this represent the fall of the speculator class
watch as they head for the exit door all at once in blind panic as they realize there debt positions are hopeless
Bear in mind too that this behaviour equally applies to the NZ dollar.
I’ve already come across several people gloating about how they bought significant amounts of US currency in the last few weeks and have just made an enormous tax free profit.
Capitalism attacks what it doesn’t like via all means possible.
This is indeed , Winstons , NZ Firsts ,… and this country’s finest hour.
His namesake is and was prophetic,… and with co workers the Greens and a conciliatory Adern and Labour party ,… expect a real resurgence of NZ popular culture and prosperity.
This is the real New Zealand calling ,- with all its rambunctious , good hearted , slap happy and ‘ no worry’s mate ‘ way of dealing with life.
This is what we are all about , – prosperity , hard work , and a sense of equality among our community. The exact opposite of the Roger Douglas / Ruth Richardson era.
We are the New Zealanders.
We are a great nation.
And we are self determined.
And we reject globalism , neo liberalism and being pawns to global banking elites and their advocates.
Bryan Ferry – This Is Tomorrow [Official] – YouTube
Aye … an idealist I know,… but these are the essence of the NZ experience that generations understood. It was terminated in 1984. There is no reason not to reclaim back what was once ours by birthright.
It is simply a reversal of many of the tenuous ‘legislation’s’ passed under the auspices of the NZ Initiative ( former Business Roundtable ) using willing politicians of the time .
You will find ,… that it is not all that hard to reverse.
All it takes is some blunt honesty and the guts to say ‘ no more’ .
It feels good doesn’t it? Just to know most people want truth fairness and hope.
Keep posting Eco Maori, you often express new ways of looking at familiar things. That is valuable.
Finally there is hope for our once fair Country.
I am really looking forward to the resurrection of public broadcasting. The media have so much to answer for.
TVNZ needs a big sort out either get rid of the likes of Hoskins or so we keep the so called “freedom of speech” return Channel 7 that can give an alternative counter-argument against the crap that is regurgitated all the time.
Made a point of hunting out Hoskings this morning and what a hoot! Over the top. Doom and Gloom from a chap who used to be scathing of those who talk Doom and Glooom. Hypocrite.
Along with sorting out tvnz,
winz and their reptilian ways,
housing nz and their p hysteria,
the police- either sledge hammer to open a walnut a la Nicky Hager or ‘nothing to see here’ a la Todd debarclay.
Our letter to all parties in the new Labour lead government sent this morning.
Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre. (CEAC) Est’ 2001.
PO Box 474. Napier. Email; clean.air@xtra.co.nz
Protecting our environment & health.
In association with other Community Groups, NHTCF and all Government Agencies since 2001.
20th October 2017.
Public COMMUNITY letter
TO all Executive MP’s/Ministers of the new labour Lead Government.
Firstly we congratulate all your wise choices that has given us a ‘new dawn’ of change to a warm, caring, inclusive, considerate Government for our future.
Our message blog (below) has been sent to you for real change for today to consider.
Please seriously consider those points for our regional communities environmental & social wellbeing for our future please.
We must have this new Labour lead Gov’t to swiftly purge all former National cling-on’s from all government positions and agencies and SOE’s such as Kiwi rail as these National cling-ons were placed inside kiwi rail and it’s own board to kill our rail system off and isolate the management from public contact, this we know as we have emails from kiwi rail management saying the public have been excluded from contacting all Kiwi rail management last year. Top Board of Kiwi rail appointees by National were Paula Rebstock must be fired now as she was so toxic to Kiwi rail’s survival.
NZTA/Kiwi rail/Ministry of Transport all must loose their top National Party placed management and be replaced by labour Lead appointed administrative positions.
A new Minister of rail must be announced by Labour lead government to protect our own Rail company again and setup to restore our regional freight and passenger rail services again.
The Ministry of the Environment Management must loose all national party appointees also.
The Parliamentary commissioner for the Environment must re-instate a labour chosen appointee as national have just chosen a former national MP as the new commissioner for the Environment so that is such a bad move and must be stopped.
“Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment” (PCE) is one of the most important agencies Labour must return full funding to provide complete public services to and conduct regional studies on all environmental issues of concerns to all communities again as labour had set up this agency when last in Government.
Also included must be similar changes in all Regional Government Management positions as those National appointed managers were becoming un-cooperative with the communities they are supposed to serve.
We must re-instate the Ministry of Transport as “principal advisory” to Government again, as it was during the last labour Government.
National had deliberately reduced Ministry of Transport to a door stop for government policies under National and have deliberately advanced NZTA as ‘king of transport’ which is wrong as NZTA is only simply an ‘RCA’ or a (road controlling agency)
Next we need to return all Government documents to the Former labour government policy platforms & positions regarding the insertion of the “policies for agencies to have regard for “Environmental and Social policy planning” inside all documents supplied to public, Local, and central governments.
This will ensure we move to save our society’s environment, health and regional wealth of our NZ Nation again after a painful nine year loss to us all.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
We must have this new Labour lead Gov’t to swiftly purge all former National cling-on’s from all government positions
“Purge”?
Add to that the demands for Hosking and others to be fired …
I know the internet is essentially about sad little powerless people venting their madness (that’s why I feel at home on it) but you don’t think you’re striking rather too Stalinist a note here?
If I was Duncan Gardner I would see reality and change my tone or is all that cash national has in his right pocket to heavy for him to see his future.
Ka Pai.
Herald on-line:
Mike Hosking: “Already a mess – we are all in trouble.
Winston Peters opens with a dissertation on how the world is coming to an end, and it won’t be the new government’s fault. ”
Yes Mike, the world is going to end. People like you are convinced it is. You tell us we are in trouble. Peters says something at the beginning and you say it means the world is going to end.
The dire degree of the trouble we are in is shown by the fact that such a limited, self-absorbed drama queen like you has any role in our media to splurge out your nonsensical rantings. The dire degree of the trouble we are in is shown by the fact the numbers in the country are sucked into believing you and the dumbness you spout.
I heard this morning that Jacinda Ardern was to be on your programme. Her pre-election visits to pre-schools would have prepared her I suppose. If she got to speak to the three year olds.
Feeling blessed with the new government. Thank you to all.
Also feeling blessed with our underfunded health service still doing it under adverse circumstances. I had a heart attack yesterday, helicopter flight, stent put in..
Make sure you say I love you to those you love – life is a journey no doubt about that. Kia kaha.
Holy shit marty! Thanks for letting us know you are ok and as always focussing on the things that matter. All the best with recovering, be good to yourself too e hoa. Kia tino ora ki a koe.
But these days it’s spectacular how well they can deal with these things – I had a mate who literally died in ED, and two days later they had a consistent blood pressure, new meds for him, a stent in, and he was good to go home.
And, being Otago, they gave him 4 cheese rolls for lunch lol
Was it before or after Winston’s news Marty? You’ll be able to take the political news more calmly now, thank goodness. Relax and enjoy, you have put your time in keeping the discussion alive making points to be considered. When you are back on the beat again you can give us a report on the Nelson? Hospital standards. Mauri ora!
Ouch. Just catching up on that news. It is a bit of shock. But if you’re operating afterward enough to write comments on a blog and get annoyed with the colour beige you’re probably OK.
I effectively died at home in 2011 with a severe myocardial infarction after a pile of goop dropped out of a artery wall and caused a blood clot that stopped a large part of the flow of blood to the heart. Fortunately I live only a few minutes from the ambulance base and I have a deeply suspicious partner who was wondering why I was making funny noises, knew CPR and kept hitting me while juggling the phone. A case of spousal abuse that I can live with.
The stents work and drugs are effective once you get the right dosages and if you haven’t taken too much heart muscle damage. I was back at work a week later because it was so frigging boring being at home.
The worst of it for me was giving up smoking and then putting on weight. Still trying to get that off.
The whole world will take not of this date in time for the cataclysmic shift in our political system to a society that does not worship money over people”s
Welfare or over our future mother earth and our grandchildren future .P.S. I was matching Tv 1 and 3 news on 2 lap tops this morning please be fair
Kia Kaha
Instead of hanging out Taika Waititi as a traitor, the first useful thing this government could do is make every single real estate agent unemployed. They can go milk cows for a while.
“When Kiwi Keith, Barry Gustafson’s biography of Holyoake was published in 2007, Michael Bassett criticised the lack of explanation about ‘the accusations leveled at Holyoake over his influence to get essential services into Kinloch that appears to have turned him and his partners into wealthy men’. [2] Bassett was referring to the fortuitous building of a government road to the edge of the partners’ property. But in truth there is much more to scrutinize than Holyoake’s influence in having the road built. There are the circumstances, for instance, of his acquisition of Māori land there in 1956.”
While road use is up 15% from 2013, deaths are up 60%.
According to the report, more lives could have been saved for half the cost of one of the National Government’s roads of national significance.
The entire state highway network could have had median barriers put in place for half the cost of one of the National’s roads of national significance.
Let’s hope our new Government will pick up on this.
A little disappointed the Greens failed to achieve their preference (a full coalition deal with Labour). And from what I can gather, secured no core benefit increase.
I’ll have more comment once the dust settles and policy is announced.
While road use is up 15% from 2013, deaths are up 60%.
According to the Ministry of Transport’s information, the road toll in 2013 was 253 and in 2016 it was 328. That’s a 30% increase, not 60%.
Next time you’re out on the roads, ponder this: Your risk of dying in a crash is 40% higher now than it was in 2013.
Relative risk increases are great for scare stories in the media, but not much use otherwise. When the level of risk is very low, significant percentage increases still leave the risk very low, eg if your risk of getting a particular cancer in the next five years is 0.0001 and there’s something that increases it to 0.00014, that’s a 40% increase but nobody in the media is going to make headlines out of a risk increasing by a fraction of a tenth of a percent, so you give them the 40% relative increase instead and they run with that, horribly misleading though it is.
In other words, your risk of being killed in a crash this year is not significantly greater than it was in 2013.
Aye using %ages without providing the underlying numbers is always dishonest. It gives no sense of context especially if the increase is off a low base.
”According to the Ministry of Transport’s information, the road toll in 2013 was 253 and in 2016 it was 328. That’s a 30% increase, not 60%”
You only went as far as 2016, this research goes to 2017.
Total road fatalities in New Zealand in the past 12 months alone was 373.
Whether or not it is coming off a low risk base, the chance of having a crash is still 40% higher now than in 2013.
And regardless if it is a low risk rate overall, there is far too many people being killed and harmed on or roads. Median barriers would go a long way in reducing those numbers.
Sure they would. But “Your risk of X is 40% higher” is a completely worthless piece of information. If your risk X was 0.5 and now it’s 0.7, that’s pretty scary. But it was 0.0001 and now it’s 0.00014, so what? Without the context, the percentage is worth nothing.
If fewer people were killed on the roads, that would be great, yes. Funnily enough, I’m not taking issue with that sentiment (might be a bit of a contrarian, but few are that contrarian).
I’m taking issue with your view that next time I drive I should think about my alleged 40% increased risk of dying. Given that my risk of dying has gone from extremely low in 2013 to, er, still extremely low in 2017, no I’m not going to think about that. Trying to achieve safer driving through misuse of statistics isn’t a good plan.
