I couldn’t find anything on last night’s meeting in the Herald this morning, despite going right to the bottom of the page. I guess it will be tucked away somewhere. Ironically, an article on Key’s performance in his interview with John Campbell, was still up, despite it being days old.
Yes, Campbell’s poll result 52666 votes, 89% against the Bill. Combined with another amazing pack public meeting…and virtually nothing in the NZ Herald.
If you mean the Hoskings who wrote this, then yeah, I’d really like to hear how that quiet chat goes . . .
“Government of laws and not of men” is not a left wing principle: it was most clearly enunciated by John Locke, whose writings on government in the late 17th Century form the basis of much classical liberal and conservative philosophy about private property rights – and what is personal privacy if not a private property right? – and small government.
Those who favour small government, and having the rights of officials to interfere in your lives and business kept under firm legal control, should be concerned about this legislation.
You might be irritated by the way a few prominent left wing journalists have seized upon this and used it as a soapbox.
You might be outraged at the shamelessness of opposition parties who rail against this particular extension of state power but who plan to extend that powers with every other announcement they make.
Put that irritation and outrage to one side for now. It will keep, believe me. There is a more important issue to deal with now.
Think on this: what will those politicians from the left wing parties like the Greens or Labour do with these powers when and if they attain office?
If you think they will do anything rather than use these powers to further bolster the size of the state in our lives, then I have an emissions trading scheme to sell you.
Hasn’t the Green Party said it will repeal the Act? How is this consistent with your spin?
I suspect that, especially given the information uncovered by Nicky Hager, any SIS/GCSB left employed under a Labour/Greens/Mana government would keep spying, but not as directed by the government. The information obtained, probably about the left, would go straight to Washington. The Greens and Mana know this and even some in Labour are waking up to it. The latest revelations have only driven the point home – as a sovereign nation we cannot afford to have intelligence services linked into UKUSA, Echelon, or whatever. If we need one, we’re going to have to rebuild from scratch.
The latest revelations have only driven the point home – as a sovereign nation we cannot afford to have intelligence services linked into UKUSA, Echelon, or whatever. If we need one, we’re going to have to rebuild from scratch.
Wonder why human rights abuses are becoming the norm here and our laws watered down. Take a look at what happening in the UK. Its time to sever ties with this country:
Human rights are legal fictions which are used in place of the natural rights of common law. There are very good reasons to sever state ties with the UK, but it isn’t something that can happen overnight because of the oaths of allegiance of NZ MPs and judges.
“Go Figure” Moment of the Day: on Firstline this morning…
“If Shearer was really serious about being Prime Minister he would have come and sorted this out because that’s what Helen Clark did with the then Leader of the Opposition.”
A bit of role reversal going on there I think.
In accordance with most historical mass movements, those opposed to GCSB might consuder adopting a simple symbol of opposition to wear as a badge etc.(e.g. HART badges, red poppy, etc)
I suggest the outline of a fish or snapper, in red. (J Key’s attempted red herring). Easy to make, easily recognisble.
Reminded again of the US comedian who said: ” You’re Prime Minister’s name is John Key? That’s what you ask for in America when you need to go to the bathroom in a service station !”
I therefore suggest a small drawing of a toilet because it is where he is leading us.
I wish as much concern for our nation’s families in need of assistance could be shown to match that of the search for the yacht Nina and its occupants. Apparently there are 41 satellites viewing this area of the world – I don’t know if that is the total or just from the west. Concerned people are scouring views from one private satellite (the USA refused access to its own citizens to view the government’s records) looking for signs of these precious people. Our NZ parents and their children are not so precious.
Perhaps we could have a report every day of one NZ family that had been needy and had received all the help wanted to improve their position and find themselves in a secure home, with transport, able to manage their parental duties, near to work, and with a holiday weekend provided and paid for and tutoring and sports equipment for the children, and further part-time education for the parents. Just to show that we and our government agencies are working to assist citizens to have opportunities to successfully make their way in life. To show we do not abandon our people when there are rough times and they are under stress from poverty and lack of job opportunities and low wages.
Agree Amirite. Hone added perspective which has always been visible but so often ignored. And “we” expect “them” to help “us” fight “our” battles. Much like the times when Maori and low boys were only any good if they won tests or the Ranfurly Shield. Those times are still with us in measure, as much as popular middle class canard denies it.
Hone has some powerful things to say that apply to Maori and pakeha as well. Good on him. You can’t just ask nicely, you’ll get the brush-off. Someone has to insist for fair treatment and an opportunity to live life, and not the vicious punitive government punch in the nose.
They have given away other people’s property (our trade barriers were part of our resources that protected us ensuring home-made could compete with imports – would the Dutch mine their polders,barriers against the sea, for a quick buck?) to ensure one section of society can trade without let or hindrance. Doh, they then make their own hindrance. And don’t have proper surveillance where it is needed, over their own processes and pipes. Can’t have pipes flowing with money into NZ and not have clean pipes going out.
You can’t just ask nicely, you’ll get the brush-off.
yep. look at the history of the abolition movement, the 40 hour week, womens suffrage, the right to form trade unions.
The Left has forgotten what it takes to make real changes. Its why the fuckwit Right Wingers go on about “having better manners” to lefties. Because they know about the power of taking concrete action on concrete issues.
Without doing that we will always get watered down policy wonkish positioning.
“our trade barriers were part of our resources that protected us ensuring home-made could compete with imports ”
Trade barriers are a major cost. They especially hurt the poor while transferring resources to the few. Capitalists become lobbyists and get rich behind tariffs (or worse import licenses). How can you support policies that transfer resources from consumers to producers to prop up inefficient local production? It is ridiculous. I thought this debate finished 20 years ago.
Trade barriers hurt the poor? Are you saying that competing with Chinese laborers pound for pound, who on average get paid as little as $6,500 NZD annually (Gansu province) is good for people on low incomes in New Zealand? It is clearly not more efficient to compete with economies that pay their workers peanuts, especially when none of those savings are transferred to consumers.
some trade barriers will be required in order to bring a degree of localisation back to the NZ economy, and to buffer us from external economic shocks.
Removal of barriers only works if each country has the exact same wages, exact same services (hospital, fire, telecoms, etc), exact same laws and protections and, most importantly, the exact same enforcement of those laws and protections. If they’re not the same then the price difference is incorrect which results in industry going to where it’s least efficient. Exactly as we’ve been seeing over the last few decades.
@Grey
I’ve often thought the same sort of thing after a large earthquake – the politicians, the media, councils et al – anxious to show their concern and understanding.
I guess killing them slowly (the beneficiaries, the indigent, etc) is acceptable these days.
What we need is to follow Thatcher’s way and decide to have a good war, it takes people’s minds off their chilblains after earthquakes destroy their housing and revitalises National Spirit.
Trouble is after the traditional expressions of concern, the government will want the affected people to wait for a few years till they get round to taking them seriously. I remember this approach being applied to an African famine fast approaching. The authorities were preparing and expected to be ready to mount humanitarian assistance within six months. But only six weeks food was left – the reporting journalist was in tears. /sarc
So they say that our GDP per capita is increasing.
But is it really? Are we as a nation of people more active and producing and doing more? My suspicion is no we are not. My suspicion is that the GDP numbers simply reflect an increase in the amount of money spinning around the economy. And where has that money come from? My suspicion is all of that extra money has come from debt lent into existence and printed by the banks.
It is a anti-spam “feature” from wordfence. It looks at how many page requests different types of organisms make per minute and throttles it if it exceeds a quantity (currently 4) in that minute, then you get that message.
What it is for is to stop someone trying to dump the whole or a large part of the whole site at once thereby making the site largely inaccessible for others. One or the other of the limits get hit multiple times every day. The bingbot is particularly obnoxious. But there is also someone from China reading successively through various authors comments last week. And we’ve had attempts to do simple page sweeps from inside NZ (and not just the National Library)
Bit of a bugger if you’re someone who just looks at the site every few days, opens anything that looks interesting in a new tab and settles down for a quick few minutes’ concentrated reading.
I was ready to blame it on Sticky Beak Key and his insatiable desire to read all my emails though. Might be an idea for something to do if the error page is customisable…
Whatever he’s doing, I wish he’d just bugger off, and take Goff, King, Shearer, Jones, and Hipkins with him. He is an irrelevance and an embarrassment. His major achievements have been to close schools and gag Cunliffe.
The home of the NeoLiberal revolution the U$. The Brave new world we have been copying courtesy of Roger the Dodger and his followers continues to show its true colours:
“Drastic growth in “extreme poverty” in US”
The 1% continue to crow on the pile’s top having cornered most of the wealth.
Well yes, Colonial Viper, it IS very bad if the Guardian had to destroy the Snowden material, but
why on earth – seeing they’re dealing with spooks, spies, and goodness knows what else – didn’t they keep a back-up copy or two (or more) on other sites? Surely when you’re dealing with such sensitive material you (the media concerned) would ensure safety of content by copying, and re-copying and taking the USBs elsewhere. Maybe they did do that ….. hope so, anyway.
but why on earth – seeing they’re dealing with spooks, spies, and goodness knows what else – didn’t they keep a back-up copy or two (or more) on other sites?
They did.
You seem to be missing the point, the UK government shouldn’t be able to demand that information that the media has be destroyed. Going the route that the UK has here it shows that the UK is well on the way to becoming an oppressive, totalitarian state.
The Guardian notes that the UK Govt was probably just making a point – that it can physically interfere with a newspaper publisher if it wants to.
The Chief Editor wrote an editorial – remarkably – outlining what happened. He said that Whitehall officials were told that copies of the data were held internationally and that Glenn Greenwald was writing and publishing from Brazil so wouldn’t even be affected by any UK injunction.
They ordered the smashing of the Guardian’s computer equipment anyway. One of the agents joked while witnessing the destruction that they could now call off the “black helicopters”.
What is it with New Zealanders and dogs? I reckon we are about the most uncivilised race on the planet when it comes to dogs. Can’t walk down the street without having to keep an eye out for dogshit bombs. Can’t go to places where dogs are either banned or required to be on a lead because so many owners ignore the rules (despite people with kids going to these places to avoid dogs). Can’t sleep in many urban locales because there will be some dog barking incessantly.
However, it annoys me that, walking places from my home, I sometimes come across a dog not on a lead (some times with, sometimes without an owner). It can make what should be a pleasurable, and environmentally-friendly way of getting place, unpleasant – because unleashed dogs scare me. The owners may think they are harmless, but how can I be sure of that?
