougainville. “New Zealand supported the referendum process by providing technical advice through the New Zealand Electoral Commission and leading a Regional Police ...
In light of Cabinet’s position that freight operations on prime land in downtown Auckland are no longer viable, the Government will now embark on a short work programme to enable decision-making in the first half of next year, Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones says. Minister Jones is today releasing the ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter has received the report back from a surgical mesh restorative justice process undertaken by Victoria University. The process heard stories, either in person or online submission, from more than 600 people affected by surgical mesh. “The report made for heart-breaking and confronting reading,” says ...
The Water Services Regulator Bill – Taumata Arowai , introduced to Parliament today, is a milestone for drinking water safety in New Zealand and will help improve environmental outcomes for urban waterways, rivers and lakes. “This is a breakthrough for New Zealanders in terms of providing safe drinking water throughout ...
Kia ora koutouE ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā matā wakaTēnā koutou katoaHaere ngā, moe maiKoutou ma ngā Rangatira Ko Anaru ahauKo au te Minita mo ngā TureHe Honore tino nui kei roto I ahau No reira tena koutou katoa Today, we are releasing two reports that are the ...
The Government is looking to turn around the long-term challenges of criminal justice by taking a new approach to break the cycle of offending to ensure there are fewer victims of crime. Justice Minister Andrew Little released two reports today, Turuki! Turuki! from Te Uepū Hāpai I te Ora, and ...
New Zealand firms expanding beyond the start-up phase are set for more support after today’s passage of the Venture Capital Fund Bill, Associate Finance Minister David Parker said. The Bill, which establishes a $300 million Venture Capital Fund, puts in place a key initiative of the Wellbeing Budget’s economic package. ...
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā iwi, e ngā rau rangatira mā. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Señora Presidenta, Excellencies, Delegates. International action A common thread that runs through the Paris Agreement is the commitment we have made to each other to do what we can to ...
The Government is lifting capital investment to the highest level in more than 20 years as it takes the next step to future-proof New Zealand. Finance Minister Grant Robertson has announced $12 billion of new investment, with $8 billion for specific capital projects and $4 billion to be added to ...
The Government is forecast to run $12 billion worth of surpluses across the four years to 2023/24 as the economy continues to grow. The surpluses will help fund day-to-day capital requirements each year. These include fixing leaky hospitals, building new classrooms to cover population growth and take pressure off class ...
Budget 2020 will continue the Coalition Government’s focus on tackling the long-term challenges facing New Zealand while also investing to future-proof the economy. When the Government took office in 2017 it was left with crumbling infrastructure, severe underinvestment in public services, degraded rivers and lakes, a housing crisis and rising ...
The Minister responsible for the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 (te Takutai Moana Act 2011), Andrew Little has welcomed the launch of an online geospatial tool that provides data-rich, dynamic coastline maps that will significantly boost research and evidence-gathering under the Act. Te Kete Kōrero a Te ...
The Chief Victims Advisor to Government Dr Kim McGregor, QSO, has been reappointed in her role for a further two years. Dr McGregor has held the role since it was established in November 2015. She provides independent advice to government on how to improve the criminal justice system for victims. ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and Civil Defence Minister Peeni Henare have today announced the deployment of a network of DART (Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami) buoys. “New Zealand and the Pacific region are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. It is vital we have adequate warning systems in place,” ...
DART Buoys Announcement Aotea Wharf, 9.30am 11 December 2019 Acknowledgements Acknowledgements to Minister for Civil Defence Hon Peeni Henare also here today. White Island It is with regret that this event shadows the tragic natural disaster two days ago. The volcanic eruptions on White Island have claimed 5 lives, ...
Racing Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the first reading of the Racing Industry Bill in parliament today. This is the second of two Bills that have been introduced this year to revitalise New Zealand’s racing industry. “Our domestic racing industry has been in serious decline. The Government is committed to ...
Minister for Disability Issues, Carmel Sepuloni, is pleased to announce that $291,321 is to be awarded to national and local community initiatives to maintain and promote the use of New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL). “New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world where Sign Language is an ...
Minister for Veterans Ron Mark has announced today the Coalition Government’s initial response to work completed by the independent statutory body, the Veterans’ Advisory Board. “When Professor Ron Paterson completed his review of the Veterans’ Support Act in 2018, he made a number of recommendations, including one which I referred ...
The Government will fund the bulk of the cost of a rural water supply for the Ohakea community affected by PFAS contamination, Environment Minister David Parker announced today at a meeting of local residents. This new water scheme will provide a reliable and clean source of drinking water to the ...
I have had the opportunity to be briefed on the details of the volcanic eruption of Whakaari/White Island, off the coast of Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty. The eruption happened at 2.11pm today. It continues to be an evolving situation. We know that there were a number of tourists ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare have today confirmed initial Government support of $100,000 for communities affected by the severe weather that swept across the South Island and lower North Island over the weekend. The contribution will be made to Mayoral relief funds across the ...