I wasn’t trying to achieve safer driving through the misuse of statistics (not that the statistics were misused). I was highlighting the reported increase in risk and the need for median barriers.
No more privatisations.
NIMT electrification intact
No more rail line closures.
No more new charter schools or private prisons (though existing contracts will need to be honoured).
A new day has dawned with a fresh new government. Won’t be easy with the multiple issues to be sorted, but they will give their best and everything seems more optimistic after the stale, tired regime that will now thankfully be the opposition.
Mike Hosking’s childish, petulant display last night was totally unprofessional. Only watched to see what was happening and he should be ashamed and embarrassed (unlikely, since he is so full of his own self-importance).
This is a positive response amongst some pretty negative ones:
“Federated Farmers said it was ready to engage with the new coalition government and that it was time to “cast aside” the divisions that arose during the election campaign, said president Katie Milne.” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11935046
Great news, the Greens will have two ministers, it was hoped that the Greens would be full coalition partners, but it still is a Historic moment to finally have members inside Government, things can only get better for them, we all look forward to a long and enduring presence.
A word of warning for Jacinda. She needs to get her coalition together in a private room and tell them to get all their dirty laundry sorted out (if they have any) because the opposition are known for dirt digging and they will be digging to Africa trying to find any dirt which could destabilise her new administration.
Also she needs to tell them in no uncertain terms that they will be required to live a scandal free life from now on in for the duration, no leaving emails, texts around on their phones which could be hacked etc . The opposition will do everything in their power to play their dirty tricks as they have skin on the game big time in this area. I will tell her to keep a tight ship like her mentor and friend Helen.
It wasn’t a matter of one party being prepared to pay more. It was about whose policies were more in line with each others. If Peters asked for repeal of the Employment Relations Act and a 30% cut to all benefits it wouldn’t have been a price at all for English to pay. But it would’ve been a price way too high for Ardern.
Christ, there is a lot of sour grapes out there at the moment, things I have seen written and said to me since Peters said he would go with Labour and it is only 11.00 am Friday morning.
The sky is falling
We are heading back to a communist controlled country like it was under Clark
only allowed to used shower heads and light bulbs they approve off.
Interest rate will go through the ceiling
Banks will stop lending
The dollar will fall
It is a coalition of losers
Food prices will go through the roof
Farmers will walk off their land(haven’t heard that one for a few years) as Labour and the Greens have a hidden agenda introducing a fart tax and tax the water
Our personal taxes will rise
Massive unemployment as NO ONE will be able to afford to employ people.
Crime will skyrocket
It is the end of NZ as we know it (yeah that is right like the last nine years)
You name it and that’s what is going to happen so I added a couple myself.
Birds will now shit on Hoskins car.
The Labour lead coalition will cancel any fine weather this summer and we will have to put up with bad weather for the next three years
Ha ha fucking ha I have not laughed so much for ages, like the last nine years.
It takes time to recognise and live with loss of power.
i recall that in the Nats’ first term under John Key, NZ Labour seemed to present the attitude that they were better political managers – Nats threw everything at gaining power, and few hard plans of what to do with it; John key was a novice leader, kept away from many hard interviews – and I got the impression that the majority of the Labour caucus believed they would most likely regain power after one John key term.
“We are heading back to a communist controlled country like it was under Clark
only allowed to used shower heads and light bulbs they approve off.”
Because Clark, Cullen et al ordered the cumplosolry collectivization of agriculture and forcibly siezed farms around the country with armed Party members.
‘Interest rate will go through the ceiling’
Interest rates are set by the RBNZ, and will be adjusted in December. It will be likely that the OCR will be unchanged, or move only a quarter to half of a percentage point. There will be some bluff and bluster though from the Gov. A hard left governor will probably be appointed. but we shall what happens there
‘Banks will stop lending’
Not loading people up with unsustainable debt is probably a good thing
‘The dollar will fall’
Good for exporters, and FDI?
‘t is a coalition of losers’
English could have given Winston what he wanted.,.but didnt.
‘Food prices will go through the roof’
They already are — thanks to the shit weather over the past year or two.
‘Farmers will walk off their land(haven’t heard that one for a few years) is Labour and the Greens have a hidden agenda introducing a fart tax and tax the water’
Jacinda has chopped the water tax from the sounds of it, and Winston will never allow for a fart tax.
‘Our personal taxes will rise’
But you will get better public services.
‘Massive unemployment as NO ONE will be able to afford to employ people.’
There is a lot of unemployment already, with immigrants taking all the farm and hospo jobs
‘Crime will skyrocket’
It will be no worse or better than it has always been. Doesnt help that a bag of P is probably cheaper than a pack of smokes.
One of the things I’ve found interesting in the last twelve months is the discussions I’ve had with skilled qualified Chinese immigrants.
All have a strong sense of community and of government looking after all it’s citizens.
They are highly supportive of state health care and welfare – and also understand the value of a strong work ethic.
I don’t know any wealthy Chinese overseas investors, and as always anecdote is an example not a trend but I’ve dialogued with enough now to know that those people at least share many of the socialist values that the left do.
I’m not surprised at that – it’s always been interesting see the right sell their souls to the communist enemy (that includes the labour party right-wing neo-libs as well). Course they haven’t really sold their souls – the whole point of capitalism is to make money any way you can.
There’s something there though in congruity that I hope Labour/NZF/Greens can tap in to.
I’m not afeared of more socialist policies vs free market laissez-faire rubbish we’ve endured. While the right argue for individual poor choices being the problem it’s much more evident it’s the higher macro economic settings that are the problem. Less and less and less tax, more and more and more productivity, less and less support for those in lower socio economic circumstance, more and more surveillance of citizens, less and less rights for workers, more and more and more state assets sold, less and less and less public service has not delivered improvement for our country as a whole.
Many of these things need to be wound back.
I just hope that many of those public servants who whole heartedly embraced, and in some cases instigated the selling off of such assets, who wholeheartedly demonised beneficiaries, who privatised and outsourced, who bean counted everything to the bare minimum (health I’m looking at you) and so on – instead of ensuring the public service did their job vanish (in some cases back to the countries from whence they came) quietly.
I hope an environment is re-created of true public service as a priority. One in which authoritarians don’t wish to be in.
It’s a mixed bag, but I’m inclined towards the positive this morning. We have escaped three more years of uncaring government, and who knows what consequences of further starving our public services and ignoring our crises of health, mental health, poverty and neglect. We have a real opportunity for change: but we cannot assume it’s a done deal.
With NZ First inside the government, it will require NZF and Labour to agree on the TPP – so there will be trade offs. Nats may then add to the numbers rather than the GP – but it won’t be the TPP the Nats want. And Peters mentioned being against ISDS in his speech last night – so that’s probably not going to be accepted in new trade agreements.
members of the cabinet must publicly support all governmental decisions made in Cabinet, even if they do not privately agree with them. This support includes voting for the government in the legislature.
Her [Ardern’s] party was critical of the TPP during the campaign, arguing that the deal as it stands would not give the government sufficient power to limit foreign ownership of housing and land. Ardern reiterated Labour’s position on the trade pact during Thursday’s news conference.
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, who played the role of kingmaker in forming the new government, declared that his party will support Labour’s stance on the TPP.
Peters also revealed his desire to work with Labour to seek a review of the investor-state dispute settlement provision, the last sticking point in the original TPP negotiations, which included the U.S. The provision, known as ISDS, is controversial because it lets investors and corporations challenge regulatory sovereignty by suing national governments in international courts.
“New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, who played the role of kingmaker in forming the new government, declared that his party will support Labour’s stance on the TPP.”
Seeing as Labour’s stance is soft, that’s going to disappoint a few. The two concessions don’t cover the vast concerns, but if secured, will help soften the blow. But still, some will feel let down.
wasn’t isds one of the things Labour had an issue with, too? I forget.
My take is that Lab wants an improved TPP without the yanks, whereas nat wants to sign it as-is with all the concessions to the yanks still in, even though the yanks aren’t in it.
And even if the grand coalition for tpp was anything more than tc’s wet dream, it would immediately imperil the coalition arrangements with both the greens and nz1, and I don’t see that as being high on the list of Labour’s priorities at the moment.
As for other right-wing policies, the “even if” criteria still stand. Sure, they might get some stuff though, but the main influences on Labour are economically centrist/left, with a couple of social conservative things from nz1 but overall I reckon benefits, regional development, housing, employment, cheaper tertiary education, and integrated transport (more than roads) are all on the table.
With the eagerness National has expressed for the TPP, I’m sure they’d accept it either way (concessions or not).
A grand coalition is not my wet dream.
There should be some good from this (change of Government) as you rightly highlighted. But there are still some potential downsides, such as the use of a flat regional tax to pay for transport improvements.
holy shit, a coalition government where adults make compromises isn’t going to be completely perfect according to your personal political manifesto? Better emigrate, then…
Dude, I’m not immediately familiar with that policy, which party favours it, or what it will be taxed on. It seems to me that the only person who’s raised it here is you, which means it’s probably not earth-shattering in its impact.
Although regional transport development needs a look at anyway, so anyone who came up with that policy is probably asking the right questions, even if their answers aren’t perfect.
tl/dr: tell me what you’re talking about, and maybe even suggest why I should give a shit.
Well now some of the corporate drugs have been cut off – welfare money & unlimited immigration – lets see if those corporations can step up to the challenge.
Corporations could stop keeping the bulk of their jobs in Auckland -outsorce to the provinces.
Stick some call centre’s and other business units in Palmerston North,Napier, New Plymouth, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin and other places. Shift jobs that can be done easily by older populations to those areas.
Take the pressure off housing & transport in Auckland , cut welfare bills , use under utilised provincial resources, spread prosperity, in a wired world everyone doesn’t need to be parked up in a multi story building in Auckland.
Let me guess, some libertarian tech dude who believes his billions are endangered by governments and their regulations.
In September 2013, the man who bought Brexit – Arron Banks – was in trouble.
For the past two years, financial regulators in Gibraltar had been scrutinising his insurance under-writer, Southern Rock. They had discovered it was keeping reserves far below what was needed.
[…]
One question remains though. If Banks was in such a tight spot in September 2013, how did he manage to be so generous the following year?
So many people have been given hope with our new government, so many.
Every time the news comes on, am smiling ear to ear as I’m reminded of our talented, clued up new government, and it makes me feel so freaking proud to be a NZer.
And then to make things even better, am reminded of the outstanding policies that are going to happen. Loving listening to the news today.
Miss Twelve is walking around wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, she says it’s like Christmas come early.
The kids at school all cheered when I reminded them that with the change of government they will have some incredible opportunities such as going to university, due to the steps that will be taken towards free tertiary education. For kids at the local low decile school, this is MASSIVE
What a wonderful day for so many many New Zealanders
THANK YOU Labour, NZ1st and Greens, thank you for giving us hope 🙂
FPP thinking from Mr. Prebble. None of the parties won or lost the election. Each party received a different amount of votes. The government is made up of the parties able to offer more than 50% of the electoral seats available. The coalition won fair and square.
A discussion on the situation for NZ in coming years as China and USA front of with each other to see who is going to be top dog put NZ as a bone of contention, the meat in the sandwich and other gristley fillings.
The analyst assumes that between the two we must arm ourselves against China.