Exactly Karol. Nobody can be certain about a dogs intentions, as the above linked article indicates (again). Imo it is unacceptable for dog owners to impose themselves on other people in this way. Similarly with the bombs left on the footpath – in our neighbourhood I would challenge anybody to walk around any block in the vicinity with eyes closed (!) and not end up with the stinking goopoop jammed into their shoes and then walked into the house. Gross.
Finally, I appreciate most owners are responsible but it seems from mine anecdote that the proportion of responsible owners in NZ is far lower than elsewhere.
at an absolute level yes – but you can tell an awful lot about how a dog might behave if you understand their thought process and non verbal cues. The signals are different for different breeds – but theres a lot of common ground and they are surprisingly easy to learn and the responses you can use are highly effective (most of the time)
while i agree there are some really shitty dog owners out there (hey, i live in west AK) they ARE a minority and it serves no one to take a position of it being an issue of dog owners imposing on everyone else.
The far more sensible and productive angle is to accept there are dogs and learn how to mitigate the possible outcomes for both yourself an others around you.
and i say this as someone who has had to drag their partner through the front door and slam a rotties head in said door to get it to detach from her leg.
i hate crap dog owners but i equally have little time for people who assume dogs think and react like humans. I see it as we all have responsibilities when it comes to dogs in society
(this is in no way a comment about the dog attack case in question, or an attack on yourself VTO – just my 10cents)
I’m sure you’re right framu, especially when it comes to reading a dog’s tell-tale signs.
Don’t know about this though “is to accept there are dogs and learn how to mitigate the possible outcomes” or this “we all have responsibilities when it comes to dogs in society”. That is imposing one person’s life choices on others and I don’t see why that is reasonable. I accept it is a reality but only in the same way that drunk drivers are a reality.
sheesh – most dogs you see in public are on no way compareable to the threat you face from drunk drivers – hyperbole much?
re: we all have responsibilities – think of it this way.
You see a dog in the street, you are responsible for how you react.
The dog owner cant be accountable for kids running up to a dog and trying to pat it, or people deliberatly jumping right next to the dog, leaping at it, teasing it or any other number of reactions that will lead to a pretty predictable result. They are accountable for their dogs reaction however
(though im a firm believer in accepting how others see your dog in public – if i had a muscular type dog it would wear a muzzle in public even if it was a softie)
Are we not imposing our selves on dog owners and dogs by behaving like this? Imposition and compromise is a two way street. You cant sit there and say “Well im not into dogs therefore all dog owners have to adjust themselves to suit me” That just leads into a dead end with each side saying its not their fault
Dogs exist – we should take the initiative and educate ourselves and our children on how to behave around and interact with them, otherwise someone gets bit, and the dog possibly gets put down
But surely if one was on the street minding their own business, it is not their responsibility to avoid a dog that is off a lead, any more than it is their responsibility to avoid being hit by a drunk driver.
true – im more talking about our general attitude than a specific scenario.
You are still the author of your reaction – if the dog is showing zero signs of threat and you ignore it its probably going to go on its way – if you leap about the place and act scared the dog is going to start showing interest – possibly unhealthy interest
If you look back at what im saying here we all have responsibilities – dog owner and general public.
I firmly favour knowing both your dog AND how others view your dog. If youve got a rottie its not the most socially harmonious thing to walk it off its lead regardless of its temperament.
An example of the approach the opposition needs to take to show the public precisely what Key’s doing in a way that everybody understands and that convinces people that Key is wrong:
I don’t really know and am not a lawyer but my guess is that if that’s what the contract says and if it’s all going to be covered in legislation anyway then it would be lawful. Even if this level of detail isn’t in the legislation I’d guess that a contract saying as much would be enough.
lprent if you’re around, what has happened to the small colourful square things that used to sit next to each posters name? Always found these extremely helpful in running through a thread – could decide whether to ignore or consider at a far faster pace. Now it takes longer to run down a thread and see what’s going on….
They should be there on both the desktop and mobile versions. But I’ve been trying out a late loader on the desktop version to conform to the mobile version. It loads the images via javascript after the rest of the text page has loaded.
Do you have javascript turned off? Is there are blank space for them? What are you running on?
Oh dear, just when Labour start to get a bit of traction Shearer stuffs it up, wonder why he didn’t want norman to know and what will norman think of that…
and heres the clip if anyone (including Cunliffe ;)) is interested:
National party undercover agent 26 – David Shearer has official blown his cover, arghhhh frustrating he’s done some great work but the jobs not quite done.
Don’t be stupid BM/chris73. The Minister in charge of the GCSB, John Key, is obliged under law to inform the leader of the opposition about any significant developments concerning the GCSB. The fact that Shearer had to approach Key shows that the Prime Minister is ignoring the rules.
Given that Key’s got past history of having to correct statements in the House about who initiated contact with whom, and is apparently incapable of remembering what he’s seen, been briefed on or signed, I’d frankly want his story to be corroborated by a host of angels and saints before considering the possibility that Key’s not outright lying.
The lesson is do not enter into confidential chats with John Key to improve cross-party cooperation, because he will twist it to make it appear like a betrayal. Dirty tricks indeed. Surprised? Na.
Whats funny is that if Key had said no as per the agreement and it came out later they did have meetings the left would have been all up in arms about brain fades and lying…
Of course Shearer could maybe not be so much of a fucking idiot in the first place
Shearer asked Key if he or any of his staff had contacted Labour as the Government worked to gain cross-party support for the proposed legislation.
Shearer insisted “who approached who” was important – he instigated the meeting and Key had his “facts round the wrong was”.
“This is the Government’s bill, the Government did not do anything to try and initiate a sit-down with other parties in order to get broader consensus across the House,” he said.
It’s National’s bill and they should have been the ones approaching other parties – they didn’t.
Are our CCO’s just duplicating effort?
At present, citizens and ratepayers who have a question about council issues or who want to report a problem have to choose between the Auckland Council service centre or one of the CCOs. Would you support integrating the CCO service centres into a single service centre?
Currently if you report a leaking drain, your call may be handled by Auckland Council, WaterCare or AucklandTransport depending on where the drain is.
If you want to ask a question under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, you may have to ask Auckland Council AND Auckland Transport AND WaterCare. And they may all give you copies of the same information!
What would you do to overcome this waste of ratepayers’ money? waste of citizens’ time and duplication of effort?
Bruce
______________________________________________________________________________
20 August 2013
THE CONSIDERED OPINION OF AUCKLAND MAYORAL CANDIDATE PENNY BRIGHT, ON ‘CCOs’
To be blunt – I believe that the ‘Council Controlled Organisation’ (CCO) model has been the mechanism for the corrupt corporate takeover of the Auckland region.
This is the self-appointed, self-selected, ‘invitation-only’ private sector lobby group, which really runs the Auckland region.
Check for yourself, the links between Auckland Council and Auckland Council CCOs.
How many Auckland Council and Auckland Council CCO contracts are going to member companies of the Committee for Auckland? )
Unelected, appointed businesspeople now control core Council services.
I am, and have been for years, adamantly opposed to the CCO model, and have had considerable experience fighting the former Metrowater CCO model, in my capacity as Media Spokesperson for the Water Pressure Group.
CCOs must go.
Core Council services must be brought back under the direct democratic control of elected representatives.
The reality is that private sector businesspeople do NOT ‘transmogrify’ into competent ‘public servants’.
The LAW, systems, culture and habits from the private sector business world are not the same as those from the ‘public service’ / government world.
In fact, in my considered opinion, the neo-liberal ‘Rogernomics’ mantra that ‘public is bad – private is good’ – has been a global rort and fraud perpetrated upon the public.
At Auckland Council and CCO level, there are now thousands of consultants and contractors, with their private snouts in our public trough, making private profit out of public services which used to be provided ‘in-house’.
Have YOUR rates gone up or down since this Auckland ‘SUPERCITY’ was forced upon us?
If this ‘contracting-out / PRIVATISED’ model was genuinely more ‘efficient’ – wouldn’t rates be going DOWN – not UP?
As Mayor – I will have directly-attached to the Mayor’s office, not ‘spin-doctors’, but a small team of forensic investigators, who will OPEN THE BOOKS and make available for public scrutiny, the NAMES of the consultants/ contractors; the SCOPE / TERM and VALUE of these contracts.
Also, a ‘Quality Assurance’ expert in the public service area, who will help ensure proper ‘open, transparent and democratically-accountable’ systems are in place, to help ensure ‘prudent stewardship’ over our public monies, assets and resources.
(I have had a Quality Assurance background myself, so have some knowledge and experience in setting up systems THAT WORK.)
Also a ‘whistle-blower hotline’ direct to the Mayo\’s office, so that anonymous tipoffs from concerned staff/citizens, can help to expose corrupt conflicts of interest.
Unless a ‘cost-benefit’ analysis proves that the use of private ‘consultants/ contractors’ is a more ‘cost-effective’ use of ratepayer monies, then these services will be returned ‘in-house’.
‘Cutting out the private consultants /contractors\’ should help to free up some hundreds of millions of ratepayers public monies.
I believe that the public majority should benefit from our public monies, and this ‘corporate welfare’ must STOP.
David Shearer: Is the Prime Minister saying that the law society, the human rights commission, the privacy comissioner, Geoffry Palmer, and many others also don’t understand the law?
John Key: Mr Speaker, yes.
House: What an arrogant man, what an arrogant man.
These words from David Slack on Mora this afternoon in response to Mora asking whether the PM’s assurances affect his position on the GCSB bill:
“No (!). If I’m buying a used car I’m going to listen to the mechanic not the used car salesman.” – wherein Key is the used car salesman and Geoffrey Palmer is the mechanic. Beautiful !
What the hell has happened to this country ? Are we that dumb ? A country where seemingly all the mechanics can be roundly debunked by a wan “I disagree” from the used car salesman.
Certainly the Affable Tory Fool Mora was somewhat animated in asserting that the PM’s assurances cannot be spurious (as the other panelist mentioned) because there are those who trust those assurances. What ? Thought Mora was Mensa material ?