New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, Tessa Temata, died in Palmerston North over the weekend, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said today. Ms Temata, 52, had recently returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. "On behalf of the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, we extend ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today announced construction is underway on Wellington commuter rail upgrades which will mean more frequent services and fewer breakdowns. The upgrades include converting the Trentham to Upper Hutt single track section to a double track, with a new signalling system, upgraded stations and level crossings, and ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark and Minister for Climate Change James Shaw have announced the release of a Defence Climate Change Implementation Work Plan, titled Responding to the Climate Crisis: An Implementation Plan. The plan sets out a series of recommendations based on the 2018 New Zealand Defence Assessment, The ...
A medium-scale adverse event has been declared for the South Canterbury district, which will see up to $50,000 in funding made available to support farming communities which have been significantly affected by recent heavy rain and flooding in the area, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Two weeks of solid rain ...
Thank you Professor Juliet Gerrard and your team for the comprehensive and extremely helpful report and recommendations. Thank you too to all the stakeholders and interested parties who have contributed ideas and thinking to it. “Making best practice, standard practice” is a great framework for change and the action plan ...
The Government will phase out more single-use plastics following the success of its single-use plastic bag ban earlier this year and the release today of a pivotal report for dealing with waste. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed the Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealandreport, released by her Chief Science Advisor ...
International education continues to thrive as the Government focuses on quality over quantity, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. The tuition revenue from international education increased to $1.16 billion last year with the average tuition fee per student increasing by $960. The total number of international students enrolled in New Zealand ...
I want to talk about one of the most pressing issues in our national life: the housing crisis and the poor performance of our cities. The argument I want to make to you is that generations of urban land use policy have lacked a decent grounding in economics. The consequences ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says new appointments to DHBs represent a significant changing of the guard, with 13 new chairs including four Māori chairs. Today 76 appointments have been announced to complement elected board members, as well as eight elected members appointed as either chair or deputy chair. Four ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Fletcher Tabuteau, is travelling to Germany, Poland, Austria, and Spain next week to bolster New Zealand’s political and trade relationships in Europe. While in Spain, Mr Tabuteau will represent New Zealand at the 14th Asia-Europe (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Madrid. “New Zealand strongly supports ...
“I’ve spoken to Minister Faafoi, who has apologised for his poor handling of this issue,” Jacinda Ardern said. “I have confidence in Kris as a hardworking and effective Minister, but this should have been dealt with in a much clearer manner, and I’ve made my views on that very clear ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters met with Tongan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa in Wellington today. The pair signed a Statement of Partnership setting out joint priorities for cooperation out to 2023. “We welcomed Prime Minister Tu'i'onetoa on his first visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister. Tonga ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash says his sympathies are with the family of a man who died after being shot by Police in Kurow. “Initial reports are that Police were called by a family member to help the man who was threatening to harm himself,” Mr Nash says. “However ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Scott Morrison is picking up that Australia’s devastating, prolonged fires are producing a soured, anti-government mood among many in the community. It may not be entirely rational for people to turn on politicians in such ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katharine Kemp, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, UNSW, and Co-Leader, ‘Data as a Source of Market Power’ Research Stream of The Allens Hub for Technology, Law and Innovation, UNSW Today, the federal government responded to the recommendations of the Australian Competition and ...
Winston Peters hopes mergers of NZME and Stuff and RNZ and TVNZ will save local journalism. Bernard Hickey argues they are more likely to again prove costly diversions. ...
The foreign affairs minister Winston Peters will be travelling to Samoa tomorrow to visit hospitals and medical teams dealing with the ongoing measles outbreak. ...
Andrew Little says the justice system is “taking wrecked lives and wrecking them just a little bit more”, but will the Govt cough up with what's needed for transformative change? ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lidia Morawska, Professor, Science and Engineering Faculty; Director, International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (WHO CC for Air Quality and Health); Director – Australia, Australia – China Centre for Air Quality Science and Management (ACC-AQSM), Queensland University of Technology Bushfire smoke ...
Winston Peters is bemoaning how long a decision on Northport is taking, saying if you're faced with inevitability, you should act. But Cabinet ministers have put off making a call until next year. ...
A review of the ANZ Bank New Zealand's missteps over the past year has found complacency at the most senior level, leading to the departure of its long serving chief executive. ...
Dr Bryce Edwards.In his big-spending infrastructure announcement yesterday, Grant Robertson reinforced what many political commentators say about him – he’s electorally smart, but way too conservative to be a genuine leftwing minister of finance. Robertson does what is right for winning votes, but not necessarily what is in the ...
Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) says the announcement today of three changes to the Arms Bill should be the start of a large-scale rewrite, or even eventual abandonment. ...
The failure of high-growth councils to supply enough infrastructure to support housing development has led to some serious social and economic problems, the NZ Productivity Commission states in a local government funding and financing report released today. ...