I think we need to debate this.
Well this is my third vaping pipe I brought one thought it got lifted moko’s . Brought another found the old one was to stressed to use it gave one to my m8 and sent one to my brother . Less stress now I have it worked out now .Its just $50 for a joyetech stainless one and the vanilla tabbco vap juice is ok it only cost $5 a week for this big saving and one just has to remember what it was like when you first started smoking and persist and you will get use to it and no more spending heaps on smokes an your health will improve real quick. P.S if your congested and need to by that stuff on tv just take a panadol it does the same clears the chest and clears the cough Ka pai
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Minneapolis Police StationIf you’ve been keeping an eye on recent events in the United States, you’ll likely understand why there’s so much anger on the streets at the moment. Not only did police officers murder another black man; it is patently obvious that authorities initially attempted to cover up George ...
Becoming the leader of a political party is a bit like having a baby. Not so much the screaming and sleepless nights, as the fact that you’ve waited and hope and planned for something and it’s finally here. And when that wonderful gift finally arrives, you want to be ready, ...
The US appears to be headed towards what Antonio Gramsci and other Italian political theorists call an “organic crisis of the State.” It involves the simultaneous and compounded fractures of economy, society and politics, which together constitute a tipping point in a nation’s history. Social contradictions are exacerbated, class and ...
Like the rest of the world, I have been aghast at what I have seen of, and read and heard about, what is happening currently in the United States. It seems incredible that a once great country should be suffering the worst effects and the highest number of deaths worldwide ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week...
Climate concerns as Siberia experiences record-breaking heatHeat wave sparks concerns about devastating wildfire season and melting permafrost.Satellite ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, May 24 through Sat, May 30, 2020Editor's ChoiceAntarctic Ocean Reveals New Signs of Rapid Melt of Ancient Ice, Clues About Future Sea Level RiseA study of seafloor ripples ...
It’s almost painful to watch. Let’s be honest, maybe a pleasure too, in some quarters, but painful nonetheless. Because the fact is, for a democracy to function properly, any sitting Government does need honest and proper Opposition so that it doesn’t get ahead of itself. That’s what we should ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk A banner on the International Energy Agency website spells it out in bold font: “The global oil industry is experiencing a shock like no other in its history.” As the response to the coronavirus pandemic upends the lives of billions of ...
The ownership of newspapers and televison channels is in turmoil, and they want to redisorganise public broadcasting. *Three years ago, I expressed concern in a column about the future of the (traditional) media. Nothing has happened since to reduce the concern. It was based on an earlier column which ...
Australia's High Court has ruled that the "palace letters" between the queen and then-Governor-General John Kerr are public records rather than private papers: Historian Jenny Hocking has won her High Court bid to access the letters exchanged between then governor-general Sir John Kerr and the Queen around the time of ...
SATURDAY MAY 30Six60: Live at Western Springs 2020 (TVNZ 1, 8.45pm). Remember live concerts? The day will come again, friends, when we will be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in an uncomfortable sweaty venue with people we don’t know. It will happen. Sometimes the sound of concerts drifts over to the ...
New Zealand and its prime minister Jacinda Ardern have received international attention and praise, rightly so, for decisive leadership, clear communication and scientific management of the coronavirus pandemic. Observers point out that the nation has been through multiple crises under Ardern’s leadership – such as the Christchurch terrorist attack and ...
…a lot of things unrelated to the pandemic were happening. Relatively little attention was given to some major events on the global stage, so I thought I would do a quick recap of some of the high (or low) -lights, starting with something familiar. The common theme throughout is human ...
Labour's talk of gutting the RMA to push through "shovel ready" projects to boost employment after the pandemic predictably has every half-arsed pipe-dream crawling out of the woodwork demanding special treatment. Today, it's the West Coast inbreds, who are demanding a host of laws be rescinded so they can dig ...
"I can't breathe, Mama. I'm dying." - Last words of George Floyd.LOOK HARD at this image. Think about what it depicts. Ask yourself how one human-being could behave so brutally when so many eye-witnesses – and very soon millions of people online around the world – were there to watch ...
Since the government announced its pandemic wage subsidy, there have been regular stories about companies taking it and then sacking or refusing to pay their workers - essentially committing fraud. But how often does this happen? The Minister just doesn't want to know: Government ministers are not receiving up to ...
"You call that a conservative?Nah, this is a conservative!" New Zealanders are in the market for a quiet and reassuring small-c conservative political centrist. The critical question, however, is which politician is currently playing that role? Who has mastered the art of relaxed, informal and intimate political communication? Who ...
I’VE OFTEN WONDERED if South African immigrants passing through towns like Kerikeri and Kaikohe ever wonder how we do it. In their homeland, through the bitter years of Apartheid, keeping the races segregated required pass laws, Alsatian dogs, tear gas, rubber bullets and, all-too-often, live rounds. Not here. Not in ...
Below is the list of gender-critical material which appeared on Redline from July 31, 2019 to September 30, 2019. Sports categories must be by sex, not gender identity Queer theory glossary Woke misogyny and homophobia: a gay critique of trans ideology Another unfortunate experiment? New Zealand’s transgender health policy and ...
Smart Energy Europe: A Plan to provide 100% of ALL ENERGY using Renewable Energy to EuropeIntroductionAll Energy renewable energy systems are often commented on here at Skeptical Science. Many comments suggest that it will be difficult, expensive or impossible to use renewable energy to power the world. To ...
The government released its Action for Healthy Waterways package today, ostensibly with the goal of cleaning up our rivers and making them swimmable within a generation. Doing that, of course, requires confronting the cow in the room: the dairy industry which causes most of the pollution. But while they've imposed ...
Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change.If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, please send it to climate.change@stuff.co.nzI would like to know if New Zealand’s carbon emissions ...
Simon Lamb, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington and Timothy Stern, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of WellingtonBack in the 1970s, scientists came up with a revolutionary idea about how Earth’s deep interior works. They proposed it is slowly churning like a lava lamp, with buoyant ...
Remember KiwiBuild? Previously the government's flagship policy, it was supposed to build thousands of new homes every year for kiwi families. But instead of flooding the market, we've got a pathetic dribble: The Government's former flagship housing policy is so far behind schedule it will take more than 400 years ...
Don Franks Now Covid-19 restrictions allow gatherings of a hundred, an urgent hui needs calling. A special conference of the Council of Trade Unions. Today, workers face the greatest attack on employment, pay and conditions since the depression, we need a strong united union voice. As it stands now, organised ...
George Henderson New Zealand schools have introduced a climate change resource that suggests children “eat less meat and dairy”, even though teachers will not know how much meat or dairy any child in their care has eaten. Opinion pieces in the papers have called for the reduction of meat and ...
Questioning the number of district health boards in New Zealand has got to the extent that “too many DHBs” has become a perceived truth requiring no further elaboration. It is rarely challenged by policy advisers, academics, and journalists. But when one drills down further it becomes clear that the number ...
The emergence of a new National party leader, seemingly out of nowhere, has – not surprisingly – raised a number of questions as to who Todd Mulller actually is and what makes him tick. He has been an MP for some time but seems to have hidden his light under ...
Costa Rica has become the first country in Central America to recognise same-sex marriage: The first same-sex weddings have taken place in Costa Rica, the first Central American country to equalise its marriage legislation. A lesbian couple became the first to tie the knot in a ceremony that took ...
There's a new twist in the Winston Peters secret donation story. It appears that a significant chunk of NZ First's secret laundered donations goes straight into the pockets of the people administering the scheme: Tens of thousands in donor's funds given to the New Zealand First Foundation were spent paying ...
Is Todd Muller the Ned Flanders of the National Party? This is how he’s been characterised by political commentator Gordon Campbell, who suggests the change in leadership is, in Simpsons terms, akin to swapping the scary and cruel Monty Burns for Homer Simpson’s compassionate but conservative neighbour. There’s almost a ...
We all know that many so-called journalists and political commentators in New Zealand work directly or indirectly for political parties or for certain political factions. This was obviously the case when pundit for hire Matthew Hooton launched a campaign against then National Party leader, Simon Bridges, over their numerous polling ...
Let's Roll! The easy victory over a Bridges-led National Party which the Left had every cause to anticipate just a few days ago is no longer in the offing. Our enemy’s position has changed. His numbers are swelling. A rapid thrust to the left, followed by an audacious outflanking manoeuvre ...
New National Party leader Todd Muller has been interviewed about his policies, and has promised to restart offshore fossil fuel exploration if elected: The Bay of Plenty MP rolled former leader Simon Bridges last week, but says the party has not changed its stance on previous promises. "That is ...
Anyone who keeps an eye on evidence around cannabis and public health will be familiar with the Christchurch Health and Development Study. It's one of two local longitudinal studies frequently cited with respect to cannabis and youth development. But in a new article in the New Zealand Medical Journal, it is ...
In the age of covid we are Jacinda’s team of five million, except for some. There has rarely been a more blatant case of discrimination against beneficiaries than Grant Robertson’s announcement yesterday that people who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus will receive weekly payments of $490 per week for 12 weeks and $250 per week for part time ...
It was 75 years ago this month that Germany surrendered and the Allies celebrated VE (Victory in Europe) Day. Millions of people around the world had been killed and many more injured or captured. It was an end to war not just for Europeans, but their allies too, in countries across Africa. But its impact is ...
Well, we are out of lockdown, essentially. I did end up getting the wage subsidy while we were on levels 3 and 4 but I would have been fine if we didn’t. The first day of level 2, the Thursday, the office opened again for the people who weren’t able ...
Watching Todd Muller make his first speech as the newly minted Leader of the Opposition after Simon Bridges’ defenestration on Friday brought to mind a headmaster addressing a school assembly. He showed no particular desire to ingratiate himself with his audience although the occasional flash of self-deprecating humour indicated a ...
The government has announced another income support scheme for people affected by the economic aftershocks of the pandemic: a $490 a week tax-free payment for the newly unemployed, which you can get even if you have a working partner. Which is great, because its supporting people who need help, but ...
The Greens have released their party list, and it contains a few surprises. The one that's getting all the news is that the membership are clearly fans of Chlöe Swarbrick, and she has worked hard to earn that. But they've also favoured incumbent protection over new blood, and in the ...
age credit:Science and Politics – Skeptically.org It seems impossible to keep politics out of science. It’s a pity because politics can end up forcing science to produce the results desired by ...
Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Matthew Parry, Dr Ayesha Verrall, Prof Michael Baker, Prof Martin Eichner (author details*)This blog details a recent modelling study we conducted. In it we estimated that it would take between 27 and 33 days of no new detected cases of COVID-19 for there to be ...
The 2015 Schol Bio paper included a question about a group of birds known as honeycreepers, specifically, the 56 species endemic to the Hawaiian islands. (Or, were endemic: 18, or perhaps 19, are still living; the others are extinct.) Students who’ve already had a look at this paper as part of ...
Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Climate Feedback Article Review... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... What a Week’s Disasters Tell Us About Climate and the PandemicExtreme weather presents an even bigger threat ...
Todd Muller has made a good start to his leadership, though it would obviously be pretty stupid to extrapolate too much from the first couple of days. Nevertheless, as a matter of speculation, it is interesting to think what success on his part might say about the preferences of the ...