Lolz wans’t that a good laugh, and the TV news made the guffaws even bigger, i have often accused the current Prime minister of turning the Office of Prime Minister into little more than the rough shack to be found on any used car lot in this country,
Tonight Him and Bill confirmed that they are seeking the annual award for the top NZ used car salesman with a vengence announcing tonight a used car salesman pay a third now and a third later deal with the latest ransacking of New Zealand’s asset base,
Bill from Dipton, never to be found wanting for a word when things get really really stupid, when asked how much flicking the next load of power shares on tick would cost against the price gained from the share offer looked impressively akin to the village idiot when He told the media he wouldn’t have a clue…
Do we take it as read then, is the American NSA paying hard cash for the New Zealand GCSB’s ability to plug the US spy agency’s into the data stream of New Zealand citizens,
What a neat way for the GCSB to avoid all New Zealand laws currently being enacted in the Parliament, simply plug the NSA into the data stream and they in turn can report back any ‘threats’ to the current National Government,
Who’s going to know??? when the Prime Minister point blank refuses to confirm or deny the NSA payment question asked by Russell Norman in the House today who among us would now be willing to bet money that they are not paying the GCSB here to plug them directly into the data stream,
When the Prime Minister could not answer NO to Russell Norman’s question in the House today over US NSA payments to the GCSB the equivocation simply screamed YES…
i have to wonder if the payments made by the US spy agency NSA to foreign intelligence organizations includes GPS locations so as to give the Prez an easy target should He feel the need to launch a drone or two in the general direction should future events label ‘crticism’ as a definite terrorist threat…
I think the NSA has contributed/owned GCSB for many, many years .. as long as Waihopai has been open ( or is it closed?) and even Tangimoana before then. And I don’t think the prime ministers knew .. well, David Lange said he didn’t know until he read one of Nicky Hager’s books.
Actually, I have always wondered how the US powers-that-be had power over Helen Clark to not make this country GM free when the chance was there and the mood of the country was with her. Never made sense to me, and I have to keep wondering. How little have we known for how long ??
.. in interview, Mr Livingstone said plainly that MI5, Britain’s “national” branch of the intelligence services (MI6 is international), had covered up paedophile rings, so they could find blackmail evidence as leverage on politicians.
Why attack the consensus? In recent years, social scientists have started to put the pieces together. A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change in 2011, replicated by a 2013 study published in the journal Climatic Change, found that public perceptions about scientific agreement are linked to support for policy to mitigate climate change. When people think that scientists are still debating about what’s causing climate change, they’re less likely to support climate action.
The problem is that, for the last 20+ years, we’ve had a bunch of sociopaths/psychopaths attacking the consensus in the public domain and thus causing doubt in the public.
Anything that dose not suit your agenda annoyes you I think. From 08 or any other time. And then you stand upon your soap box and preach about democracy at the same time banning anyone who has a different point of view. Irony
[lprent: Off topic for the post. Moved to OpenMike. Read the policy.
I usually ban for silly behaviour. A good indicator would be to dump a off-topic comment into the top level comments of a post. You look like a good candidate. But who knows – now you have had your wee wank and spray like a miniature poodle, you may even have something to contribute. Stranger things have happened. ]
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New Zealand’s media is doing its part in Japan, reassuring those in the path of the storm that they won’t miss any rugby while away from their flooded homes. New Zealand sports reporters stationed in Japan for the Rugby World Cup have had the rare and heartwarming opportunity to inform ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones is the only Cabinet member in favour of putting it all on green. As Finance Minister Grant Robertson finds himself with an enormous $7.5 billion surplus, the Government has begun intense, at times contentious conversations about whether to put the money on red or black at ...
by Susanne Kemp At the start of September close to 100,000 school teachers went on strike in Jordan. They demanded a 50% pay rise. A pay rise actually agreed to by the regime back in 2014. In early October, however, in the face of government repression and threats, the teachers’ ...
Back in 2011, journalist Nicky Hager published Other People's Wars, an expose on NZDF's activities over the previous decade of the "war on terror". NZDF didn't like this, and especially didn't like the fact that it was base don leaks from their own. So, they had the SIS investigate him ...
The Zero Carbon Bill is due back from select committee in two weeks, and will likely pass its final stages in November. So naturally, farmers are planning a hate-march against it. But they're not just demanding lower methane targets so they can keep on destroying the planet; they're also demanding ...
Last year, California burned. This year, to stop it happening again (or rather, to stop themselves from being found liable if it happens again), Pacific Gas and Electric is cutting power to half the state for a week:Schools are closed. Traffic lights down. Tunnels dark. Businesses unopened. Hospitals running on ...
The Best Way: Missing from the on-line voting debate is any reference to the voting system that produces turn-out figures ranging from 77 to 93 percent of registered voters. The voting system used to collect and count the votes cast in our parliamentary elections. The system that involves citizens making ...
Among the great new bunch of political friends we have been making recently is the excellent Australian-based Marxist gender-critical site, Freer Lives. So we asked the comrade who set up that blog to write something for Redline on the blog, himself, his analysis of the rise of gender politics and ...
by Don Franks The Auckland City Mission is struggling with a 40 percent increase in demand for food parcels this year. A total of 23,020 were needed by June. Last month Missioner Chris Farrelly told the Herald the “cupboards are bare” and without an emergency food drive, he can’t see ...
by The Council of Disobedient Women Massey Wellington Student Association had a sit-in today. Imagine a sit-in. On a campus. Against a women’s rights meeting. Did the ’60s really happen or did we fucking dream it? They gathered in the student square, an echo chamber. Sitting on soft pillows ...
For some reasons, my post about the mystery message from inside the Downing Street bunker seemed to catch people's attention. Quite a lot of hits from NZ (unsurprisingly) and the USA (a bit more puzzlingly, but hi there, USAians!!) and 76 views from the Ukraine.I've celebrated my Ukrainian readers in ...
First, almost a score of Labour MPs seem to have sent a letter to the EU basically begging them to accept a deal - any deal - just so Britain can get the Heck on with Brexiting instead of being trapped in limbo:
by Phil Duncan In 2016 the National-led government suspended the Parent Visa Category, through which migrants were able to bring their parents into New Zealand. Since then over 5,700 people have been in immigration limbo, stuck on the visa wait list. Labour is now bringing back the scheme. Well, sort ...
The following was released yesterday (Tues, October 8) by the women’s liberation organisation Speak Up for Women. On 23 September Speak Up For Women announced that we would be holding an event at the Massey University Theaterette in Wellington. The event is called Feminism 2020. The intention of the event ...
The government is currently consulting on plans to improve freshwater quality. So naturally, farmers oppose it:South Taranaki farmers are preparing to fight proposed national freshwater changes that some fear will bankrupt them. The Government's proposed National Environment Standard on Freshwater Management, released in September, rated the Waingongoro River as one ...
Yesterday was the last day for (reliably) posting your vote away in local body elections. Turnouts are mostly much lower than the equivalent time last year (Palmerston North is down 2.3%), and so naturally people are pushing their online-voting snake oil again. Because the online census worked so well, lets ...
This essay, on the political legacy of the eugenics movement, by Kenan Malik was originally published in the Observer on 6 October 2019, under the headline ‘The spirit of eugenics is still with us, as immigrants know to their cost’. Birth control. Intelligence tests. Town planning. Immigration controls. It’s striking how ...
Another year, and the government has announced another enormous government "surplus". And just like last year, its nothing of the sort. When we have people homeless and sick and hungry, when we have schools and hospitals still falling down, when we have underpaid public servants and infrastucture unmaintained or unbuilt, ...
James Forsyth at The Spectator (I know, I know) has tapped one of his contacts inside Number Ten for an insight into the Johnson administration's thinking and strategy.It is fascinating, unsettling and quite, quite mad. Some key points:Negotiations have stalled and the Johnson administration are keen to blame the EU: ...
Fatal Contact: With the arrival of captain James Cook in October 1769, the islands of what would become New Zealand ceased to be the preserve of Polynesian navigators and settlers and became a part of both the world’s map and the world’s history.THE MAORI NATIONALIST assault upon the historical meaning ...
Another round of tactical talks about forming a Government of National Unity have come to nothing with the Liberal Democrats still refusing countenance putting Jeremy Corbyn into Downing Street:Opposition talks on Monday made little headway over when to try and vote down Boris Johnson's government and who might succeed him as ...
by Nick Rogers The debate around the meaning of sex and gender made an appearance at this year’s British Labour Party conference in Brighton. Women’s Place UK – an organisation that questions the demand that biological males who self-identify as woman should have access to women’s spaces, to all-women shortlists, ...
Yesterday I went down to Wellington to participate in the Extinction Rebellion protest. Its part of the latest global wave of XR actions, with actions happening all over the world. Some of those protests are massively disruptive: in Canada, XR is blocking major bridges, stopping people from getting to work. ...
The Workshop is a charitable trust for public good. The Workshop undertake research to find ways of communicating that will build support for the solutions that work to solve complex social and environmental problems. See their Report on Talking about Poverty and Welfare Reform below. ...
Being and Being Bought (Spinifex Press, 2013) by Kajsa Ekis Ekman A synopsis and commentary of Chapters 1-2 by Daphna Whitmore Ekman, a Swedish journalist and critic, brings together a Marxist and feminist analysis of prostitution and surrogacy in this groundbreaking book She opens the discussion with a definition of ...
I make no claims to having much legal knowledge, so I defer to those trained in this area.I am very much enjoying this twitter stream from m'learned friend in Edinburgh, deciphering the legal arguments around the Scottish court challenge to Boris Johnson, based on the charmingly obscure principle of Nobile ...
Ivory Folly? The University of Auckland’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart McCutcheon, upheld the right of the radical nationalist group, Action Zealandia to exercise their freedom of speech – not matter how distasteful that speech might be. A wiser community of students and scholars would have nodded their agreement and moved on. ...
If you are not convinced terrorist Organisation ‘Extinction Rebellion’ is very, very dangerous – watch this video at one of their recent meetings. Not only is this obviously mentally ill Woman begging the other terrorists to promote killing and “eating” babies and children, if you watch carefully other members nod ...
The Ombudsman has been surveying people about their knowledge of the OIA and the right to information. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem that widespread:The Chief Ombudsman says too many New Zealanders were in the dark over their right to access official information. Peter Boshier said an independent survey released yesterday on ...
In the wake of last Friday's climate strike, Peter McKenzie had an article in The Spinoff about protest strategies. The school strike movement is "polite" and cooperates with those in power because that's its kaupapa - its led by schoolkids who understandably don't want to risk arrest. But there's more ...