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) says that while the Budget Policy Statement 2020 promises to extend Budget 2019’s 'Wellbeing' framework and states "reducing child poverty and improving child wellbeing" as a priority, spending plans don’t ...
The National Party's new health platform includes $50 million a year for cancer drugs, a boost to Pharmac funding and the reintroduction of National Health Targets. ...
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is lamenting the lack of courage shown in the Productivity Commission’s Local Government Funding Report, saying that while it makes many worthy recommendations, its play-it-safe-approach relegates the report ...
Wellington 12 December 2019: The Government’s announcement to future-proof New Zealand with a $12billion investment in infrastructure is a positive sign for the country’s future. ...
19-year-old Benee’s track ‘Glitter’ is climbing international charts thanks to being given a TikTok dance. How does that work? Josie Adams explains what a TikTok dance is, and how this social media app is the new MTV.Who is Benee?Benee has had a huge 2019, with the Aucklander riding sparkling pop ...
Newsroom has asked the district court to end a defamation action by business site NBR over a news story discussing NBR and ex National MP Steven Joyce. ...
Today, at a meeting of Auckland Council’s Governing Body, councillors voted unanimously for a series of resolutions that will require greater direct involvement in resolving the ongoing dispute between unions and NZ Bus from Auckland Transport and the Minister ...
“Important policy and legislative developments have landed today which could enable a bolder, more streamlined way of delivering new infrastructure for the benefit all New Zealanders,” says Infrastructure New Zealand CEO Paul Blair. ...
The Public Service Association welcomes the announcement of a new strategic direction for the justice system, but says union members want to be properly included in designing the system they will eventually implement. ...
The success stories of people with extra struggles may not get awards and trophies, but they’re worth celebrating all the same, says Jai Breitnauer.It’s the time of year for awards assemblies and prize-givings, for clubs and teams handing out certificates and trophies. It’s traditional, as we approach Christmas and the ...
Millions of dollars worth of New Zealand fruit and grapes were at risk of rotting on the branch due to a shortage of local pickers. So a visionary group of Central Otago growers. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Gibney, NHMRC early career fellow, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity The pacific island nation of Samoa has been making headlines over the past month due to a significant measles outbreak. At last count, 4,995 measles cases had been ...
Two newspaper reports illustrate the contrasting involvements of science and spiritual beliefs in the aftermath of the White Island eruption. Meanwhile several iwi have placed rāhui over their customary coastal areas. This effectively represents a customary prohibition on all maritime activities for the whole of the Eastern Bay of Plenty ...
From Middle Earth to outer space, New Zealand business has covered a lot of ground in the last 10 years. Business editor Maria Slade looks back.As the world emerged blinking from the chaos of the 2008/2009 global financial crisis, New Zealand began the 2010s in relatively good shape. We’d recovered ...
The Spinoff’s cartoonist Toby Morris chats and draws with New Zealand’s doodlers in the webseries Two Sketches. This episode, Toby is the guest of Sir Michael Hill… Jeweller.To close out the season, and potentially the series, Toby boards the super yacht of jeweller, entrepreneur, rich lister and, now, cartoonist, Michael ...
Today's release of Turuki Turuki will be welcome news for people in prison and all those working in the criminal justice system. But its most important message is that all sides need to come together. Turuki Turuki is a call for political ...
The New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says the coalition Government agrees RNZ and TVNZ need protecting at a time when media industry is in dire straights. ...
When Barbara Cox joined a football team in 1973, she was one of the first women in the country to do so. She’s still fighting for women in the sport to get the respect they deserve. Auckland women didn’t play football in 1972. Auckland women cooked and cleaned and looked after ...
Richard MacManus meets Aimee – the digital assistant with a human touch. For years we’ve been worried about robots taking our jobs, but in fact it’s “digital humans” that are increasingly joining the workforce. At least, that seems to be the case in customer service. Southern Cross Health Society, New Zealand’s ...
Election rallies ain’t what they used to be. Boris’s election eve shindig was an invitation-only event for party faithful. The location (at a smallish venue in the London Olympic park) was disclosed to attendees only on the day (presumably to head off the risk of protest).The set-up is for ...
New Zealanders waiting for hip and knee surgery and other medical procedures, and families struggling to put food on the table will be funding increased profits for banks and corporate investors following Finance Minister Grant Robertson's $12 billion ...
Business is Boring is a podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Campbell Ellison from Callaghan Innovation and Alexandra Allan, CEO of Food Bowl.One of the ...
The Taxpayers’ Union has published the 2019 ‘Public Sector CEO Rich List’ at www.taxpayers.org.nz/ceo_rich_list Taxpayers’ Union spokesman Louis Houlbrooke says, “This year taxpayers will pay $62 million in salaries for just 140 people. ...
The first step in making things fairer, for those that have experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth, got closer with the passing of the first reading of Labour MP Ginny Anderson’s Holidays Act (Bereavement Leave for Miscarriage) Amendment Bill on Tuesday. ...