A guest post by Hamish Price.“A leader is a dealer in hope.”— Napoléon BonaparteCatholics have a name for potential successors to a dead pope. Papabile. The small coterie of distinguished cardinals who have what it takes to step up. Todd Muller has always been one.I first met Muller at a National ...
A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, May 17 through Sat, May 23, 2020Editor's ChoiceMore than 80 killed in India and Bangladesh as Cyclone Amphan heaps misery on coronavirus-hit areasA man salvages items from ...
The Green Party is urging the New Zealand Police to rule out the use of Armed Response Teams, following their recent trial in communities around Aotearoa. ...
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has described Labour's original COVID-19 commercial rent dispute proposal as "poorly targeted". Justice Minister Andrew Little hasannounced a temporary law changeto force commercial landlords and renters to consider COVID-19 in disputes over rent issues, almost two months after the Government first floated the idea. But ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First acknowledges that some small businesses have been struggling to meet fixed costs due to the loss of revenue by COVID-19. We also know some businesses are at greater risk of insolvency when they cannot come to a reasonable ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First New Zealand First is disappointed that the removal of the spousal deductions has had to be delayed by the Ministry fo Social Development, due to COVID19 workload pressures. “New Zealand First has always stood for fairness when it comes to superannuation ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First On the steps of Parliament today the Leader of New Zealand First, Rt Hon Winston Peters received a petition from registered nurse Anna Maria Coervers, requesting an amendment to the Protection for First Responders Bill which will ensure the legislation also include registered ...
It's been a busy seven days as we start to rebuild New Zealand together. From delivering extra support for small businesses, to investing in our artists and arts organisations, to cutting red tape on home DIY projects, we're rolling out our plan to get the economy and New Zealand moving ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters says alert level 2 restrictions have to be discussed during today's Cabinet meeting. Thousands gathered across the country, including at Parliament, yesterday forBlack Lives Matter marcheswhere social distancing and mass gathering rules were flouted. Mr Peters said the breaching of Alert Level 2 rules at ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of State Owned Enterprises KiwiRail’s Northland rail upgrade steps up another gear today and will help Northland recover from the impacts of COVID-19, State Owned Enterprises Minister Winston Peters says. The Government is investing $204.5 million through the Provincial Growth Fund to ...
“Today and every day we stand in solidarity with George Floyd’s family, friends and community who feel pain and fear about his untimely death at the hands of Minneapolis police”, said Green Party Co-leader and Māori Development spokesperson Marama Davidson. ...
Fletcher Tabuteau, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Regional Economic Development Hon Eugenie Sage, Minister of Conservation The West Coast forests of Mount Te Kinga at Kotuku Whakaoho/Lake Brunner are the latest predator free project to receive Government funding, announced Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage and Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher ...
The Green Party says major freshwater reforms announced today provide the strongest ever protections of our waterways, to help ensure the next generation can swim in the rivers of Aotearoa. ...
The Green Party has begun the process for a Select Committee inquiry into student accommodation, which has been exposed during COVID-19 as an under-regulated sector that straddles students with unfair debt. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon Megan Woods, Minister of Research, Science and Innovation Hon Dr David Clark, Minister of Health Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods, and Health Minister David Clark today announced a COVID-19 vaccine strategy, ...
Budget 2020 is about rebuilding together, supporting jobs, getting business moving and the books back into the black. It’s an integral part of our COVID-19 economic response, and our plan to grow our economy and get New Zealand moving again.Here’s a quick look at the five top things you ...
The Green Party is pleased to reveal its candidate list for the upcoming election. With a mix of familiar faces and fresh new talent, this exceptional group of candidates are ready to lead the Greens back into Government. ...
The Coalition Government has approved $206 million in essential upgrades at Ōhakea Air Base. Defence Minister Ron Mark said the money would be spent on improving old infrastructure. He said safety issues would be addressed, as well as upgrades to taxiways, accommodation and fresh, storm and waste water systems. "This ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Leader of New Zealand First “I am not persisting with this case just for myself, but for all people who have had their privacy breached. Privacy of information is a cornerstone of our country’s democracy. Without it our society truly faces a bleak future. We now ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones has introduced a Bill to Parliament that he says will "force more transparency, integrity and respect" for the domestic wood-processing sector through the registration of log traders and practice standards. The Forests (Regulation of Log Traders and Forestry Advisers) Amendment Bill had its first reading in ...
Green MP Golriz Ghahraman is joining over 300 lawmakers from around the world in calling on the big banks and the IMF to forgive the debt of developing countries, in the wake of the COVID crisis. ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones says concerns that carbon foresters are planting pine trees that will never be harvested are the result of "misinformation". "The billion tree strategy is an excellent idea, unfortunately from time to time it's tainted by misinformation spread by the National Party or their grandees, hiding in scattered ...
The Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage is celebrating World Environment Day with an announcement of a major step towards Wairarapa Moana being recognised as an internationally significant wetland. “Wairarapa Moana is an ecosystem of 10,000 hectares of wetland and open water that provides a home for indigenous fish, birds and ...
A new-look Police graduation ceremony to take account of COVID19 health rules has marked the completion of training for 57 new constables. Police Minister Stuart Nash attended this afternoon's ceremony, where officers of Recruit Wing 337 were formally sworn in at the Royal New Zealand Police College without the normal support of ...
Mobile traders and truck shops must adhere to responsible lending requirements Interest rate cap on high-cost loans Lenders prohibited from offering further credit to an applicant who has taken two high-cost loans in the past 90 days The Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Kris Faafoi, has signalled an end ...
94% of firms say wage subsidy had positive impact on cashflow 62% of firms say support helped to manage non-wage costs like rent A survey of business that have received the Government’s wage subsidy show it has played a significant role in saving jobs, and freed up cash flow to ...
New legislation introduced to Parliament today will support growth and assist businesses on the road to economic recovery, said Revenue Minister Stuart Nash. “The Taxation (Annual Rates for 2020-21, Feasibility Expenditure, and Remedial Matters) Bill proposes that businesses can get tax deductions for ‘feasibility expenditure’ on new investments,” said Mr ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson has welcomed the first release of funds from the $265 million Sport Recovery Package announced as part of Budget 2020. Sport NZ has announced that $4.6 million in funding will go to the Wellington Phoenix, NZ Warriors, Super Rugby teams and the ANZ Premiership ...
An iconic New Zealand tourism attraction and the country’s 31 Regional Tourism Organisations are the first recipients of support from the $400 million Tourism Sector Recovery Plan, to help position the sector for recovery from COVID-19, Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis announced today. The plan includes a Strategic Tourism Assets Protection ...
The Government will legislate to ensure businesses that suffered as a result of the COVID-19 response will get help to resolve disputes over commercial rent issues, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced today. A temporary amendment to the Property Law Act will insert a clause in commercial leases requiring a fair ...
The Minister for Small Business says new data from Xero highlights the urgency of prompt payment practices to small and medium enterprises as we move into economic recovery. Last month Government ministers wrote to significant private enterprises and the banking industry to request they join efforts by government agencies to ...
Young people in Waikato will be the first to have free access to period products in schools in another step to support children and young people in poverty,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. During term 3, the Ministry of Education will begin providing free period products to schools following the ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash has issued the following statement in response to charges filed against three Police officers this morning in the New Plymouth District Court. “Any incident involving a loss of life in Police custody is taken very seriously. The charges today reflect the gravity of the ...
$196 million for Crown Research Institutes $150 million for R&D loan scheme $33 million for Māori research and development opportunities $12 million for the Nationally Significant Collections and Databases $10 million to help maintain in-house capability at Callaghan Innovation New Zealand’s entrepreneurs, innovators and crown researchers will benefit from a ...
Further temporary changes to NCEA and University Entrance (UE) will support senior secondary school students whose teaching and learning have been disrupted by COVID-19. “The wellbeing of students and teachers is a priority. As we are all aware, COVID-19 has created massive disruption to the school system, and the Government ...
Minister for Racing Winston Peters today announced that the terms for the directors of the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA) have been extended to 30 June 2021. Due to the COVID-19 crisis the transition period has been extended to ensure that the Racing Industry Bill can complete its progress through ...
The deadline for landlords to include detailed information in their tenancy agreements about how their property meets the Healthy Homes Standards, so tenants can see the home they are renting is compliant, has been extended from 1 July 2020 to 1 December 2020. The Healthy Homes Standards became law on 1 July 2019. The Standards are ...
Justice Minister Andrew Little today announced details of further appointments to the Criminal Cases Review Commission. “I am pleased to announce Paula Rose QSO OStJ as Deputy Chief Commissioner for a term of five years commencing on 15 June 2020,” said Andrew Little. “I am also pleased to announce the ...
The Targeted Training and Apprenticeships Fund (TTAF) will pay costs of learners of all ages to undertake vocational education and training The fund will target support for areas of study and training that will give learners better employment prospects as New Zealand recovers from COVID-19 Apprentices working in all industries ...
The Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will finally start to cut New Zealand’s greenhouse gas pollution as it was originally intended to, because of changes announced today by the Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw. The changes include a limit on the total emissions allowed within the ETS, rules to ensure ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio says the Queen’s Birthday 2020 Honours List provides an abundance of examples that Pacific people’s leadership capability is unquestionable in Aotearoa. “The work and the individuals we acknowledge this year highlights the kind of visionary examples and dedicated community leadership that we need ...
The Government is backing a new $27 million project aimed at boosting sustainable horticulture production and New Zealand’s COVID-19 recovery efforts, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Our horticulture sector has long been one of New Zealand’s export star performers, contributing around $6 billion a year to our economy. During and ...
Applications have opened for 2021 Ngā Karahipi Uru Rākau – Forestry Scholarships, which will support more Māori and women to pursue careers in forestry science, says Forestry Minister Shane Jones. “I’m delighted Te Uru Rākau is offering Ngā Karahipi Uru Rākau – Forestry Scholarships for the third year running. These ...
The Queen’s Birthday 2020 Honours List once again highlights the dedication by many to looking after our native plants and wildlife, including incredible work to restore the populations of critically endangered birds says Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage. Anne Richardson of Hororata has been made an Officer of the New ...
The Government will invest $10 million from the One Billion Trees Fund for large-scale planting to provide jobs in communities and improve the environment, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and Forestry Minister Shane Jones have announced. New, more flexible funding criteria for applications will help up to 10 catchment groups plant ...
Organisations that support women are invited to apply to a new $1,000,000 fund as part of the Government’s COVID-19 response. “We know women, and organisations that support women, have been affected by COVID-19. This new money will ensure funding for groups that support women and women’s rights,” said Minister for ...
Healthier waterways are front and centre in a new project involving more than 300 King Country sheep, beef and dairy farmers. The Government is investing $844,000 in King Country River Care, a group that helps farmers to lift freshwater quality and farming practice, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor announced today. “Yesterday ...
A major funding package for libraries will allow them to play a far greater role in supporting their communities and people seeking jobs as part of the economic recovery from COVID-19. “Budget 2020 contains over $60 million of funding to protect library services and to protect jobs,” says Internal Affairs ...
A jobseekers programme for the creative sector and four new funds have been set up by the Government to help our arts and music industry recover from the blow of COVID-19. Thousands of jobs will be supported through today’s $175 million package in a crucial economic boost to support the ...