So, the latest ruminations on the gnews from Westminster (Again, sorry; I'll stop making that pun right now). This follows on from, and likely repeats bits of, my last post, on the suggestion that a Government of National Unity (GNU) should be set up and then oversee a referendum before ...
New Zealand likes to think of itself as not a racist country (despite being founded on the racist dispossession and subjugation of Maori). But for years, we've had a racist refugee policy, which basicly excludes refugees from Africa and the Middle East unless they already have relatives here. Now, the ...
Several people have asked me whether a particular repeat litigant could be declared a vexatious litigant, in light of their recent decision to appeal an adverse High Court ruling. My nascent tweet thread was getting ridiculously long, so it became this blog post instead.The short answer is: no. The particular ...
Appealing To The Past: Action Zealandia, like so many of the organisations springing up on the far-Right, across what they call the “Anglosphere”, is born out of the profound confusion over what a man is supposed to be in the twenty-first century and, more importantly, what he is supposed to do.THE STATUE OF ...
The attempts of anti-democratic transactivists to (often violently) disrupt women’s rights organising is largely ignored by those sections of the left most prone to misogyny and authoritarianism in New Zealand. In Britain, however, scores of trade union and left activists added their names to a letter in July, defending ...
The Justice Committee has reported back on the Criminal Cases Review Commission Bill. The Bill would establish an independent, quasi-judicial body to investigate and review potential miscarriages of justice, and refer them back to the Court of appeal if required. It would be a vital backstop to our judiciary, help ...
by The Spark On September 14, a total of 22 drones and cruise missiles struck two oil installations in Saudi Arabia, the Abqaiq processing facility and the Khurais oil field. Abqaiq is the largest oil production facility in the world. For a few days afterwards, Saudi Aramco, the Saudi national ...
How much will NeoLiberal irregulation of the building sector and subsequent leaky homes crisis cost us? $47 billion, according to a new book:The total cost to fix all of New Zealand's leaky homes would be $47 billion, probably. The estimate comes from a new book, Rottenomics written by journalist Peter ...
Below is the start of another excellent article on the Freer Lives blog. Click onto the link at the end of this extract to read the full article. The punch-a-terf, kill-a-terf message pervades social media, always righteously delivered, chin held high. By contrast, the dehumanised “terfs” themselves, that is gender-critical ...
The Reserve Bank is currently planning tighter banking regulation, requiring banks to hold enough local capital to survive a 1-in-200 year financial crisis in order to protect consumers. The big Aussies banks, those foreign leeches who suck $5 billion in profit out of our economy every year, don't like that, ...
Its the usual story: a police officer beats a handcuffed suspect so hard they break one of their own fingers. The IPCA investigates and concludes that the use of force was unlawful. And the police refuse to do anything about it:A man punched repeatedly in the face by a police ...
From time to time we add links to our blogroll. The latest blog we have added is Freer Lives. This is a Marxist gender-critical blog, based in Melbourne, Australia. On it you will find a bunch of excellent articles which use the tools of Marxist analysis to critique the rise ...
Last Friday say the largest protest in a generation, as 170,000 people joined the school strike and marched to demand real action on climate change. The demands of the school strike were simple and clear: declare a climate emergency, set a climate target of net-zero by 2040, impose a total ...
Labour is a rather middle of the road capitalist party and earlier this year we discussed how far from being ‘transformative’, Ardern’s government is. An article published this week in the Guardian, by Bryce Edwards (political scientist and commentator at Victoria University), looks at Ardern’s business as usual performance. Where ...
In the hours since my last interminable wittering about the possibility of a Government of National Unity (GNU) in Britain, there has been a slight maybe development:A Corbyn-led caretaker government could then sit for several months while it enacted and delivered a referendum with the support of smaller parties and ...
Jeremy Clarkson says much like Greta Thunberg, Anne Frank “didn’t like what was going on”, but “she didn’t have a tantrum about it.” Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has offered praise to historical figure Anne Frank, comparing her favourably to 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg, who he attacked in ...
Press release by Speak Up For Women Lesbians from women’s rights group Speak Up For Women are furious at reports that Rainbow Tick are threatening Massey University with the removal of their ‘tick’ if they let the group’s event go ahead. The group has been under attack from trans ...
By Duncan Garner Before you jump down my throat, nobody cares about the environment more than me. I have a garden, and since my wife and I broke up, I’ve let it grow wildly out of control, so please don’t tell me I’m not doing enough for plants. They’re ten ...
Local government elections are upon us again. It is a fair bet that, when they are over, we will have all the usual complaints that, despite their undoubted importance, the turnout was depressingly low. So, why do local elections attract so little attention and involvement from the general public? I ...
We want every New Zealander to be happy, safe, and healthy. To do this, we need to support strong, safe communities, and a robust and efficient health system. ...
Defence Minister Ron Mark has used his powers to overrule a noise complaint ruling against Whenuapai airbase on the grounds of "national security". The Environment Court last month released a ruling in favour of a private developer, declaring the Auckland airbase had to comply with noise restrictions when it performs ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has opened fire against "unreconstructed morons" after NZ First MP Shane Jones was photographed on holiday holding an AR-15 rifle. Mr Peters is defending Mr Jones, telling Magic Talk host Peter Williams that his MP was just having fun "like most people do". "The ...
New Zealand First Deputy Leader and Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau was in attendance during the morning blessing of the Rotorua Lakefront development project. Around 60 people gathered on the shores of Lake Rotorua, including city mayor Steve Chadwick and deputy Dave Donaldson. The Lakefront development is a ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones is considering reining in on conversions of farmland to forestry, and also issued a warning to foreign-owned forestry companies that make up nearly 75 per cent of the industry. He said too many foreign companies had not provided enough access for domestic processors to get timber. ...
Speaking to Radio NZ, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters said the tightening of the parental category visa is a direct result of the Party’s coalition negotiations with the Labour Party. He said the new changes switch the financial onus from the parent moving to New Zealand to the child ...
The Coalition Government is set to cut red tape in the building and construction sector in an effort to allow more houses to be built, including prefabricated houses. The changes will enable the mass factory production of "high quality" buildings, slash the likely number of building inspections for factory produced ...
Since coming into Government, we’ve worked hard to tackle homelessness and make sure everyone has a warm, dry home. And today, on World Homeless Day, we want to report back and update you on our progress so far. ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has hit back at National Party leader Simon Bridges who criticized the Coalition Government’s approach to crime, and said that the latter isn't credible in his attack on the Government over gang recruitment. "We've got as massive drug problem in this country. It is ...
New Zealand Mānuka honey exporters have welcomed an initiative by the Coalition Government to help secure the term “mānuka honey” to be used exclusively by Kiwi exporters, ensuring that our multimillion-dollar industry is protected. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones had recently announced that a Provincial Growth Funding of $5.7 ...
Political commentator Mike Hosking has labelled New Zealand First leader Winston Peters as “the voice of reason in a government soft on drugs”, for the Party’s stance on drug testing at music festivals. “If common sense is worth a vote, Winston Peters is quids in,” Mr Hosking said. The Labour ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau has announced Provincial Growth Funding to ensure work opportunities in Turangi and Whanganui, through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi. A fund of $500,000 will go to Rafting NZ in Turangi for a 16-week river guide training course to train ...
Treasury has shown that the Coalition Government has a $7.5 billion surplus, which is $4 billion higher than what was expected in the 2019 Budget unveiled last May. It is also $2 billion higher than the actual surplus unveiled this time last year, and at a size that has not ...
Official Information Act figures released to NZME show there were 350 assaults on officers in the year to the end of June, 79 more than the year before. The increase in attacks have sparked calls for more legal protection for first responders to be enacted. The assaults included officers being ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
We're making progress on tackling the long-term challenges: from homelessness, to strengthening border security, to bringing banking back New Zealand's small towns. ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones has backed the ambitious plan to move Auckland’s port to Northport, at Whangarei harbour, which he says will be the “King Kong of infrastructure”. The plan is part of the recommendations of a six-person independent working group, which has recommended the Ports of Auckland be ...
A six-member independent working group selected the option of moving Auckland’s port to Northport, in Whangarei, ahead of other options. In what could be New Zealand’s most ambitious infrastructure project yet, a major expansion of the Marsden Point port could happen within 15 years. The project, officially called the “Upper ...
The final Electricity Price Review recommended prohibiting prompt payment discounts but allowing “reasonable” late fees. The findings of this review was welcomed by the Coalition Government, but they hope companies will follow through with its recommendations without regulations needed to be passed. Meridian Energy had already stopped prompt payment discounts, ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF)through its skills and employment programme, Te Ara Mahi,will invest nearly $600,000 to ensure work opportunities for locals in Turangia and Whanganui, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today. “I’m pleased to announce the PGF ...
An export-led economy is one of New Zealand First’s key principles, and our commitment to achieving this is shown by the continuing skyrocketing demand for our beef and sheep meat exports. Beef + Lamb New Zealand's New Season Outlook 2019-20 report forecasts beef, lamb and mutton prices to lift from ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today in Gisborne an investment of $17.27m into bringing “world-leading” food-growing technology and the creation of more than 100 new jobs in the East Coast city. The funding comes from the Provincial Growth Fund, and included a $15 million loan to LeaderBrand, a ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development More than 100 people in Tairāwhiti’s Tolaga Bay will benefit from two employment initiatives supported by the Provincial Growth Fund, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Employment Minister Willie Jackson announced today. “Tolaga Bay is an incredibly tight-knit community, but one in ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) is supporting Gisborne business Leaderbrand to produce salad vegetables year round and create more jobs in the Tairāwhiti region, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced today. “Our support for Leaderbrand will help them build large greenhouses ...
“Nobody wants to see babies uplifted”, this was the pronouncement of Minister for Children Hon. Tracey Martin as her department, Oranga Tamariki, faces multiple inquiries into the number of babies being taken from their families. “But a baby can die with a single punch, “the Minister continued. “So sometimes, Oranga ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has praised the promise by New Zealand’s biggest banks not to close any provincial branches while the Coalition Government trials regional banking hubs across the country. The Minister said the announce was the “first sign of hope for regional communities”, many of which have ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First is proud to have delivered an upgrade of the SuperGold Card website and a new smartphone app, which will help unlock the full benefits of the SuperGold Card for 750,000 New Zealand seniors.Party Leader Rt Hon Winston Peters, ...
Delivering a key election campaign promise, New Zealand First is proud to have accomplished a long overdue upgrade of the SuperGold Card today. At an event in Auckland, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters joined Minister for Seniors Hon. Tracey Martin in unveiling the new website and smartphone app which ...