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The greatest show to ever air on New Zealand TV screens, and arguably any screens ever, had a tenure of just three tragically short years.It was on air from March 1997 to September 1999. It had an ensemble of impossibly jazzy New Zealand children and a live studio audience. It ...
Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Government infrastructure spending, fiscal policy Chris Trotter: Grant Robertson Spends Up Large – On The Establishment Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Politics and economics ...
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Britain votes today in an election brought on by the ongoing failure of the House of Commons to approve any of the Brexit deals put before it over the last couple of years by successive Prime Ministers, Theresa May and now Boris Johnson. Mr Johnson ...
The case for a complete relocation of Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour freight port is far from established. Nevertheless, Auckland will grow over the long term, and the freight operations need to move away from the area close to the downtown Ferry Terminal. This area should become like Sydney’s Circular Quay. The ...
Climate change crisis; - “transport emissions are a major culprit causing horrendous weather events.” At CEAC; we will watch with interest of how the transport funds will be used to improve our transport infrastructure and lower our climate change ...
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The final Cabinet meeting of the year is on Monday, but an announcement on the future of public broadcasting may not be made until next year given there's only be two of after that. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Manwaring, Senior Lecturer, Politics and Public Policy, Flinders University The cost of running the 2017 UK general election was estimated at £140 million (A$270 million). It’s likely to be higher this time. In 2017, the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats ...
National Leader Simon Bridges is accusing the Government of "screwing up the economy," after new Treasury figures revealed the books would be going into deficit next year. ...
Government unveils $12b infrastructure boost, much of it focused on roads and rail; and much awaited report on combatting foreign interference in elections delivered. ...
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Open Mike 20/03/2017 
If you want to study propagandist techniques, you are typically told to study Dictatorships. Not unfair, but what’s always been more interesting to me is so-called “democratic” countries and their broader information systems. Why? Because people opt for it, even as they decry “totalitarian regimes!”.. It’s quite an eye ...7 hours ago
Introducing legislation which shits on the public's right to know seems to have become a daily occurrence for this government. Today's example is the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Bill. The bill establishes a framework for the establishment of "special purpose vehicles" (SPVs) to hide debt from local government balance sheets ...10 hours ago
Below is the longlist of words and phrases generated in the korero phase of Public Address Word of the Year 2019, with some editorial moderation. Now it's time to vote. As you'll doubtless be able to see, you get three ranked choices. Use your power wisely. Or frivolously, whatever.As usual, ...10 hours ago
by Daphna Whitmore This week 800 unionised bus drivers in Auckland were suspended from work after they refused to collect fares as part of a campaign of industrial action. Drivers working for Auckland’s largest bus company NZ Bus are asking for more pay and better working conditions after being offered ...15 hours ago
As details emerge about what unfolded on Whakaari / White Island two days ago, my thoughts go out to all the families affected by this terrible event. My thoughts are also with the first responders who worked in perilous circumstances to assist and protect those affected. Both local and ...15 hours ago
BMG research have unleashed their final poll of the 2019 campaign:Westminster voting intention: CON: 41% (-)LAB: 32% (-)LDEM: 14% (-)GRN: 4% (-)BREX: 3% (-1)via @BMGResearch , 06 - 11 Dec Chgs. w/ 06 Dec That's a bit of a "Dunno why we bothered" sort of poll. "Phillip, I'm afraid I've been a ...16 hours ago
Grant Keeps On Trucking: Out of the $12 billion Robertson has announced for infrastructure investment, $8 billion will be allocated to specific projects, with the balance of $4 billion held in reserve. What does it say about this Government's "transformational" ambitions that 85 percent of that $8 billion is to ...17 hours ago
I love data. It’s amazing the sort of “discoveries” I can make given a data set and computer statistical package. It’s just so easy to search for relationships and test their statistical significance. Maybe relationships which ... 3 days ago
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Government unveils $12b infrastructure boost, much of it focused on roads and rail; and much awaited report on combatting foreign interference in elections delivered. ...16 hours ago
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I don’t suppose there are any protests planned for when John Key leaves Parliament. It would be great to give him a final hurray to let him know that a lot of people don’t like him. I don’t live in Wellington so couldn’t make it but it is a fine thought.
I also don’t think he is just disliked by the general population. He has unjustly ruined the reputations and careers of a lot of people by passing the blame, particularly in the Public Service. They, their families and friends must know the truth when someone further down the chain of command has been the scapegoat for the actions of Key and his ministers.
He may have unjustly ruined the reputations and careers of a lot of people. He may deserve a noisy send-off. (or better still a ‘Bugger off!’) I personally think he was a lying, weasly opportunist.
It’s a fact though that he was not disliked by the general population. Certainly not by any significant numbers.