Minister for Veterans Ron Mark has welcomed the First Reading of a Bill that will make legislative changes to further improve the veterans’ support system. The Veterans’ Support Amendment Bill No 2, which will amend the Veterans’ Support Act 2014, passed First Reading today. The bill addresses a number of ...
Views sought on Order in Council to help fast track the reinstatement of the Christ Church Cathedral The Associate Minister for Greater Christchurch Regeneration, Hon Poto Williams, will be seeking public written comment, following Cabinet approving the drafting of an Order in Council aimed at fast-tracking the reinstatement of the ...
The law setting out New Zealanders’ basic civil and human rights is today one step towards being strengthened following the first reading of a Bill that requires Parliament to take action if a court says a statute undermines those rights. At present, a senior court can issue a ‘declaration of ...
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters today reiterated the deep concern of the New Zealand Government following confirmation by China’s National People’s Congress of national security legislation relating to Hong Kong. “New Zealand shares the international community’s significant and long-standing stake in Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability,” Mr Peters said. “New Zealand ...
Thousands of artists and creatives at hundreds of cultural and heritage organisations have been given much-needed support to recover from the impact of COVID-19, Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Jacinda Ardern announced today. “The cultural sector was amongst the worst hit by the global pandemic,” Jacinda ...
Key New Zealand assets will be better protected from being sold to overseas owners in a way contrary to the national interest, with the passage of the Overseas Investment (Urgent Measures) Bill. The Bill, which passed its third reading in Parliament today, also cuts unnecessary red tape to help attract ...
Setting higher health standards at swimming spots Requiring urban waterways to be cleaned up and new protections for urban streams Putting controls on higher-risk farm practices such as winter grazing and feed lots Setting stricter controls on nitrogen pollution and new bottom lines on other measures of waterway health Ensuring ...
The Government is on the verge of reaching its target of state sector boards and committees made up of at least 50 percent women, says Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter and Minister for Ethnic Communities Jenny Salesa. For the first time, the Government stocktake measures the number of Māori, ...
The Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister and Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister, Kris Faafoi, has today announced the appointment of Tristan Gilbertson as the new Telecommunications Commissioner and member of the Commerce Commission. “Mr Gilbertson has considerable experience in the telecommunications industry and a strong reputation amongst his peers,” ...
The Ministry of Education and NZEI Te Riu Roa have agreed to settle the pay equity claim for teacher aides, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. This will see more than 22,000 teacher aides, mostly women, being valued and paid fairly for the work they do. “Teacher aides are frontline ...
Subcontractors will have greater certainty, more cashflow support and job security with new changes to retention payments under the Construction Contracts Act says Minister for Building and Construction, Jenny Salesa. A recent review of the retentions money regime showed that most of the building and construction sector is complying with ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have marked the first anniversary of the New Zealand-Singapore Enhanced Partnership with a virtual Leaders’ Meeting today. The Enhanced Partnership, signed on 17 May 2019, provides the framework for cooperation across the four main areas of trade, defence and ...
On 17 May 2019, New Zealand and Singapore established an Enhanced Partnership to elevate our relations. The Enhanced Partnership – based on the four pillars of trade and economics, security and defence, science, technology and innovation, and people-to-people links – has seen the long-standing relationship between our countries strengthen over the ...
Sam Brooks pays tribute to Alex Rider, and the new TV series that (finally) captures the spirit of the books.“What if James Bond was a teenager?”The concept for Anthony Horowitz’s Alex Rider series is so simple but so brilliant. There’s a reason why the franchise has managed to sustain 12 ...
Analysis - The PM resists pressure to move immediately to level 1, Winston Peters' tactics play into the hands of the Opposition and the government at last works out a commercial rent solution, writes Peter Wilson. ...
Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage By COHAFrom Washington DC Federal charges against the four protectors of the Venezuelan Embassy, who defended the building in Washington DC against violent opposition crowds for several weeks between April 10 and May 16 of 2019, were completely dropped in a case that ...
Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage By COHA Editorial TeamFrom Washington DC The Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) joins the Black Alliance for Peace[1] and other pro-democracy organizations throughout the world in calling for the United Nations to address the systemic violations of human rights by the police and ...
Being shot by police had a profound, transformational effect on Rob Mokaraka’s life in more ways than you’d expect. A new documentary, airing on Māori TV at 7.30pm on Sunday, explores the work he’s done to heal his own mind and to ensure nobody has to go through the same ...
Human rights watchdog TAPOL has condemned the demand by Indonesian prosecutors seeking 17 and five years imprisonment for West Papuan activists Buchtar Tabuni and Irwanus Uropmabin. On June 2, the Jayapura District Prosecutor’s Office issued 33 pages containing charges against the defendant Irwanus Uropmabin. In the document, the Public Prosecutor ...
The arrival of Dan Carter is far from the first time the ever-struggling Auckland team has hoped to turn around its fortunes with a star signing, writes Jamie Wall.New Zealand rugby Twitter is a generally desolate place, especially lately given that there’s been nothing to talk about ever since the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robyn J. Whitaker, Senior Lecturer in New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity US President Donald Trump delivered an address this week in which he threatened military action on the nation. Then he walked to the nearby St John’s Episcopal Church ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vincent Ho, Senior Lecturer and clinical academic gastroenterologist, Western Sydney University Why do we burp? We sometimes also burp before meals, why does this happen? — Ahaana, age 7 That is a really interesting question, Ahaana! There ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Justine Bell-James, Associate Professor, TC Beirne School of Law, The University of Queensland After years of litigation, Australia’s highest court will today make a major decision on the fate of the controversial proposed expansion to the New Acland Coal mine in Queensland. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Williams, Associate Professor in Urban Ecology and Urban Horticulture, University of Melbourne Tomorrow is the first World Green Roof Day. Cities around the world will celebrate the well-documented environmental, economic and social benefits of green roofs. New ground-level green spaces are ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Senior Lecturer, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Robodebt isn’t the only measure the government should consider withdrawing. Late last Friday, after a long press conference from the prime minister which avoided any mention of the topic, the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW Harvard University’s Alberto Alesina died suddenly of a heart attack on May 23. He was 63. His long-time colleague and friend Larry Summers wrote that before him, “there was no academic field of political economy. Today, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julian Meyrick, Professor of Creative Arts, Griffith University What keeps democracies together? As America burns, Brazilians die and Europe braces for another wave of the coronavirus, the question assumes an alarming immediacy. If the answer is complicated in one way, it is ...
For all The Spinoff’s latest coverage of Covid-19 see here. Read Siouxsie Wiles’s work here. New Zealand is currently in alert level two – read The Spinoff’s giant explainer about what that means here. For official government advice, see here.The Spinoff’s coverage of the Covid-19 outbreak is made possible thanks to donations from Spinoff Members. ...
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Millions of dollars divvied up by Sport NZ, MSD’s problem with wrongly denied payments grows, and internal coalition battles emerge in time for election.It’s Friday, and there hasn’t been a lot of it recently, so we’re going to start with ...
The Government picks Waitomo caves as 'strategic tourism asset' and grants $4m to Tourism Holdings, boosting shares another 7.8 percent. Facebook staff and alumni revolt over Zuckerberg's inaction on Trump ...
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan NZ bestseller list and described by ReadingRoom literary editor Steve Braunias.NON-FICTION 1 Vegful by Nadia Lim (Nude Food, $55) 2 Stop Surviving Start Fighting by Jazz Thornton (Penguin Random House, $38) 3 So Delish! by Simone Anderson ...
Anomalies in the policy for superannuitants with overseas pensions are an indictment on the justice process in New Zealand, write Susan St John and Dr Claire Dale Along with many others, the Retirement Policy and Research Centre has worked assiduously for more than a decade to alert the public, policy-makers ...
A new study indicates native plants, despite their tendency to grow more slowly than exotic species like Pinus Radiata, are better at storing carbon in the soil for longer periods of time. ...
Systemic white violence against black Americans is alive and well, and it's white violence that sustains white supremacy Current scenes from the United States are both familiar and shocking. George Floyd’s life being brutally snuffed out by Minneapolis police, followed by peaceful protests of Floyd’s murder as well as legitimate ...
The US isn't the only country with a broken criminal justice system that works to criminalise and destroy the lives of black and brown families. Dylan Asafo puts forward two ways NZ could lead in dismantling systems of white supremacy. If you were to imagine a society without racial oppression, ...
The British Tribe Next Door attracted over 60 complaints of racist themes from viewers when it first aired in the UK. Now TVNZ is streaming it on its OnDemand service attracting concerns from members of Aotearoa’s African community and a letter from race relations commissioner Meng Foon.When The British Tribe ...
When approached by The Spinoff Jeanette Wilson denied having told participants in an online session that the product ‘lined the lungs’, despite clear evidence to the contrary.The Covid-19 crisis has sparked misinformation in every corner of the world. In New Zealand, a “psychic healer” whose fixations read like a conspiracy ...
The union movement launched a push earlier this week to double the legal minimum of sick leave from five days a year to 10. Is a change likely?What’s all this then?In light of the recent global pandemic putting the focus on health in the workplace, unions have called for changes ...
An African American pastor from George Floyd's community gives The Detail a special insight into what's happening there - and gives us hope for the future. “Nobody in America wants to be a racist.” David Hill is a pastor in the Third Ward neighbourhood of Houston where George Floyd grew ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When Ken Wyatt, the Minister for Indigenous Australians, last week effectively pronounced dead the prospect of a referendum on indigenous recognition being put to the people this parliamentary term, the demise of his hoped-for timetable ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Morrison government will significantly strengthen its scrutiny of foreign investment to protect sensitive national security technology and information and further ring fence the nation’s critical infrastructure. It will insert a new “national security test” ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards. Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. Does National have any chance of winning the election in September? It’s looking very unlikely, especially after National’s change of leadership hasn’t exactly produced Mullermania in the first two weeks. Quite the opposite, in fact, as I summarised in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne When a newspaper with the authority of The New York Times chooses to publish a party-political essay calculated to further inflame the violence wracking cities across America, serious questions arise. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Plank, Professor in Mathematics, University of Canterbury There is now a 95% chance COVID-19 has been eliminated in New Zealand, according to our modelling, based on official Ministry of Health data. As of June 4, New Zealand has had 20 consecutive ...
In 2014, Duncan Greive was invited to interview Dan Carter on the back of the All Black’s spokesmodelling gig for Jockey underwear – a meeting that would eventually lead to Greive co-writing Carter’s autobiography, My Story. To celebrate today’s big Dan Carter news, we republish that original Metro story here.In ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brendan Coates, Program Director, Household Finances, Grattan Institute Scott Morrison’s new housing stimulus package is straight-out retail politics. HomeBuilder offers homeowners (including first home buyers) a grant of A$25,000 to build a new home worth less than $750,000 or to spend between ...
Business is Boring is a weekly podcast series presented by The Spinoff in association with Callaghan Innovation. Host Simon Pound speaks with innovators and commentators focused on the future of New Zealand. This week he talks to Rachel Taulelei, CEO of Kono.Demand for New Zealand produce overseas is currently up. ...