Another busy week, from speaking with world leaders on the world stage about climate change, to equipping our school leavers with everything they need to get ahead in life. ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says Air New Zealand has "an obligation to look after Kiwis", and urged the national carrier not to hike up their prices after Jetstar airline announced their withdrawal from regional flights this week. The Provincial Champion also expressed his disappointment at Jetstar’s decision on ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) will help fund a new dredge for the Port of Greymouth to ensure the regional fishing fleet have a reliable and productive harbour, Parliamentary Undersecretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau announced today “Last year the movements of ...
Ladies and gentlemen, NZCTU President Richard Wagstaff, members of respective unions – thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. This might be preaching to the choir, but the importance of trade unions in New Zealand’s historical arch is difficult to understate. And it is my belief that ...
"Let’s start by acknowledging that it has been a huge year. " Police Association Annual Conference James Cook Grand Chancellor Hotel Wellington Nau mai, haere mai. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, ka nui te mihi, ki a koutou katoa. President of the Police Association, Chris Cahill; Members of the Association and ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Minister of Defence Ron Mark have announced the New Zealand Government’s decision to again deploy a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 (P-3) maritime patrol aircraft to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions imposing sanctions against North Korea. New ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says New Zealand continues to have serious concerns for peace and stability in north-east Syria. “Recent reports that hundreds of ISIS-affiliated families have fled from a camp are deeply concerning from a humanitarian and security perspective”, Mr Peters says. “While we acknowledge Turkey’s domestic security ...
Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor is warning travelling Kiwis to be vigilant as the high-season for the crop-eating brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is under way. “We’re on high alert to stop BMSB arriving in NZ. The high season runs until April 30 and we’ve strengthened our measures to stop stink ...
The Government is moving swiftly to change the law to improve the welfare and pastoral care of students living in university halls of residence and other tertiary hostels. Cabinet has agreed to several changes, including creating a new mandatory Code of Practice that sets out the duty of pastoral care ...
The Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage has launched a new comprehensive trapping guide for community trappers to help them protect our native birds, plants and other wildlife, at Zealandia in Wellington today. ‘A practical guide to trapping’, has been developed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), and was launched during ...
Associate Health Minister Julie Anne Genter welcomes PHARMAC’s move to improve access to long-acting reversible contraception (LARCs). PHARMAC has today announced it will fund the full cost of Mirena and Jaydess for anyone seeking long term contraception, lifting previous restrictions on access to Mirena. “I welcome women having greater choices ...
The Government has approved the next stage of a major redevelopment of Taranaki Base Hospital, which will deliver new and improved facilities for patients. Health Minister Dr David Clark has announced details of a $300 million dollar project to build a new East Wing at the New Plymouth hospital. It ...
Extra funding will allow Rural Support Trusts to help farming families, says Minister for Rural Communities and Agriculture Damien O’Connor. “I know that rural families are worried about some of the challenges facing them, including the ongoing uncertainty created by the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak. “Those concerns sit alongside ongoing worries ...
Thank you for the opportunity to be here to present certificates to the 16 graduates who have completed a beekeeping course delivered by the Howard League. Let us start by acknowledging Auckland Prison’s Deputy Prison Director Tom Sherlock, and Acting Assistant Regional Commissioner of Corrections Northern Region Scott Walker - ...
Finance Minister Grant Robertson leaves this weekend to attend the APEC Finance Ministers meeting in Santiago, Chile. Discussions between APEC Finance Ministers at the meeting will include the effects of the current global economic uncertainty, risks for APEC economies and sustainable development of the region. While at APEC Grant Robertson ...
The Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says for Pacific people, language can be a source of strength. It can help ground us and give us confidence. When we speak them, our languages provide us with an immediate and intimate access to our identity and our story - and ...
The Coalition Government has announced an action plan to improve the wellbeing of disabled New Zealanders by addressing inequalities in play, active recreation and sport. The initiative includes training to develop a workforce that understands the needs of children and young people with a range of impairments, advocacy for fit ...
The construction sector is being freed up to allow more homes to be built more quickly as the Government cuts through some of the red tape of the Building Act. “Every New Zealander deserves a warm, dry, safe home and old inefficiencies in the Building Act make building slow and ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed further details on the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall’s visit to New Zealand next month. Their Royal Highnesses will visit New Zealand from 17-23 November – their third joint visit to New Zealand and first in four years. They arrive in Auckland ...
Minister of State for Trade and Export Growth and Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor, heads to Thailand today to attend the final Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministerial meeting, as negotiations enter their final stages. “The RCEP Agreement would anchor New Zealand in a regional agreement that covers 16 countries, ...
Pacific young people living in the Hawke’s Bay, Southland and Otago regions will have access to support services that have proved successful in helping young people find new earning and learning opportunities. “Tupu Aotearoa is about changing Pacific young peoples’ lives. Our young people are talented, they are smart, they ...
Introduction As the Minister for ACC I thank you all for the work that you do supporting New Zealanders in their literally most vulnerable moments. From those who hold people’s lives in their hands, to the people who research technique, technology and trends, your work is highly valued. A special ...
Notes prepared for speeches in Christchurch – Wednesday 9 October 2019 Today’s topic, “trends and opportunities for the New Zealand economy,” is certainly one getting a great deal of commentary at the moment. Looking across the media landscape lately you’ll notice we aren’t the only ones having this discussion. There ...
Minister of Health Dr David Clark and Associate Minister of Health Peeni Henare say this year’s World Mental Health Day theme is a reminder of why the Government’s work on mental health is so important. “This year the World Federation for Mental Health has made suicide prevention the main theme ...
Associate Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Carmel Sepuloni will represent the government at Australia’s Meeting of Cultural Ministers in Adelaide this week. “This year’s meeting is special because New Zealand is expected to become an International Member of the Meeting of Cultural Ministers at this Australian forum,” Carmel Sepuloni said. “The meeting is an opportunity to ...
The Greater Christchurch Claims Resolution Service has resolved 608 insurance and EQC claims in its first year in operation, Minister Megan Woods has announced. The government service, which celebrates its first birthday today, provides a one stop shop to help Cantabrians still battling to get their homes repaired or rebuilt ...
Today’s topic, “trends and opportunities for the New Zealand economy,” is certainly one getting a great deal of commentary at the moment. Looking across the media landscape lately you’ll notice we aren’t the only ones having this discussion. There has been an increasing amount of attention paid to the outlook ...
The Government is acting swiftly to strengthen NZTA’s regulatory role following a review into the Transport Agency, and Ministry of Transport’s performance as its monitor, Transport Minister Phil Twyford said today. An independent review by Martin Jenkins has found NZTA failed to properly regulate the transport sector under the previous ...
The Netherlands and New Zealand have a long-standing and close relationship based on many shared interests and values. We value the rule of law, our democracies, and multilateralism. And we value our environment – at home and globally. Right now there are major global challenges in all of these areas – ...
The Government is putting right a decade’s worth of underpayment to nurses, doctors and other health workers, says Health Minister Dr David Clark. Initial sampling of District Health Boards payroll records has found that around $550-$650 million is owed to DHB staff to comply with the Holidays Act. It’s expected ...
A strong surplus and low debt show the economy is performing well, and means the Government is in a good position to meet the challenges of global economic uncertainty. “The surplus and low levels of debt show the economy is in good shape. This allows the Government to spend more ...
New applications from mining company OceanaGold to purchase land in Waihi for new tailings ponds associated with its gold mines have been approved. Minister of Finance Grant Robertson and Associate Minister of Finance David Parker considered the applications under the Overseas Investment Act. Earlier this year, applications from OceanaGold to ...
New Zealanders in Tūranganui-a-Kiwa / Poverty Bay will witness Māori, Pākehā and Pacific voyaging traditions come together today as the Tuia 250 Voyage flotilla assembles for the first time, Māori Crown Relations: Te Arawhiti Minister Kelvin Davis says. “Tuia 250 is a national commemoration and an opportunity for honest conversations ...
Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker leaves tomorrow for Dubai, London and Berlin for a series of meetings to advance New Zealand’s trade interests. In Dubai he will visit New Zealand’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 where construction is underway. There he will meet Minister of State for International Cooperation, Her ...
Confirmation that PHARMAC will fund two new cancer drugs is further evidence of the good progress the Government is making to improve the treatment of New Zealand’s leading cause of death, Health Minister David Clark says. From 1 December PHARMAC will fund alectinib (Alecensa) for ALK positive advanced non-small cell ...
An additional $2.7 million has been announced for the Government Strategy for Women and Girls in Sport and Active Recreation on the first anniversary of the strategy’s launch. Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson gave the opening address to the first Sport NZ Women + Girls Summit in Wellington today, ...
As part of its work to ensure businesses can get the skilled workers they need, the Coalition Government is re-opening and re-setting the Parent Category visa programme, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway says. The move will: support skilled migrants who help fill New Zealand’s skills gaps by providing a pathway for ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark has today announced Major General Evan Williams of the New Zealand Defence Force has been selected as the commander of a significant, longstanding peacekeeping mission in the Middle East. In December, Major General Williams takes over as Force Commander for the Multinational Force and Observers ...
A record number of nurses are now working to deliver health services to New Zealanders as the Government’s increased funding and new initiatives rebuild key workforces start to show results, Health Minister Dr David Clark says. • 1458 more DHB nurses since the Government took office • 106 more midwives ...
Farmer and former Nuffield scholar Mel Poulton has been appointed New Zealand’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy, Minister for Trade and Export Growth, David Parker, and Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor, announced today. The position supports key Government objectives, including raising the value of New Zealand agricultural goods and services. Mel is ...
New Zealand’s Pacific and Māori voyaging heritage is acknowledged and celebrated today as waka of the Tuia 250 voyage flotilla arrive in Tūranga / Gisborne. “Today we celebrate Tangata Whenua, the first people of Aotearoa, and the triumphs of the voyaging tradition that brought our ancestors here from Polynesia 1000 ...
“Fijian Language Week starts on Sunday and the theme reminds us how important it is that we each have something to anchor ourselves to, something that can help us pause and feel in control in a rapidly changing world,” says Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. “Family, culture, faith, ...