Media assisted Key. Take this weeks Nation and Q&a, both had annoying stupid greying balding hacks on, no doubt paid by the 1% to go on TV and say annoyingly stupid things. Franks says Greens caused Aucklands Housing crisis, you know the Green party that constucted the stupid city, Key, and the ACT MP Hide who became local govt minister. Then on Q&a former ACT leader, the more balding one, says that not only should foregn buyers have no cultural concerns when shifting to a new different culture, but once here should total act without any community spirit, doubling down on how mney makes rich people invinsible invisible even to us general oiks. This is how Key got such an easy ride, dumb and stupid are merged and put into the media spotlight, just right, that it does not show. As long as the talking heads dont shift the shadows, insure the obvious lies aren’t not asked or answered, then the distraction is complete. everyone gets paid. Hey think about the Chinese tourists, how can they feel about bringing their monkey year child up on NZ milk, to NZ and feeling at home swimming in a shitty river like back home.
The dairy boom was a politicial Chinese need for milk and we all paid for it with farm debt, land misuse in conversions, overstocking and shiity rivers. No wonder NZ gets poorer, it grows and takes on all the risks and hands off the profits.
aerobubble,
You do realise that Q & A usually has a political scientist, plus a commentator from the left and the right; same with the Nation. As publicly funded political programmes I guess they naively think balance is important.
So it is no doubt really annoying for you to put with comment from the right as well as the left. Though Jamie Whyte is a true libertarian and does not really buy into regulation, certainly much less than National supporters think appropriate.
At least it gives you something to complain about.
Are you suggesting political scientists are all balanced?
“Jamie Whyte is a true libertarian and does not really buy into regulation.”
Must be a real bastard for him that there are traffic lights and speed limits restricting his freedom to choose.
The right by which you mean super individualists whose objective is to stymie the issue and keep systemic wealth unaccountable. Essentially false libertarians whose job is to hose down any issue. Any company that grows has growing pains, its essential those matrs are brought to the boardroom, inequality, low pay, high rents, por public transit, shitty rivers, etc are all met by these paid supposed libertarians with ad hom, distraction fed by mediator of some gen war. If the nats really thought these particular commentators are doing themselves any favors then sirely they deserve the now obvious joke. Trump, like them makes bald obvious untrue claims of greatness, how he’s great with the economyetc Facts are nAtional are woeful managers of the economy, who shorts their kids? Tax cuts coupled with taxing education, its decades of shoving future weath into the pile of present politicial expediancy.
And its all now coming back to bite. The ultra stupid savants of ACT are hardly credible rightwing commentators, just lousy socialists for the few.
Christ Wayne – you really are quite a naiive little wall flower aren’t you. And here’s me thinking you were the Brains of Britain with a wealth of experience.
No accounting for a closed mind, rote ‘learnings’ and ideology though I ‘spose.
Btw…..did you check out Matty boy this morning?. Someone’s obviously told him to try and be cool calm and collected. He ALMOST made it.
He was almost convincing. He certainly had Nick Smith and major friend Bill pegged (as to their mediocre intelligence, disguised by polly and spin speak).
It was probably Matty’s attempt at exercising a smidgeon of honesty (going forward).
Congratulations Matty – you almost made it.
But as for you Wayne – much as I tried to think otherwise, now I know you’re really just full of shit dressed up in the robes of academic rationalism and supposed experience.
You’ll go far (going forward). A+ with honours
And oh btw @ Wayne
Did you hear Nick Smith on Q+A or The Nation (both fairly feeble efforts at holding our political ‘representatives’ to account in a democratic nation state) say
“I did them the courtesy of meeting them in my office”.
??
It seems to me that Nick the faux has lost all notion of what his job is, what a functioning rep dem is, and the idea that he is a servant. (As of course were you and ilk if you could just get past your priviledges and swilling at the trough)
Historically, that’s the sort of arrogance that got the natives really really restless. Lucky we don’t really have a functioning mainstream media that picks up on those details – though as Dear Matty suggests – Nick Smith is managing to piss off people all on his own
Ah well it’s been about 4 hours and fuk all response from ‘The Wayne’.
My reason for not engaging in discussion in the past was more about the state of TS – whereas, it appears ‘The Wayne’s’ is more about a troll-like hit and run agenda in pursuit of his agenda and in the name of self preservation.
@The Wayne, and @The Nick Smith …… we know you present yourselves as the gorgeous voices of reason (going forward), and as the intelligensia of the Neshnool Party along with that bitter old queen from the Eastern suburbs trying to define High and Might (there’d be one or two Snots Porridge old boys along with a few polly bois that still have ushooooos).
(There are a few of them that set themselves apart from the feral leopard skins but who are publicly so-in-sync with the same publicly – for some – it hurts: IT REALLY HURTS)
Why do you keep at it @ Wayne? (It’s a genuine question).
Are you actually as thick as I suspect you might be and just riding on your past, or are you getting just an eeensie teeeensie little bit scared.
I think Matty Dear the Hooter could actually be correct, and that you, along with Nuk Smuff could actually be just a little bit FUK
Let me clarify @ Wayne
by which I mean you have the capacity for argument but not reason, ideology over issue, and a total lack of critical thought processes.