By Moch. Fiqih Prawira Adjie in Jakarta A panel of judges at the Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) has granted a lawsuit filed by civil society groups against the Indonesian government’s decision to impose an internet blackout during weeks of protests in Papua and West Papua provinces last year, declaring ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Mitchell, Professor of Nursing, University of Newcastle With coronavirus restrictions gradually lifting across the country, we’re now able to resume many of our regular activities. A lot of us might have been particularly keen to get back to the gym, which ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Perhaps at no point in Australia’s history has the demand for real-time figures been stronger than during the coronavirus crisis. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has stepped up its efforts to get data fast, to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bree Hurst, Senior Lecturer, QUT Business School, Queensland University of Technology If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jolynna Sinanan, Research Fellow in Digital Media and Ethnography, University of Sydney Earlier this week, you might have seen your social media taken over by a stream of posts showing simple images of a black square. These posts, often tagged with #BlackoutTuesday, ...
A strong vote for sustainability would make the resulting Labour-Greens government a confident and ambitious reformer, having shed its NZ First handbrake ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Patrick White, PhD Candidate in History and Politics, James Cook University Australia’s local governments breathed new life into embattled regional communities after the second world war. Today, this history reminds us of the role local councils and communities should play in plans ...
This bill proposes to provide for enhanced information disclosure requirements for the gas market and to ensure that settings around enforcement and penalties are suitably robust. The Gas (Information Disclosure and Penalties) Amendment Bill would do this ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mick Broderick, Associate Professor of Media Analysis, Murdoch University Over successive Sunday nights, the ABC has premiered two important television programs recounting the history of nuclear testing in Australia – the documentary Maralinga Tjuratja and a six-drama series Operation Buffalo. Both explore ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marisa Paterson, Centre for Social Research and Methods, Australian National University When the COVID-19 restrictions came into force more than two months ago, it meant lights out for the country’s 200,000 poker machines. Now, the pokies are slowly turning on again across ...
With roughly 97% of New Zealand enterprises categorised as small businesses – that is, 20 or fewer employees – accounting software platform Xero’s newly released analysis provides a stark picture of the severe impact of Covid-19 throughout the sector.What exactly does the data show?Essentially, the data shows that year-on-year revenue ...
This week, on 1 June 2020, an interest rate cap on high-cost loans (over 50% interest per annum) was finally introduced in New Zealand. The introduction of an interest rate cap will help borrowers, like Sarah Newham, who presented to Select Committee ...
After hammering out a deal over commercial rents with Labour, New Zealand First is now publicly criticising some of the measures its coalition partner had been pushing for. ...
After hammering out a deal over commercial rents with Labour, New Zealand First is now publicly criticising some of the measures its coalition partner had been pushing for. ...
After hammering out a deal over commercial rents with Labour, New Zealand First is now publicly criticising some of the measures its coalition partner had been pushing for. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Lee, Associate Professor of History , UNSW The Conversation is running a series of explainers on key figures in Australian political history, looking at the way they changed the nature of debate, its impact then, and it relevance to politics today. ...
Labour-hire workers are falling between the cracks because neither the agencies they are employed by nor the host companies they work for want to take responsibility for them, FIRST Union said today. Dozens of agency workers have been contacting the ...
CEAC annual review of National Party climate change policy, makes miserable reading, and supports Government for elevating clean ‘Rail Transport’ over truck transport, for moving more freight onto rail, thereby keeping our CO2 ‘climate emissions’ ...
The biggest danger facing New Zealand under level one will the border. Justin Giovannetti looks at what the government is doing to increase border defences and prevent another influx of Covid-19.As the elimination of coronavirus appears imminent in New Zealand, the country’s attention turns to the border and the conflicting ...
The Government’s 5.3% increase in road user charges (RUC) from 1 July is a kick in the guts to the trucking industry that kept the country moving during lockdown and must be cancelled says the National Road Carriers Association. “It is unacceptable,” ...
From the Minister of Tourism came an announcement on the distribution of $400 million. He was outdone by the Minister for Research, Science and Technology, whose announcement involved a sum of $401.3m. Much more bemusing was the announcement from the PM headed Free period products in schools to combat poverty. ...
The charging of three officers of the Central Police District with homicide confirms community fears of police violence. The announcement of the charges comes as the United States of America is crippled by nationwide protests against the murder of ...
The Government’s recently announced Action for Healthy Waterways package includes protections and funding to improve the quality of New Zealand’s rivers, lakes, streams, estuaries, and wetlands. The package introduces new rules and regulations ...
The images of Minnesota policeman Derek Chauvin kneeling on a dying African-American man’s neck have ricocheted around the world. From Auckland to London, Christchurch to cities across the US, tens of thousands have marched in opposition to what is perceived as systemic police violence against one race. Chauvin’s charges have ...
With Rhys Darby returning to our small screens with a travel series documenting his wild travels around Japan, Tara Ward rounds up some more TVNZ shows that will take you from your armchair to locales far and wide. Rhys Darby is world famous for bringing walk socks to New York on ...
Sir Jerry Mateparae is extending his life of service to the NZ community, moving into the role of chair of Chair of the Healthier Lives−He Oranga Hauora National Science Challenge. He says the research being done in preventing some of the country’s worst diseases as fitting neatly with his own ...
E tū is calling for a serious harm investigation into the case of two security guards who were injured when a staff member was attacked at Auckland’s Middlemore Hospital. On 21 May, two security guards were stabbed with a pair of scissors when ...
Kiwi Rail CEO Greg Miller said he will not re-open the Gisborne rail service for freight and passenger services for the region, after eight years of closure even now after a yearlong PGF $600.000 study confirmed to the Government that the rail ...
Universal public compliance has been one of the major reasons why New Zealand has apparently been so successful in curbing the spread of the Covid19 virus. Fundamentally, people complied with the restrictions imposed during Alert Levels 4 and 3 because ...
Greenpeace wants New Zealand to become the first country in the world to ban plastic drinks bottles. Last year, after a huge public outcry, the NZ Government banned single use plastic bags. Now Greenpeace is launching a new campaign to "ban the bottle." ...
Pacific Media Centre A Papua New Guinea provincial governor has defending his actions for speaking up in Parliament yesterday on the government’s mooted proposal to extend the state of emergency (SoE) for two more months. Writing on social media, Governor Allan Bird of East Sepik cited instances of police abuse ...
Open Mike 20/10/2017 
Does National have any chance of winning the election in September? It’s looking very unlikely, especially after National’s change of leadership hasn’t exactly produced Mullermania in the first two weeks. Quite the opposite, in fact, as I summarised in Tuesday’s Political Roundup column: Todd Muller’s torrid start as National leader. ...19 hours ago
Last year, in the face of public pressure to better regulate New Zealand's pervasively criminal fishing industry, the government finally anounced a bullshit trial scheme for cameras on boats. The trial would apply only to a limited number of boats fishing in Māui's dolphin habitat. But all fishing boats would ...22 hours ago
Another study comparing effect in children from nonendemic areas (Dagang) and endemic fluorosis area (Jinghai) about 80km apart in the Tianjin area of China. Hardly sampling the same population. Anti-fluoride campaigners still use studies from ... 1 day ago
George Thomson, Nick Wilson, Richard Edwards This blog discusses the passing of the Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Act last week. We briefly review some lessons from this legislation’s long journey and explore future smokefree possibilities in Aotearoa / New Zealand. A law ...1 day ago
74 Articles Physical science of global warming & effects Surface-Energy-Balance Closure over Land: A Review (open access) Observations & observational methods of global warming & effects Human influence has intensified extreme precipitation in North America (open access) Observation-derived ice growth curves show patterns and trends in maximum ice thickness and ...1 day ago
Last month I noted that the public policy debate was all about how we deal with covid-19. That’s changing now, and will change more over the next couple of months as the buffering impact of the wage subsidy disappears and we see starkly the economic hole out of which we ...2 days ago
Bernard Hickey is one of New Zealand’s leading financial journalists. His latest article, published by Newsroom, lays bare the cruel treatment of hundreds of thousands of workers stranded since the lockdown. Our Prime Minister is lauded overseas for her compassion, but her Cabinet is refusing to properly support tens of ...2 days ago
For a good part of my adult life I have studied civil-military relations. I have studied authoritarian and democratic variants, and I have studied them across countries and regions. I have also worked in and with several US security agencies and have lectured on the theme at a number of ...2 days ago
by The Spark “The system is broken”—the words of a young black man in Minneapolis watching flames destroy a police precinct demonstrators had torched. Broken? Yes, it is! What else could you say about a system whose police for nine minutes casually knelt on a black man’s neck, watching until ...2 days ago
Minneapolis Police StationIf you’ve been keeping an eye on recent events in the United States, you’ll likely understand why there’s so much anger on the streets at the moment. Not only did police officers murder another black man; it is patently obvious that authorities initially attempted to cover up George ...3 days ago
Like the rest of the world, I have been aghast at what I have seen of, and read and heard about, what is happening currently in the United States. It seems incredible that a once great country should be suffering the worst effects and the highest number of deaths worldwide ...4 days ago
Image credit: Writing an Article vs. Writing a Blog Post: What’s the Difference? I notice a few regulars no longer allow public access to the site counters. This may happen accidentally when the blog format is ... 4 days ago
It’s almost painful to watch. Let’s be honest, maybe a pleasure too, in some quarters, but painful nonetheless. Because the fact is, for a democracy to function properly, any sitting Government does need honest and proper Opposition so that it doesn’t get ahead of itself. That’s what we should ...6 days ago
SATURDAY MAY 30Six60: Live at Western Springs 2020 (TVNZ 1, 8.45pm). Remember live concerts? The day will come again, friends, when we will be able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in an uncomfortable sweaty venue with people we don’t know. It will happen. Sometimes the sound of concerts drifts over to the ...7 days ago
1 week ago
Well, we are out of lockdown, essentially. I did end up getting the wage subsidy while we were on levels 3 and 4 but I would have been fine if we didn’t. The first day of level 2, the Thursday, the office opened again for the people who weren’t able ...2 weeks ago
age credit: Science and Politics – Skeptically.org It seems impossible to keep politics out of science. It’s a pity because politics can end up forcing science to produce the results desired by ... 2 weeks ago
The Green Party is urging the New Zealand Police to rule out the use of Armed Response Teams, following their recent trial in communities around Aotearoa. ...4 hours ago
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has described Labour's original COVID-19 commercial rent dispute proposal as "poorly targeted". Justice Minister Andrew Little has announced a temporary law change to force commercial landlords and renters to consider COVID-19 in disputes over rent issues, almost two months after the Government first floated the idea. But ...20 hours ago
It's been a busy seven days as we start to rebuild New Zealand together. From delivering extra support for small businesses, to investing in our artists and arts organisations, to cutting red tape on home DIY projects, we're rolling out our plan to get the economy and New Zealand moving ...3 days ago
The Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage is celebrating World Environment Day with an announcement of a major step towards Wairarapa Moana being recognised as an internationally significant wetland. “Wairarapa Moana is an ecosystem of 10,000 hectares of wetland and open water that provides a home for indigenous fish, birds and ...1 hour ago
Sam Brooks pays tribute to Alex Rider, and the new TV series that (finally) captures the spirit of the books.“What if James Bond was a teenager?”The concept for Anthony Horowitz’s Alex Rider series is so simple but so brilliant. There’s a reason why the franchise has managed to sustain 12 ...19 mins ago
Analysis - The PM resists pressure to move immediately to level 1, Winston Peters' tactics play into the hands of the Opposition and the government at last works out a commercial rent solution, writes Peter Wilson. ...27 mins ago
Source: Council on Hemispheric Affairs – Analysis-Reportage By COHAFrom Washington DC Federal charges against the four protectors of the Venezuelan Embassy, who defended the building in Washington DC against violent opposition crowds for several weeks between April 10 and May 16 of 2019, were completely dropped in a case that ...47 mins ago
The Government picks Waitomo caves as 'strategic tourism asset' and grants $4m to Tourism Holdings, boosting shares another 7.8 percent. Facebook staff and alumni revolt over Zuckerberg's inaction on Trump ...5 hours ago
This week's biggest-selling New Zealand books, as recorded by the Nielsen BookScan NZ bestseller list and described by ReadingRoom literary editor Steve Braunias. NON-FICTION 1 Vegful by Nadia Lim (Nude Food, $55) 2 Stop Surviving Start Fighting by Jazz Thornton (Penguin Random House, $38) 3 So Delish! by Simone Anderson ...6 hours ago
Anomalies in the policy for superannuitants with overseas pensions are an indictment on the justice process in New Zealand, write Susan St John and Dr Claire Dale Along with many others, the Retirement Policy and Research Centre has worked assiduously for more than a decade to alert the public, policy-makers ...6 hours ago
A new study indicates native plants, despite their tendency to grow more slowly than exotic species like Pinus Radiata, are better at storing carbon in the soil for longer periods of time. ...6 hours ago
NZTA is allegedly exploring options for its $1b road to be built with a different set of builders. ...6 hours ago
Systemic white violence against black Americans is alive and well, and it's white violence that sustains white supremacy Current scenes from the United States are both familiar and shocking. George Floyd’s life being brutally snuffed out by Minneapolis police, followed by peaceful protests of Floyd’s murder as well as legitimate ...6 hours ago
The US isn't the only country with a broken criminal justice system that works to criminalise and destroy the lives of black and brown families. Dylan Asafo puts forward two ways NZ could lead in dismantling systems of white supremacy. If you were to imagine a society without racial oppression, ...6 hours ago
An African American pastor from George Floyd's community gives The Detail a special insight into what's happening there - and gives us hope for the future. “Nobody in America wants to be a racist.” David Hill is a pastor in the Third Ward neighbourhood of Houston where George Floyd grew ...7 hours ago
...17 hours ago
A strong vote for sustainability would make the resulting Labour-Greens government a confident and ambitious reformer, having shed its NZ First handbrake ...18 hours ago
From the Minister of Tourism came an announcement on the distribution of $400 million. He was outdone by the Minister for Research, Science and Technology, whose announcement involved a sum of $401.3m. Much more bemusing was the announcement from the PM headed Free period products in schools to combat poverty. ...22 hours ago
Sir Jerry Mateparae is extending his life of service to the NZ community, moving into the role of chair of Chair of the Healthier Lives−He Oranga Hauora National Science Challenge. He says the research being done in preventing some of the country’s worst diseases as fitting neatly with his own ...1 day ago
FFS. It’s bad enough Winston has his claws on the levers of power again, but that song just makes it worse.