The Government is establishing an Airspace Integration Trials Programme to support the safe testing and development of advanced unmanned aircraft and accelerate their integration into the aviation system, Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods announced today. The Government will work with leading, innovative aviation industry partners to test and ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The last PM shock jock Alan Jones slapped down was Jacinda Ardern. His language was particularly offensive, advertisers deserted his program and he apologised to New Zealand’s leader. But at least Ardern didn’t have to ...
By Michael Andrew and Sri Krishnamurthi The true story of one of the Pacific’s great waka builders and sailor has been captured in a stirring and visually gripping documentary. Loimata: The Sweetest Tears follows the final years of Ema Siope, a Samoan born kiwi who endured a tumultuous past ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Cowie, Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Viral Hepatitis, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity Around one-third of Australians living with hepatitis C have been cured in the last four years. Hepatitis means inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis C is ...
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On Tuesday morning the Operation Burnham inquiry hearing resumed after it was suspended three weeks ago. The hearing is being held at Royal Society of New Zealand, 11 Turnbull St, Thorndon, Wellington on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. ...
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Open mike 20/08/2013 
Thanks to a report from the Acting Inspector General of Intelligence and Security following a complaint by Nicky Hager, we have come to find out that the SIS illegally spied on Mr. Hager on behalf of the NZDF after publication of Hager’s 2011 book, Other People’s Wars. The NZDF justified ...8 hours ago
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Roy Morgan.
National down 7
Labour up 5
Greens up 4.
Guess the corporate media won’t mention it then.
http://www.roymorgan.com/morganpoll/new-zealand/voting-intention-summary
I couldn’t find anything on last night’s meeting in the Herald this morning, despite going right to the bottom of the page. I guess it will be tucked away somewhere. Ironically, an article on Key’s performance in his interview with John Campbell, was still up, despite it being days old.
sigh.
Yes, Campbell’s poll result 52666 votes, 89% against the Bill. Combined with another amazing pack public meeting…and virtually nothing in the NZ Herald.
However number 1 item on RNZ 7am News.
Will RNZ get a live interview from the government on the issue?
Or will JK have a quiet chat with his mate Hoskings on ZB
If you mean the Hoskings who wrote this, then yeah, I’d really like to hear how that quiet chat goes . . .
“Government of laws and not of men” is not a left wing principle: it was most clearly enunciated by John Locke, whose writings on government in the late 17th Century form the basis of much classical liberal and conservative philosophy about private property rights – and what is personal privacy if not a private property right? – and small government.
Those who favour small government, and having the rights of officials to interfere in your lives and business kept under firm legal control, should be concerned about this legislation.
You might be irritated by the way a few prominent left wing journalists have seized upon this and used it as a soapbox.
You might be outraged at the shamelessness of opposition parties who rail against this particular extension of state power but who plan to extend that powers with every other announcement they make.
Put that irritation and outrage to one side for now. It will keep, believe me. There is a more important issue to deal with now.
Think on this: what will those politicians from the left wing parties like the Greens or Labour do with these powers when and if they attain office?
If you think they will do anything rather than use these powers to further bolster the size of the state in our lives, then I have an emissions trading scheme to sell you.
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/gcsb-bill-why-small-govt-conservatives-should-be-worried-rh-p-144493
Hasn’t the Green Party said it will repeal the Act? How is this consistent with your spin?
I suspect that, especially given the information uncovered by Nicky Hager, any SIS/GCSB left employed under a Labour/Greens/Mana government would keep spying, but not as directed by the government. The information obtained, probably about the left, would go straight to Washington. The Greens and Mana know this and even some in Labour are waking up to it. The latest revelations have only driven the point home – as a sovereign nation we cannot afford to have intelligence services linked into UKUSA, Echelon, or whatever. If we need one, we’re going to have to rebuild from scratch.
QFT
repealing the Bill isn’t any good as the original Act is more full of holes than Swiss cheese.
The NZ Herald’s online heading
Rugby’s $64m injury bill
The ACC forked out nearly $64 million for rugby injuries in the past year – with almost 70,000 active claims for players at all levels.E
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11111163
Bread and circuses.
Who is the editor of the Herald?
On mobile site this is the fourth article from top – http://m.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11111156 – a piece designed to make Key look reasonable about spying.
Jesus, Herald, you think you’re not ready being watched?
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11111048
It’s in the ‘Most popular’ sidebar on the website, currenty number two. No sign of snapper.
A lawyer, and atheist, and the ugly truth about NZ’s corrupt judicial system:
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/08/marriage_day.html/comment-page-1#comment-1189287
Wonder why human rights abuses are becoming the norm here and our laws watered down. Take a look at what happening in the UK. Its time to sever ties with this country:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/19/david-miranda-interview-detention-heathrow
Human rights are legal fictions which are used in place of the natural rights of common law. There are very good reasons to sever state ties with the UK, but it isn’t something that can happen overnight because of the oaths of allegiance of NZ MPs and judges.
“Go Figure” Moment of the Day: on Firstline this morning…
“If Shearer was really serious about being Prime Minister he would have come and sorted this out because that’s what Helen Clark did with the then Leader of the Opposition.”
A bit of role reversal going on there I think.
In accordance with most historical mass movements, those opposed to GCSB might consuder adopting a simple symbol of opposition to wear as a badge etc.(e.g. HART badges, red poppy, etc)
I suggest the outline of a fish or snapper, in red. (J Key’s attempted red herring). Easy to make, easily recognisble.
i like the idea of a symbol/badge to show support but not a fish!
Have you never heard of christianity ?
https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=fish+christian+symbol&client=firefox-a&hs=1sE&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=fJ0SUs_kOqTxiAe1qYHYBQ&ved=0CEAQsAQ&biw=980&bih=757>
Surely a satellite silhouette would be more apt
https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=satellite+dish+silhouette&client=firefox-a&hs=88t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ZZwSUpOZEIaOiAep2YHIDA&ved=0CDQQsAQ&biw=982&bih=761
(excuse the long links, a nice tidy clean link kept getting screwed up)
p.s to mods: why am I still in moderation, two days now, what have i written of late to warrant such interest?
Reminded again of the US comedian who said: ” You’re Prime Minister’s name is John Key? That’s what you ask for in America when you need to go to the bathroom in a service station !”
I therefore suggest a small drawing of a toilet because it is where he is leading us.
Perhaps it is your name being so treacherous in these times and all that.
🙂 had crossed my mind that perhaps the inner machinations of askimet or whatever it is has done exactly that
and yes even this comment is in moderation
I wish as much concern for our nation’s families in need of assistance could be shown to match that of the search for the yacht Nina and its occupants. Apparently there are 41 satellites viewing this area of the world – I don’t know if that is the total or just from the west. Concerned people are scouring views from one private satellite (the USA refused access to its own citizens to view the government’s records) looking for signs of these precious people. Our NZ parents and their children are not so precious.
Perhaps we could have a report every day of one NZ family that had been needy and had received all the help wanted to improve their position and find themselves in a secure home, with transport, able to manage their parental duties, near to work, and with a holiday weekend provided and paid for and tutoring and sports equipment for the children, and further part-time education for the parents. Just to show that we and our government agencies are working to assist citizens to have opportunities to successfully make their way in life. To show we do not abandon our people when there are rough times and they are under stress from poverty and lack of job opportunities and low wages.
“..I wish as much concern for our nation’s families in need of assistance could be shown ..”
you could maybe go and watch hones’ speech to the ak town hall meeting..
..he deviated from the script..reminding the mainly white/middle-class audience..
..that minorities/the poor/beneficiaries..are already living in/under a surveillance state..
..with petty/minor officials bullying/combing thru/prodding into/ruling over the minuitae/privacies of their lives..
..(a loan required to buy tampons..?..as they are deemed a ‘luxury’..?..by work and income..?..f.f.s..!..)
..as part of their everyday work..
..hone also pointed out the truism that likely a lot of the audience present nodded along in agreement with the idea of ‘benefit-reform’..
..and called on that audience to attend to these injustices as vigorously as they oppose this spooking-legislation..
phillip ure..
Best speech of the night, and not staged at all. I have more and more respect for the guy.
Agree Amirite. Hone added perspective which has always been visible but so often ignored. And “we” expect “them” to help “us” fight “our” battles. Much like the times when Maori and low boys were only any good if they won tests or the Ranfurly Shield. Those times are still with us in measure, as much as popular middle class canard denies it.
Hone has some powerful things to say that apply to Maori and pakeha as well. Good on him. You can’t just ask nicely, you’ll get the brush-off. Someone has to insist for fair treatment and an opportunity to live life, and not the vicious punitive government punch in the nose.
They have given away other people’s property (our trade barriers were part of our resources that protected us ensuring home-made could compete with imports – would the Dutch mine their polders,barriers against the sea, for a quick buck?) to ensure one section of society can trade without let or hindrance. Doh, they then make their own hindrance. And don’t have proper surveillance where it is needed, over their own processes and pipes. Can’t have pipes flowing with money into NZ and not have clean pipes going out.
yep. look at the history of the abolition movement, the 40 hour week, womens suffrage, the right to form trade unions.
The Left has forgotten what it takes to make real changes. Its why the fuckwit Right Wingers go on about “having better manners” to lefties. Because they know about the power of taking concrete action on concrete issues.
Without doing that we will always get watered down policy wonkish positioning.
“our trade barriers were part of our resources that protected us ensuring home-made could compete with imports ”
Trade barriers are a major cost. They especially hurt the poor while transferring resources to the few. Capitalists become lobbyists and get rich behind tariffs (or worse import licenses). How can you support policies that transfer resources from consumers to producers to prop up inefficient local production? It is ridiculous. I thought this debate finished 20 years ago.
Trade barriers hurt the poor? Are you saying that competing with Chinese laborers pound for pound, who on average get paid as little as $6,500 NZD annually (Gansu province) is good for people on low incomes in New Zealand? It is clearly not more efficient to compete with economies that pay their workers peanuts, especially when none of those savings are transferred to consumers.
some trade barriers will be required in order to bring a degree of localisation back to the NZ economy, and to buffer us from external economic shocks.
Removal of barriers only works if each country has the exact same wages, exact same services (hospital, fire, telecoms, etc), exact same laws and protections and, most importantly, the exact same enforcement of those laws and protections. If they’re not the same then the price difference is incorrect which results in industry going to where it’s least efficient. Exactly as we’ve been seeing over the last few decades.
When we had trade barriers, Fairylands, we did not really have any poor!
We did not have workers paid less than it cost to live. Funny that!
What a strange idea. Debates never finish.