Polly wanna Cracker?
Wayne – you’re in ….compliant? ideologically comitted’ cultural? company. There’s a Hekia to ya roit, and a Crus to ya left. A part time feminist to ya roit, and a bitter old poof to ya left (even though he’d be too scared to move)
. And both sides protesting a high ground in a compliant and main stream media (check out that AM Show fukwit trying his hardest to cling to yoof and relevance for a start -and no ….. not the “Dunk”
A tuff on croim coward to ya roit, and probably half the fucking back bench asking where to point their tounges: should it be towards a Bling giving a thrill his wife yet never has – or ……. (And it’s a shame that so many are just a little bit ….. you know …. Nafe Goi).
Jesus! I sure as shit hope you’re getting value for the CT dollar, but I suspect (as do others in your politically defined bracket) your time is up and you’ll have to start dealing with the ushooooze
Careful Bill, the head of that pin could get awfully small very fast….
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/90610222/no-charge-put-on-water-before-the-election-because-its-too-hard–bill-english
I don’t see what’s so hard about the ownership side, there’s no issues around petroleum and minerals, only contentious bit there is the price.
Why not set up a trust to own the water and use the funds to clean and maintain our water assets for future generations
Listening to PM Bill English saying they will do something after the election on RNZ was laughable. So I signed this latest petition 🙂
https://www.change.org/p/environment-minister-nick-smith-stop-multinational-corporations-exporting-kiwis-artesian-water-without-paying-a-royalty/u/19756904
Its hard? Could be he has a lots of super rich people breathing down his neck, who are entitled to not pay tax, not pay tarriffs, not be concern for local culture, community or environment needs, and wealth for then is a pissing contest, as they cant take it with them, they find the only purpose to life is to piss highest up the wealth pole.
Put a tax on how far pottable water is transported, including bottled. People should live close to water storage, like they live close to food, transport, work, as it saves energy.
“too hard”
That’s the theme this year, National, the too hard govt.
Agree weka, and Election hoardings will read- “Vote National for a too hard future.”
lol, we should definitely do some memes here on that.
National Party rep: The beatings will continue until morale improves
Noted. Wealthy people change nothing, nothing to see types, its so good, its never been better… …oh and bring back beatings for kids. Yeah, they hven’t ben holding back Northland with thei ineffective neolib fantasy of leaving it to the market, no not them, that stress out families, working two jobs, never able to communicate values to their kids.
At a supermarket near you.
@absurdistwords on anti-blackness in media and advertising
New Zealand, in my considered opinion, is and has been riddled with endemic and entrenched corruption for decades.
The ‘commercialise – corporatise -PRIVATISE Neo – liberal Rogernomics’ model, locally, nationally and internationally, promoted and enforced the contracting out of public services that used to be provided ‘in house’ by central and local government.
The ‘Rogernomics RORT’ was based upon the unsubstantiated myth and mantra
‘PUBLIC IS BAD – PRIVATE IS GOOD’.
That public service provision, under the genuine non-commercialised (not for profit) public service model was supposedly ‘inefficient’.
‘Inefficient’ in my view, was corporate-speak for ‘we haven’t yet got our filthy hands on it’.
The NZ Business Round Table (made up of CEOs of NZ BIG business) who both vigorously promoted and directly benefited from the Rogernomics reforms which served their vested interests – focused on a form of ‘grand’ corruption which most New Zealanders have never even heard of.
STATE CAPTURE – where vested interests get their way at the POLICY level, to get laws passed which serve their vested interests.
Where do you look to find STATE CAPTURE in New Zealand?
Look at the Regulatory Impact Statements that are produced before proposed law changes go to Cabinet.
Look at those with whom the ‘policy analysts’ have consulted.
That’s how this form of endemic ‘grand’ corruption has been carried out for decades in this corrupt, polluted tax haven, falsely and misleadingly marketed as ‘clean, green New Zealand’.
What a total CROCK.
The answer?
In my considered opinion ?
Open the books.
Cut out the contractors.
Return public services to ‘in house’ provision under the public service model.
Penny Bright
Proven ‘anti-privatisation / anti-corruption Public Watchdog’
Fletcher Building taking a massive hit, probably on just a couple of jobs: Sky City and Christchurch.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11821548
Really bad case of overreach.
Near-monopoly meets near-monopsony in a small coutnry; who’d’ve thought there’d be tears before bedtime?
Bruce has got a great idea, the natural world doesn’t like the west coast or people very much so the plan is to export the natural world to China. Genius!
http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2017/03/water-from-mt-aspiring-in-the-south-island-set-to-be-shipped-overseas.html
This is a great boost for the West Coast, S.I. NZ The locals think it’s all right.
Yeah, a good idea we’ve got plenty of it heh heh, says Fred Dagg, a local.