Proper song, with some funky dance moves.
I’m sure Jacinda will ask Andrew to dance with her to this catchy tune. Paula meanwhile couldn’t stomp to the beat.
Yes Yes!! Andrew has achieved so much since he earnestly told us “the Labour Party has so much to renew and change”
Well Andrew you did that, and you built a base of enthusiastic candidates and new members.
You selected well from the membership and then with grace passed the torch.
Andrew, your brave call gave us a charismatic Leader to lift us with hope and truth.
Your reward is our grateful thanks to a truly good man.
We salute you and Jacinda and the team you built.
We are fortunate in the maturity and dignity of the coalition Leaders.
Jacinda Winston and James. You will do us proud.
this represent the fall of the speculator class
watch as they head for the exit door all at once in blind panic as they realize there debt positions are hopeless
Real estate agency boss fears ‘Fortress NZ’ under new Government http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11934643
Weren’t these the people who told us foreign buyers were less than 5% of house buyers?
https://www.linz.govt.nz/news/2017-06/linz-releases-latest-property-data
Exactly.
And it just aligns us with how our allies treat foreign ownership here.
These comments from this Real estate agency boss reek of self interest and greed with no thought about what is good for the country.
Interestingly there’s about as many people now employed in real estate at the moment as there was when the market last crashed.
One suspects, as well as from other signs, that it is pretty close to crashing again regardless of which government got in.
The wealthy meanwhile will talk it up so they can offload their properties, their shares and so on the mum and dad investors.
They did this in 87 and they did this prior to the last crash. Sell em when it’s coming and buy em back post crash.
Bear in mind too that this behaviour equally applies to the NZ dollar.
I’ve already come across several people gloating about how they bought significant amounts of US currency in the last few weeks and have just made an enormous tax free profit.
Capitalism attacks what it doesn’t like via all means possible.
Good on you, Winnie – you’ve (almost) restored my belief that politicians should work in the best interests of ALL the country!
This is indeed , Winstons , NZ Firsts ,… and this country’s finest hour.
His namesake is and was prophetic,… and with co workers the Greens and a conciliatory Adern and Labour party ,… expect a real resurgence of NZ popular culture and prosperity.
This is the real New Zealand calling ,- with all its rambunctious , good hearted , slap happy and ‘ no worry’s mate ‘ way of dealing with life.
This is what we are all about , – prosperity , hard work , and a sense of equality among our community. The exact opposite of the Roger Douglas / Ruth Richardson era.
We are the New Zealanders.
We are a great nation.
And we are self determined.
And we reject globalism , neo liberalism and being pawns to global banking elites and their advocates.
Bryan Ferry – This Is Tomorrow [Official] – YouTube
Ah, Wild Katipo, your soaring flights of fancy are quite, quite inspiring!
If nothing else, if a sense of pride in our country and a ‘good as the next man’ feeling is returned to this country, I will be well contented.
Aye … an idealist I know,… but these are the essence of the NZ experience that generations understood. It was terminated in 1984. There is no reason not to reclaim back what was once ours by birthright.
It is simply a reversal of many of the tenuous ‘legislation’s’ passed under the auspices of the NZ Initiative ( former Business Roundtable ) using willing politicians of the time .
You will find ,… that it is not all that hard to reverse.
All it takes is some blunt honesty and the guts to say ‘ no more’ .
Its that simple.
Many thanks to Winston Peters and NZFirst for choosing a bright clean and fair future for everything in our Country.
It feels good doesn’t it? Just to know most people want truth fairness and hope.
Keep posting Eco Maori, you often express new ways of looking at familiar things. That is valuable.
Hear hear
Just read the other day that from the 18th Century “Hear. Hear.” was originally “Hear him. Hear him.” before women could speak up of course.
Finally there is hope for our once fair Country.
I am really looking forward to the resurrection of public broadcasting. The media have so much to answer for.
Agree with that.
TVNZ needs a big sort out either get rid of the likes of Hoskins or so we keep the so called “freedom of speech” return Channel 7 that can give an alternative counter-argument against the crap that is regurgitated all the time.
Made a point of hunting out Hoskings this morning and what a hoot! Over the top. Doom and Gloom from a chap who used to be scathing of those who talk Doom and Glooom. Hypocrite.
Along with sorting out tvnz,
winz and their reptilian ways,
housing nz and their p hysteria,
the police- either sledge hammer to open a walnut a la Nicky Hager or ‘nothing to see here’ a la Todd debarclay.
Our letter to all parties in the new Labour lead government sent this morning.
Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre. (CEAC) Est’ 2001.
PO Box 474. Napier. Email; clean.air@xtra.co.nz
Protecting our environment & health.
In association with other Community Groups, NHTCF and all Government Agencies since 2001.
20th October 2017.
Public COMMUNITY letter
TO all Executive MP’s/Ministers of the new labour Lead Government.
Firstly we congratulate all your wise choices that has given us a ‘new dawn’ of change to a warm, caring, inclusive, considerate Government for our future.
Our message blog (below) has been sent to you for real change for today to consider.
Please seriously consider those points for our regional communities environmental & social wellbeing for our future please.
A very warm regards to you all,
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/10/19/labour-win-nz-first-go-with-labour/
1000% Maama,
My blog today 20th October 2017.
We must have this new Labour lead Gov’t to swiftly purge all former National cling-on’s from all government positions and agencies and SOE’s such as Kiwi rail as these National cling-ons were placed inside kiwi rail and it’s own board to kill our rail system off and isolate the management from public contact, this we know as we have emails from kiwi rail management saying the public have been excluded from contacting all Kiwi rail management last year. Top Board of Kiwi rail appointees by National were Paula Rebstock must be fired now as she was so toxic to Kiwi rail’s survival.
NZTA/Kiwi rail/Ministry of Transport all must loose their top National Party placed management and be replaced by labour Lead appointed administrative positions.
A new Minister of rail must be announced by Labour lead government to protect our own Rail company again and setup to restore our regional freight and passenger rail services again.
The Ministry of the Environment Management must loose all national party appointees also.
The Parliamentary commissioner for the Environment must re-instate a labour chosen appointee as national have just chosen a former national MP as the new commissioner for the Environment so that is such a bad move and must be stopped.
“Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment” (PCE) is one of the most important agencies Labour must return full funding to provide complete public services to and conduct regional studies on all environmental issues of concerns to all communities again as labour had set up this agency when last in Government.
Also included must be similar changes in all Regional Government Management positions as those National appointed managers were becoming un-cooperative with the communities they are supposed to serve.
We must re-instate the Ministry of Transport as “principal advisory” to Government again, as it was during the last labour Government.
National had deliberately reduced Ministry of Transport to a door stop for government policies under National and have deliberately advanced NZTA as ‘king of transport’ which is wrong as NZTA is only simply an ‘RCA’ or a (road controlling agency)
Next we need to return all Government documents to the Former labour government policy platforms & positions regarding the insertion of the “policies for agencies to have regard for “Environmental and Social policy planning” inside all documents supplied to public, Local, and central governments.
This will ensure we move to save our society’s environment, health and regional wealth of our NZ Nation again after a painful nine year loss to us all.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
“Purge”?
Add to that the demands for Hosking and others to be fired …
I know the internet is essentially about sad little powerless people venting their madness (that’s why I feel at home on it) but you don’t think you’re striking rather too Stalinist a note here?
If I was Duncan Gardner I would see reality and change my tone or is all that cash national has in his right pocket to heavy for him to see his future.
Ka Pai.
Loved seeing hosking spit and choke last night on the telly …. Looks like he’s still vomiting this morning in the herald … Haha
Herald on-line:
Mike Hosking: “Already a mess – we are all in trouble.
Winston Peters opens with a dissertation on how the world is coming to an end, and it won’t be the new government’s fault. ”
Yes Mike, the world is going to end. People like you are convinced it is. You tell us we are in trouble. Peters says something at the beginning and you say it means the world is going to end.
The dire degree of the trouble we are in is shown by the fact that such a limited, self-absorbed drama queen like you has any role in our media to splurge out your nonsensical rantings. The dire degree of the trouble we are in is shown by the fact the numbers in the country are sucked into believing you and the dumbness you spout.