@Grey
I’ve often thought the same sort of thing after a large earthquake – the politicians, the media, councils et al – anxious to show their concern and understanding.
I guess killing them slowly (the beneficiaries, the indigent, etc) is acceptable these days.
What we need is to follow Thatcher’s way and decide to have a good war, it takes people’s minds off their chilblains after earthquakes destroy their housing and revitalises National Spirit.
Trouble is after the traditional expressions of concern, the government will want the affected people to wait for a few years till they get round to taking them seriously. I remember this approach being applied to an African famine fast approaching. The authorities were preparing and expected to be ready to mount humanitarian assistance within six months. But only six weeks food was left – the reporting journalist was in tears. /sarc
So they say that our GDP per capita is increasing.
But is it really? Are we as a nation of people more active and producing and doing more? My suspicion is no we are not. My suspicion is that the GDP numbers simply reflect an increase in the amount of money spinning around the economy. And where has that money come from? My suspicion is all of that extra money has come from debt lent into existence and printed by the banks.
So, same level of activity just with more debt.
If so, that is good how?
Slashdot covering last night’s GCSB meeting:
http://yro.slashdot.org/story/13/08/19/1550240/protests-mount-in-new-zealand-against-new-surveillance-laws
@Lynn – I like to open up several tabs at once and browse between them. I’ve been getting this message quite a bit lately.:
Is this a bug, or a feature?
Yeah I do the same and its been slowing down my Colonial Viper turbo boost!
It is a anti-spam “feature” from wordfence. It looks at how many page requests different types of organisms make per minute and throttles it if it exceeds a quantity (currently 4) in that minute, then you get that message.
What it is for is to stop someone trying to dump the whole or a large part of the whole site at once thereby making the site largely inaccessible for others. One or the other of the limits get hit multiple times every day. The bingbot is particularly obnoxious. But there is also someone from China reading successively through various authors comments last week. And we’ve had attempts to do simple page sweeps from inside NZ (and not just the National Library)
lprent, you have mail
Bit of a bugger if you’re someone who just looks at the site every few days, opens anything that looks interesting in a new tab and settles down for a quick few minutes’ concentrated reading.
I was ready to blame it on Sticky Beak Key and his insatiable desire to read all my emails though. Might be an idea for something to do if the error page is customisable…
I’ve widened it out from 4 pages per minute to 10 pages per minute. That should reduce the problem.
A lot of new traffic today coming in via google. They’re reading the GCSB posts. I guess that Snapper isn’t as interesting as John Key thinks?
Thank you for the change 🙂
Ta for fixing it.
Slippery finally tells a truth:
“If I wholesale blatantly flout the law as Prime Minister I’m never going to survive anyway.”
Audrey Young
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11111384
Sixty years later and although they may have moved on from fomenting coups and calling them silly names they’re still at it. John Phillip Shah Key…?.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/19/politics/cia-iran-1953-coup/index.html
Is Trevor Mallard shit stirring? Is there a self proclaimed A and B Labour team? WTF is he on about?
Trevor Mallard @TrevorMallard 3m
Labour “B team” #fairnessatwork pic.twitter.com/QwJw0IrrDo
Whatever he’s doing, I wish he’d just bugger off, and take Goff, King, Shearer, Jones, and Hipkins with him. He is an irrelevance and an embarrassment. His major achievements have been to close schools and gag Cunliffe.
Great campaign management in 2011 as well
The home of the NeoLiberal revolution the U$. The Brave new world we have been copying courtesy of Roger the Dodger and his followers continues to show its true colours:
“Drastic growth in “extreme poverty” in US”
The 1% continue to crow on the pile’s top having cornered most of the wealth.
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/08/19/extr-a19.html
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-08-05/40-us-workers-now-earn-less-1968-minimum-wage
Guardian says Britain forced it to destroy Snowden material
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/20/us-usa-security-snowden-guardian-idUSBRE97I10E20130820
This is very very bad.
Well yes, Colonial Viper, it IS very bad if the Guardian had to destroy the Snowden material, but
why on earth – seeing they’re dealing with spooks, spies, and goodness knows what else – didn’t they keep a back-up copy or two (or more) on other sites? Surely when you’re dealing with such sensitive material you (the media concerned) would ensure safety of content by copying, and re-copying and taking the USBs elsewhere. Maybe they did do that ….. hope so, anyway.
They did.
You seem to be missing the point, the UK government shouldn’t be able to demand that information that the media has be destroyed. Going the route that the UK has here it shows that the UK is well on the way to becoming an oppressive, totalitarian state.
The Guardian notes that the UK Govt was probably just making a point – that it can physically interfere with a newspaper publisher if it wants to.
The Chief Editor wrote an editorial – remarkably – outlining what happened. He said that Whitehall officials were told that copies of the data were held internationally and that Glenn Greenwald was writing and publishing from Brazil so wouldn’t even be affected by any UK injunction.
They ordered the smashing of the Guardian’s computer equipment anyway. One of the agents joked while witnessing the destruction that they could now call off the “black helicopters”.
What is it with New Zealanders and dogs? I reckon we are about the most uncivilised race on the planet when it comes to dogs. Can’t walk down the street without having to keep an eye out for dogshit bombs. Can’t go to places where dogs are either banned or required to be on a lead because so many owners ignore the rules (despite people with kids going to these places to avoid dogs). Can’t sleep in many urban locales because there will be some dog barking incessantly.
Then you get this sort of thing.. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9064361/Rottweilers-had-attacked-a-child-before
New Zealand dog owners are irresponsible shitheads to an extent greater than pretty much every other place ever visited. They need to sharpen up.
Grump growl snarl
Most dog owners are responsible.
However, it annoys me that, walking places from my home, I sometimes come across a dog not on a lead (some times with, sometimes without an owner). It can make what should be a pleasurable, and environmentally-friendly way of getting place, unpleasant – because unleashed dogs scare me. The owners may think they are harmless, but how can I be sure of that?
Exactly Karol. Nobody can be certain about a dogs intentions, as the above linked article indicates (again). Imo it is unacceptable for dog owners to impose themselves on other people in this way. Similarly with the bombs left on the footpath – in our neighbourhood I would challenge anybody to walk around any block in the vicinity with eyes closed (!) and not end up with the stinking goopoop jammed into their shoes and then walked into the house. Gross.
Finally, I appreciate most owners are responsible but it seems from mine anecdote that the proportion of responsible owners in NZ is far lower than elsewhere.
“Nobody can be certain about a dogs intentions”
at an absolute level yes – but you can tell an awful lot about how a dog might behave if you understand their thought process and non verbal cues. The signals are different for different breeds – but theres a lot of common ground and they are surprisingly easy to learn and the responses you can use are highly effective (most of the time)
while i agree there are some really shitty dog owners out there (hey, i live in west AK) they ARE a minority and it serves no one to take a position of it being an issue of dog owners imposing on everyone else.
The far more sensible and productive angle is to accept there are dogs and learn how to mitigate the possible outcomes for both yourself an others around you.
and i say this as someone who has had to drag their partner through the front door and slam a rotties head in said door to get it to detach from her leg.
i hate crap dog owners but i equally have little time for people who assume dogs think and react like humans. I see it as we all have responsibilities when it comes to dogs in society
(this is in no way a comment about the dog attack case in question, or an attack on yourself VTO – just my 10cents)
I’m sure you’re right framu, especially when it comes to reading a dog’s tell-tale signs.
Don’t know about this though “is to accept there are dogs and learn how to mitigate the possible outcomes” or this “we all have responsibilities when it comes to dogs in society”. That is imposing one person’s life choices on others and I don’t see why that is reasonable. I accept it is a reality but only in the same way that drunk drivers are a reality.
Gotta fly…. later ..
sheesh – most dogs you see in public are on no way compareable to the threat you face from drunk drivers – hyperbole much?
re: we all have responsibilities – think of it this way.
You see a dog in the street, you are responsible for how you react.
The dog owner cant be accountable for kids running up to a dog and trying to pat it, or people deliberatly jumping right next to the dog, leaping at it, teasing it or any other number of reactions that will lead to a pretty predictable result. They are accountable for their dogs reaction however
(though im a firm believer in accepting how others see your dog in public – if i had a muscular type dog it would wear a muzzle in public even if it was a softie)
Are we not imposing our selves on dog owners and dogs by behaving like this? Imposition and compromise is a two way street. You cant sit there and say “Well im not into dogs therefore all dog owners have to adjust themselves to suit me” That just leads into a dead end with each side saying its not their fault
Dogs exist – we should take the initiative and educate ourselves and our children on how to behave around and interact with them, otherwise someone gets bit, and the dog possibly gets put down
But surely if one was on the street minding their own business, it is not their responsibility to avoid a dog that is off a lead, any more than it is their responsibility to avoid being hit by a drunk driver.
true – im more talking about our general attitude than a specific scenario.
You are still the author of your reaction – if the dog is showing zero signs of threat and you ignore it its probably going to go on its way – if you leap about the place and act scared the dog is going to start showing interest – possibly unhealthy interest
If you look back at what im saying here we all have responsibilities – dog owner and general public.
I firmly favour knowing both your dog AND how others view your dog. If youve got a rottie its not the most socially harmonious thing to walk it off its lead regardless of its temperament.
“New Zealand dog owners are irresponsible shitheads to an extent greater than pretty much every other place ever visited.”
You should spend some time in Paris.
An example of the approach the opposition needs to take to show the public precisely what Key’s doing in a way that everybody understands and that convinces people that Key is wrong:
http://norightturn.blogspot.co.nz/2013/08/selling-it-on-credit.html
The opposition needs to focus properly on convincing the public, not its mates who already agree with them.
is that even legal? (selling shares on credit)
I don’t really know and am not a lawyer but my guess is that if that’s what the contract says and if it’s all going to be covered in legislation anyway then it would be lawful. Even if this level of detail isn’t in the legislation I’d guess that a contract saying as much would be enough.
The fact that something is in legislation does not make it lawful. The state is fundamentally corrupt in its representation of law:
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2013/08/police_assn_call_for_teina_pora_inquiry.html/comment-page-1#comment-1183508
lprent if you’re around, what has happened to the small colourful square things that used to sit next to each posters name? Always found these extremely helpful in running through a thread – could decide whether to ignore or consider at a far faster pace. Now it takes longer to run down a thread and see what’s going on….
They should be there on both the desktop and mobile versions. But I’ve been trying out a late loader on the desktop version to conform to the mobile version. It loads the images via javascript after the rest of the text page has loaded.