I’ll become a supplier, wear one of those heavy waterproof coats and a hat with a rim and catch the flow in a container at the hem. The way it rains here I’ll be a millionaire in ten years. They are short of water in the world but we will always have plenty to spare. Great idea, need some business and new people to boost house prices here.
Another organic farmer, 2% up 98% to go. Come on you farmers that care about the land and doing a good job, not just screwing every last drop out of your properties – Don’t Drop-Prop!
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/90617108/heriot-farmer-encourages-others-to-go-organic
Does anyone know the percentage into organics of all NZ farmers?
Great news. Today’s farmers have a new idea – they are putting in water troughs like NZ farms always used to have. However the energy being used as of now to move the water is not provided by solar, so they are really starting with an old model which would probably have been gravity-fed and adding old technology to it. Hey guys and girls there are things that have been discovered since then – solar, and of course there is the ancient method of windmills that have been updated. So much to learn, it’s a problem.
Up-front capital costs included pipes, troughs and tanks, as well as fences and additional stock. Running costs were fuel or electricity, insurance, as well as additional fertiliser and extra supplementary feed.
Manawatu AgFirst consultant Erica van Reenen said list “significant” benefits. “Such as increased subdivision, better grazing management, an increase in the number of stock run, and more sold prime rather than as store stock.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/90520128/water-troughs-bring-big-gains-for-hill-country-farmers
It takes a very switched on farmer to farm the organic way , there have been some horror stories about animals suffering under people that have tried and failed.
Thanks bwaghorn
I have heard it is hard. I note that the farmer in the NZ Farmer article said you have to do it in stages.
It’s not hard technically. Organics is just another set of skills and approaches (although I think you probably do need to have the philosophy clear in your own head too). I can’t see how it would be any harder than switching from sheep to industrial dairying for instance.
The problem is that the huge infrastructure that exists to support farming doesn’t support organics very well. Banks, farm advisors, support organisations, govt research etc are still massively weighted towards industrial and conventional farming. Not to mention supply line issues. Farm debt is a big one too from what I understand. Banks are less likely to lend to operations they don’t understand and perceive as risky. Risk assessment being affected by all that other weighting.
we’ve breed sheep and cattle for at least 50 years using all manner of potions to keep them safe ,they have no natural resistance , the most successful ones i’ve heard of have two blocks ,one organic one not so they can transfer the weaker stock that need help to the chemical farm
Are you saying that parasite management is the stumbling block?
People raised sheep and other stock for thousands of years before the invention of chemical farming 😉
yep that would be the biggy , some ram breeders are working on worm resistance , as drench resistance is becoming more of a problem we may be forced to go drench free at some point down the track, unless they come up with a new one.
fly strike would be a hard one too, and with things getting warmer that is a problem that will only grow. on the bright side the new dips are a lot less toxic than the old ones
are old breeds more resistant? e.g. pre-WW2?
Vaccines have been the saviour of us and animals though.
I read in a series of novels set in the 18th century that there had been a bad cattle plague. It certainly was a doozy.
Wikipedia:
Cattle plagues recurred throughout history, often accompanying wars and military campaigns. They hit Europe especially hard in the 18th century, with three long panzootics which, although varying in intensity and duration from region to region, took place in the periods of 1709–1720, 1742–1760, and 1768–1786.[14]
There was a major outbreak covering the whole of Britain in 1865/66. Later in history, an outbreak in the 1890s killed 80 to 90% of all cattle in southern Africa, as well as in the Horn of Africa. Sir Arnold Theiler was instrumental in developing a vaccine that curbed the epizootic. More recently, a rinderpest outbreak raged across much of Africa in 1982–1984, costing at least an estimated US$500 million in stock losses.
But good news!
On 14 October 2010, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced that field activities in the decades-long, worldwide campaign to eradicate the disease were ending, paving the way for a formal declaration in June 2011 of the global eradication of rinderpest.[5]
On 25 May 2011, the World Organisation for Animal Health announced the free status of the last eight countries not yet recognized (a total of 198 countries were now free of the disease), officially declaring the eradication of the disease.[6]
In June 2011, the United Nations FAO confirmed the disease was eradicated, making rinderpest only the second disease in history to be fully wiped out, following smallpox.[7]
In relation to Organic Dairy Farming the limited amount of supply was reduced further 2-3 years ago by incompetence (a particular manager) at a mid-management level in Fonterra when their dedicated group of organic suppliers around the Manawatu and Wanganui regions were told that their Organic premiums were going to cease and their organic milk would be pumped in with the regular milk supply.
After a couple of years many of the suppliers forwent their Organic status as the low payout meant their farms lost much of their profitability.
Role on a couple more years and the incompetent had been fired and then Fontera were begging for Organic supply again – not so easy to regain your organic status.
“there have been some horror stories about animals suffering under people that have tried and failed.”
Such as?
only anicdata but sheep dying in numbers from worms and fly strike.
How many farms? That sounds like someone who doesn’t know what they are doing rather than being about organics. What kinds of farmer would let their animals get in that state?
”What kinds of farmer would let their animals get in that state?”
a useless one and as there is no licence to farm there is no way of stopping his type,
although a bad outbreak can catch out even the good cockies.
did anyone read this? what do they make of it?
http://www.wakeupnz.net/link-dairy-farming-crohns-disease-nz/
“The reported incidence of Crohn’s disease in Canterbury, New Zealand has doubled over the past decade, crowning the region with the highest reported incidence globally. Scientists around the world believe environmental factors are contributing to this disconcerting rise. In this investigation, we present the research on a disease found primarily in dairy cattle called Johne’s disease, which has the same symptoms as Crohn’s disease and is recognised on over half of all dairy farms in New Zealand. If the MAP bacteria which causes the immune responses in dairy cattle is tested and found in our local drinking water supplies, our air and our dairy products, we could be facing a public health issue of massive proportions.
Johne’s (“Yo-nees”) disease is a contagious, chronic and sometimes fatal infection caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Johne’s disease is found primarily in agricultural ruminants such as cattle and sheep, and is an immune system response following MAP infection which leads to deteriorated bowels. This inability to process nutrients leads to the most obvious signs an animal may have contracted Johne’s such as weakening, weight loss and even death. Most animals are infected during the first months of their life, yet signs of the infection can take years to show.”
Sabine thanks for that heads up.
That is really interesting. And it might be one of those illnesses that faecal implants are able to help. I’ve heard Crohn’s is horrible. A real kick in the guts.
It sounds similar to leptospirosis, which is passed on from animals.
http://www.medicinenet.com/leptospirosis/page2.htm
What causes leptospirosis?
The cause of leptospirosis is bacteria, Leptospira interrogans, a Gram-negative spirochete (spiral-shaped bacteria). The bacteria infect many types of animals (many wild animals, rodents, dogs, cats, pigs, horses, cattle, for example) that subsequently contaminate water, lakes, rivers, soil, and crops when they urinate because the bacteria are present in urine.
The bacteria then infect humans when they invade through breaks in the skin or mucus membranes or when people ingest them. The bacteria multiply in the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system. Person-to-person transfer of this disease is rare.
That too leaves a person weaker and vulnerable to illness and seems chronic.
So on top of all the other factors which make dairy farming bad economically.
Now it would appear, that those with a predisposition to catching Crohn’s disease (which we have no idea of those numbers) are catching the disease because it is a zoonotic (transferable from animals to humans) in nature. And our dairy heard is full of the disease.
This national government, does nothing beyond short term – at the expense of the long term health of the population. What else will we learn that their shortsightedness has done to hurt the population I wonder.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/90610222/no-charge-put-on-water-before-the-election-because-its-too-hard–bill-english
”If the government put a charge on water it was inevitable Maori would make a claim and English said that would be “pretty hard to resolve”. ”
it’s all the maoris fault we can’t charge for water according to english
interesting.
we shifted house 8 weeks ago, but because of our chinese landlord not being here in nz and not having signed the form we must wait 31 working day for a time out and then we will be re-funded our bond.
Now luckily we are not too poor and moved into our own pad, so did not need the bond to be returned in time to pay for another bond (or pay back any advances from the bank).
I wonder how standard this is, how much interest people loose on their bond money, and how many overseas landlord make it hard fro people to get their money back.
Also, can someone explain to me why bond money that is held for years is refunded without interest?
the reason i am asking is simple, the government holds the bonds paid by people. It would be fair to assume that the money held is accruing interest. where does that interest go?
again boring but, in Germany the bond (kaution) is held in an savings account on behalf of the tenant by the landlord and when both parties sign to release the bond, the amount plus interest is paid back to the tenant as it is their money security to save keep the house/flat. Right?
http://www.toytowngermany.com/lofi/index.php/t97250.html
“The fairest way to deal with the Kaution is to put it in a savings book. This is held in the tenants name, the landlord looks after the book. The cash can only be withdrawn when both parties sign at the end of the tenancy so landlord and tenant have to agree any deductions before either get the cash. This is called a Bankburgschaft. As it is a savings account it collects interest and the tenant will recieve this.”
Good point about the interest.
NYT Russia conspiracy “expert”
Health warning may contain nut.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-39250257
Only response I can think of to that rubbish from the crazy Tory.
Another benefit of the intensive dairying in NZ
No doubt the scientist have got it all wrong just like the scientist who warn us about global warming sarc/
http://www.wakeupnz.net/link-dairy-farming-crohns-disease-nz/
A thoughtful piece by the President of the PPTA and a totally predictable reply by Alan Price – National Party’s Kaikohe Chair. “It’s abundantly clear that the last 32 years haven’t seen teachers wishing to turn back the clock. Unless Alan Price was willing to staff schools with National Party branch chairs and members of Family First, it’s hard to see how reintroducing corporal punishment could happen.” http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/on-the-inside/327017/why-corporal-punishment-doesn't-work