Do you have javascript turned off? Is there are blank space for them? What are you running on?
hmmmm, Q1 don’t know, Q2 no, Q3 don’t know. This is a problem when positive resistance to new technology is employed…..
Try it now. They should be back. I’ll have a look at the change in CPU load with those features off – affects the images.
Yep back now ta.
New RM poll: The relentless lying about spying has caught up with Johnny Sparkles.
http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/5113-new-zealand-voting-intention-august-2013-201308200137
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/9064246/Labours-spy-bill-changes-unwanted
Oh dear, just when Labour start to get a bit of traction Shearer stuffs it up, wonder why he didn’t want norman to know and what will norman think of that…
and heres the clip if anyone (including Cunliffe ;)) is interested:
What a disappointment
National party undercover agent 26 – David Shearer has official blown his cover, arghhhh frustrating he’s done some great work but the jobs not quite done.
Key will be gutted.
Don’t be stupid BM/chris73. The Minister in charge of the GCSB, John Key, is obliged under law to inform the leader of the opposition about any significant developments concerning the GCSB. The fact that Shearer had to approach Key shows that the Prime Minister is ignoring the rules.
Necessity has no law.
lol
Given that Key’s got past history of having to correct statements in the House about who initiated contact with whom, and is apparently incapable of remembering what he’s seen, been briefed on or signed, I’d frankly want his story to be corroborated by a host of angels and saints before considering the possibility that Key’s not outright lying.
Considering how many times John Key has been lying over the years, I’d say that everything he said there was complete and utter BS.
The lesson is do not enter into confidential chats with John Key to improve cross-party cooperation, because he will twist it to make it appear like a betrayal. Dirty tricks indeed. Surprised? Na.
Seriously?
Shearer asked Key twice, the first time Key gave Shearer the opportunity to change his mind or alter the question.
But alas David Shearer the dumbest mofo ever blindly blundered on and darwined himself.
Whats funny is that if Key had said no as per the agreement and it came out later they did have meetings the left would have been all up in arms about brain fades and lying…
Of course Shearer could maybe not be so much of a fucking idiot in the first place
You’re obviously incapable of reading:
It’s National’s bill and they should have been the ones approaching other parties – they didn’t.
Addendum
FYI – arguably the most pivotal question in the Auckland Council Mayoral election?
AUCKLAND COUNCIL ELECTION: Question asked on http://vote.co.nz/dashboard/answer/2424
Are our CCO’s just duplicating effort?
At present, citizens and ratepayers who have a question about council issues or who want to report a problem have to choose between the Auckland Council service centre or one of the CCOs. Would you support integrating the CCO service centres into a single service centre?
Currently if you report a leaking drain, your call may be handled by Auckland Council, WaterCare or AucklandTransport depending on where the drain is.
If you want to ask a question under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, you may have to ask Auckland Council AND Auckland Transport AND WaterCare. And they may all give you copies of the same information!
What would you do to overcome this waste of ratepayers’ money? waste of citizens’ time and duplication of effort?
Bruce
______________________________________________________________________________
20 August 2013
THE CONSIDERED OPINION OF AUCKLAND MAYORAL CANDIDATE PENNY BRIGHT, ON ‘CCOs’
To be blunt – I believe that the ‘Council Controlled Organisation’ (CCO) model has been the mechanism for the corrupt corporate takeover of the Auckland region.
(If you want evidence of corrupt ‘conflicts of interest’ – check out for yourself http://www.committeeforauckland.co.nz/membership/member-organisations
This is the self-appointed, self-selected, ‘invitation-only’ private sector lobby group, which really runs the Auckland region.
Check for yourself, the links between Auckland Council and Auckland Council CCOs.
How many Auckland Council and Auckland Council CCO contracts are going to member companies of the Committee for Auckland? )
Unelected, appointed businesspeople now control core Council services.
I am, and have been for years, adamantly opposed to the CCO model, and have had considerable experience fighting the former Metrowater CCO model, in my capacity as Media Spokesperson for the Water Pressure Group.
CCOs must go.
Core Council services must be brought back under the direct democratic control of elected representatives.
The reality is that private sector businesspeople do NOT ‘transmogrify’ into competent ‘public servants’.
The LAW, systems, culture and habits from the private sector business world are not the same as those from the ‘public service’ / government world.
In fact, in my considered opinion, the neo-liberal ‘Rogernomics’ mantra that ‘public is bad – private is good’ – has been a global rort and fraud perpetrated upon the public.
At Auckland Council and CCO level, there are now thousands of consultants and contractors, with their private snouts in our public trough, making private profit out of public services which used to be provided ‘in-house’.
Have YOUR rates gone up or down since this Auckland ‘SUPERCITY’ was forced upon us?
If this ‘contracting-out / PRIVATISED’ model was genuinely more ‘efficient’ – wouldn’t rates be going DOWN – not UP?
As Mayor – I will have directly-attached to the Mayor’s office, not ‘spin-doctors’, but a small team of forensic investigators, who will OPEN THE BOOKS and make available for public scrutiny, the NAMES of the consultants/ contractors; the SCOPE / TERM and VALUE of these contracts.
Also, a ‘Quality Assurance’ expert in the public service area, who will help ensure proper ‘open, transparent and democratically-accountable’ systems are in place, to help ensure ‘prudent stewardship’ over our public monies, assets and resources.
(I have had a Quality Assurance background myself, so have some knowledge and experience in setting up systems THAT WORK.)
Also a ‘whistle-blower hotline’ direct to the Mayo\’s office, so that anonymous tipoffs from concerned staff/citizens, can help to expose corrupt conflicts of interest.
Unless a ‘cost-benefit’ analysis proves that the use of private ‘consultants/ contractors’ is a more ‘cost-effective’ use of ratepayer monies, then these services will be returned ‘in-house’.
‘Cutting out the private consultants /contractors\’ should help to free up some hundreds of millions of ratepayers public monies.
I believe that the public majority should benefit from our public monies, and this ‘corporate welfare’ must STOP.
(For more information check out http://www.pennybright4mayor.org.nz http://www.stopthesupercity.org.nz http://www.occupyaucklandvsaucklandcouncilappeal.org.nz )
Kind regards,
Penny Bright
‘Her Warship’
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11111531
………….nuf said !
David Shearer: Is the Prime Minister saying that the law society, the human rights commission, the privacy comissioner, Geoffry Palmer, and many others also don’t understand the law?
John Key: Mr Speaker, yes.
House: What an arrogant man, what an arrogant man.
These words from David Slack on Mora this afternoon in response to Mora asking whether the PM’s assurances affect his position on the GCSB bill:
“No (!). If I’m buying a used car I’m going to listen to the mechanic not the used car salesman.” – wherein Key is the used car salesman and Geoffrey Palmer is the mechanic. Beautiful !
What the hell has happened to this country ? Are we that dumb ? A country where seemingly all the mechanics can be roundly debunked by a wan “I disagree” from the used car salesman.
Certainly the Affable Tory Fool Mora was somewhat animated in asserting that the PM’s assurances cannot be spurious (as the other panelist mentioned) because there are those who trust those assurances. What ? Thought Mora was Mensa material ?
Lolz wans’t that a good laugh, and the TV news made the guffaws even bigger, i have often accused the current Prime minister of turning the Office of Prime Minister into little more than the rough shack to be found on any used car lot in this country,
Tonight Him and Bill confirmed that they are seeking the annual award for the top NZ used car salesman with a vengence announcing tonight a used car salesman pay a third now and a third later deal with the latest ransacking of New Zealand’s asset base,
Bill from Dipton, never to be found wanting for a word when things get really really stupid, when asked how much flicking the next load of power shares on tick would cost against the price gained from the share offer looked impressively akin to the village idiot when He told the media he wouldn’t have a clue…
Do we take it as read then, is the American NSA paying hard cash for the New Zealand GCSB’s ability to plug the US spy agency’s into the data stream of New Zealand citizens,
What a neat way for the GCSB to avoid all New Zealand laws currently being enacted in the Parliament, simply plug the NSA into the data stream and they in turn can report back any ‘threats’ to the current National Government,
Who’s going to know??? when the Prime Minister point blank refuses to confirm or deny the NSA payment question asked by Russell Norman in the House today who among us would now be willing to bet money that they are not paying the GCSB here to plug them directly into the data stream,
When the Prime Minister could not answer NO to Russell Norman’s question in the House today over US NSA payments to the GCSB the equivocation simply screamed YES…
“Equivocation” is such a beautiful word. Means “bullshitting”.
That’s what our society has become. Bullshit ! Great BBQs in Parnell though !
i have to wonder if the payments made by the US spy agency NSA to foreign intelligence organizations includes GPS locations so as to give the Prez an easy target should He feel the need to launch a drone or two in the general direction should future events label ‘crticism’ as a definite terrorist threat…
I think the NSA has contributed/owned GCSB for many, many years .. as long as Waihopai has been open ( or is it closed?) and even Tangimoana before then. And I don’t think the prime ministers knew .. well, David Lange said he didn’t know until he read one of Nicky Hager’s books.
Actually, I have always wondered how the US powers-that-be had power over Helen Clark to not make this country GM free when the chance was there and the mood of the country was with her. Never made sense to me, and I have to keep wondering. How little have we known for how long ??
.. in interview, Mr Livingstone said plainly that MI5, Britain’s “national” branch of the intelligence services (MI6 is international), had covered up paedophile rings, so they could find blackmail evidence as leverage on politicians.
Closing the consensus gap: Public support for climate policy
The problem is that, for the last 20+ years, we’ve had a bunch of sociopaths/psychopaths attacking the consensus in the public domain and thus causing doubt in the public.
imagine if the world’s rules and norms and structures and governances worked to concentrate the wealth and power down to the bottom of the pyramid
Anything that dose not suit your agenda annoyes you I think. From 08 or any other time. And then you stand upon your soap box and preach about democracy at the same time banning anyone who has a different point of view. Irony
[lprent: Off topic for the post. Moved to OpenMike. Read the policy.
I usually ban for silly behaviour. A good indicator would be to dump a off-topic comment into the top level comments of a post. You look like a good candidate. But who knows – now you have had your wee wank and spray like a miniature poodle, you may even have something to contribute. Stranger things have happened. ]
dude – its a blog, not the mechanism used to run the country – get over yourself
also – know what your on about. There’s plenty of righties who come here and dont get banned