I heard this morning that Jacinda Ardern was to be on your programme. Her pre-election visits to pre-schools would have prepared her I suppose. If she got to speak to the three year olds.
Nice one
Poor Mikey Hosking on Herald website. “it’s a mess” apparently. That’s rich. Hair. Skinny jeans. Mutton. Grieving, entitled wanker.
It’s a mess, i think he was ttalking about his hair.
John Campbell burns The Australian in it’s response to the new government.
Yes, I saw the front page, Losers Take Power, it’s another Murdoch mouth piece distributing FAKE news, sorry opinion.
Foreign Editor of The Australian ??? Apparently doesn’t know about MMP. Fucking idiot. Embarrassed for him.
Feeling blessed with the new government. Thank you to all.
Also feeling blessed with our underfunded health service still doing it under adverse circumstances. I had a heart attack yesterday, helicopter flight, stent put in..
Make sure you say I love you to those you love – life is a journey no doubt about that. Kia kaha.
All the best in your recovery marty 🙂
Hang in there Marty you are a good sort and sufficiently annoying to keep on board here.
Feel better Marty.
Kia kaha Marty
Glad your day ended better than it started.
Lots of work to do but first and foremost get yourself right.
Aroha
Sorry to hear that Marty but glad to see you’re ok.
I thought it was the Kiwiblog crew who would be ending up in hospital, the apoplexy levels there last night were through the roof.
Take it easy & best wishes.
Holy shit marty! Thanks for letting us know you are ok and as always focussing on the things that matter. All the best with recovering, be good to yourself too e hoa. Kia tino ora ki a koe.
Hoping you have a speedy and comfortable recovery and all the best to yourself and whānau , Marty.
+100
I know a few people with stents. They live long and active lives. Get well soon Marty.
Yes marty. Get well to enjoy lots of days.
Wish you a good recovery and speedy return home
Wishing you a full recovery and looking forward to your contributions continuing.
Arohanui to you and yours.
get well soon and get home quickly.
Hope you recover well Marty
Thanks everyone above – much appreciated x
And a very best wishes from me also. Hopefully the stent, plus the change in govt, will be the start of a whole, new good period of life. Kia kaha.
Glad you got speedy and good attention and care. These days, with the right attention, life can be good after a heart attack.
Best for the future.
Get well, marty. I always enjoy your contributions to discussions!
You got too excited marty mars. xx
My husband had the same thing 10 years ago here while we were visiting Australia.
Luckily it is reciprocal for NZ visitors, and two stents and a few days later he was fine.
Keep taking your meds, do all food and drink in moderation, and you will have many more years. Norm plays golf with the vets twice a week.
Keep happy and well our blogging friend. A warning helps you plan. Kia kaha.
shit dude, that sucks.
But these days it’s spectacular how well they can deal with these things – I had a mate who literally died in ED, and two days later they had a consistent blood pressure, new meds for him, a stent in, and he was good to go home.
And, being Otago, they gave him 4 cheese rolls for lunch lol
Take care marty.
All the best Marty. Kia kaha
Was it before or after Winston’s news Marty? You’ll be able to take the political news more calmly now, thank goodness. Relax and enjoy, you have put your time in keeping the discussion alive making points to be considered. When you are back on the beat again you can give us a report on the Nelson? Hospital standards. Mauri ora!
Only just reading this marty. Like all the others, wishing you a speedy recovery.
Ouch. Just catching up on that news. It is a bit of shock. But if you’re operating afterward enough to write comments on a blog and get annoyed with the colour beige you’re probably OK.
I effectively died at home in 2011 with a severe myocardial infarction after a pile of goop dropped out of a artery wall and caused a blood clot that stopped a large part of the flow of blood to the heart. Fortunately I live only a few minutes from the ambulance base and I have a deeply suspicious partner who was wondering why I was making funny noises, knew CPR and kept hitting me while juggling the phone. A case of spousal abuse that I can live with.
The stents work and drugs are effective once you get the right dosages and if you haven’t taken too much heart muscle damage. I was back at work a week later because it was so frigging boring being at home.
The worst of it for me was giving up smoking and then putting on weight. Still trying to get that off.
The whole world will take not of this date in time for the cataclysmic shift in our political system to a society that does not worship money over people”s
Welfare or over our future mother earth and our grandchildren future .P.S. I was matching Tv 1 and 3 news on 2 lap tops this morning please be fair
Kia Kaha
I’m looking forward to hearing from more real estate agency bosses like Geoff Barnett:
“Winston will almost drive us back to the Holyoake years, I remember 66c in the dollar, price freezes, wage freezes.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11934643
Far be it from me to fault the educational background of a house-broker, but Auckland real estate agents are our true comprador bourgeoisie:
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/comprador_bourgeoisie
Instead of hanging out Taika Waititi as a traitor, the first useful thing this government could do is make every single real estate agent unemployed. They can go milk cows for a while.
Nice reference to Holyoake who of course had his own real estate interests at Kinloch.
http://werewolf.co.nz/2012/04/public-office-private-gain/
“When Kiwi Keith, Barry Gustafson’s biography of Holyoake was published in 2007, Michael Bassett criticised the lack of explanation about ‘the accusations leveled at Holyoake over his influence to get essential services into Kinloch that appears to have turned him and his partners into wealthy men’. [2] Bassett was referring to the fortuitous building of a government road to the edge of the partners’ property. But in truth there is much more to scrutinize than Holyoake’s influence in having the road built. There are the circumstances, for instance, of his acquisition of Māori land there in 1956.”
Oh the irony!
Next time you’re out on the roads, ponder this: Your risk of dying in a crash is 40% higher now than it was in 2013.
This astounding fact was put out by a researcher, reported on RNZ on monday
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018617953/road-toll-lives-could-have-been-saved-nz-initiative
While road use is up 15% from 2013, deaths are up 60%.
According to the report, more lives could have been saved for half the cost of one of the National Government’s roads of national significance.
The entire state highway network could have had median barriers put in place for half the cost of one of the National’s roads of national significance.
Let’s hope our new Government will pick up on this.
Take care on the roads this long weekend.
Good comment, Chair.
Your thoughts on the new Government?
A little disappointed the Greens failed to achieve their preference (a full coalition deal with Labour). And from what I can gather, secured no core benefit increase.
I’ll have more comment once the dust settles and policy is announced.
While road use is up 15% from 2013, deaths are up 60%.
According to the Ministry of Transport’s information, the road toll in 2013 was 253 and in 2016 it was 328. That’s a 30% increase, not 60%.
Next time you’re out on the roads, ponder this: Your risk of dying in a crash is 40% higher now than it was in 2013.
Relative risk increases are great for scare stories in the media, but not much use otherwise. When the level of risk is very low, significant percentage increases still leave the risk very low, eg if your risk of getting a particular cancer in the next five years is 0.0001 and there’s something that increases it to 0.00014, that’s a 40% increase but nobody in the media is going to make headlines out of a risk increasing by a fraction of a tenth of a percent, so you give them the 40% relative increase instead and they run with that, horribly misleading though it is.
In other words, your risk of being killed in a crash this year is not significantly greater than it was in 2013.
Aye using %ages without providing the underlying numbers is always dishonest. It gives no sense of context especially if the increase is off a low base.
”According to the Ministry of Transport’s information, the road toll in 2013 was 253 and in 2016 it was 328. That’s a 30% increase, not 60%”
You only went as far as 2016, this research goes to 2017.
Total road fatalities in New Zealand in the past 12 months alone was 373.
Whether or not it is coming off a low risk base, the chance of having a crash is still 40% higher now than in 2013.
And regardless if it is a low risk rate overall, there is far too many people being killed and harmed on or roads. Median barriers would go a long way in reducing those numbers.
Sure they would. But “Your risk of X is 40% higher” is a completely worthless piece of information. If your risk X was 0.5 and now it’s 0.7, that’s pretty scary. But it was 0.0001 and now it’s 0.00014, so what? Without the context, the percentage is worth nothing.
“So what?”
Seriously?
Had we kept the fatality rate at the 2013 level, there would be over 100 fewer deaths on our roads, that’s what .
no, that’s if we’d kept the fatality number at the same level, not the rate.
If fewer people were killed on the roads, that would be great, yes. Funnily enough, I’m not taking issue with that sentiment (might be a bit of a contrarian, but few are that contrarian).
I’m taking issue with your view that next time I drive I should think about my alleged 40% increased risk of dying. Given that my risk of dying has gone from extremely low in 2013 to, er, still extremely low in 2017, no I’m not going to think about that. Trying to achieve safer driving through misuse of statistics isn’t a good plan.
It was the researcher’s view, not mine.
I wasn’t trying to achieve safer driving through the misuse of statistics (not that the statistics were misused). I was highlighting the reported increase in risk and the need for median barriers.
No more privatisations.
NIMT electrification intact
No more rail line closures.
No more new charter schools or private prisons (though existing contracts will need to be honoured).
A new day has dawned with a fresh new government. Won’t be easy with the multiple issues to be sorted, but they will give their best and everything seems more optimistic after the stale, tired regime that will now thankfully be the opposition.
Mike Hosking’s childish, petulant display last night was totally unprofessional. Only watched to see what was happening and he should be ashamed and embarrassed (unlikely, since he is so full of his own self-importance).
This is a positive response amongst some pretty negative ones:
“Federated Farmers said it was ready to engage with the new coalition government and that it was time to “cast aside” the divisions that arose during the election campaign, said president Katie Milne.”
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11935046
Duchessing??
Great news, the Greens will have two ministers, it was hoped that the Greens would be full coalition partners, but it still is a Historic moment to finally have members inside Government, things can only get better for them, we all look forward to a long and enduring presence.
A word of warning for Jacinda. She needs to get her coalition together in a private room and tell them to get all their dirty laundry sorted out (if they have any) because the opposition are known for dirt digging and they will be digging to Africa trying to find any dirt which could destabilise her new administration.
Also she needs to tell them in no uncertain terms that they will be required to live a scandal free life from now on in for the duration, no leaving emails, texts around on their phones which could be hacked etc . The opposition will do everything in their power to play their dirty tricks as they have skin on the game big time in this area. I will tell her to keep a tight ship like her mentor and friend Helen.
i hope she keeps Andrew Little close by. He has proven his worth and what he can do.
More shit dribbling out of Tracy Watkins ears, nose and throat:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/98072292/winston-peters-decision-on-a-coalition-with-jacinda-ardern-as-pm-puts-us-in-new-territory
It wasn’t a matter of one party being prepared to pay more. It was about whose policies were more in line with each others. If Peters asked for repeal of the Employment Relations Act and a 30% cut to all benefits it wouldn’t have been a price at all for English to pay. But it would’ve been a price way too high for Ardern.
Tracy Watkins really is completely fucking thick.
@chris +1. I swore into my cornflakes reading that piece this morning.
Christ, there is a lot of sour grapes out there at the moment, things I have seen written and said to me since Peters said he would go with Labour and it is only 11.00 am Friday morning.
The sky is falling
We are heading back to a communist controlled country like it was under Clark
only allowed to used shower heads and light bulbs they approve off.
Interest rate will go through the ceiling
Banks will stop lending
The dollar will fall
It is a coalition of losers
Food prices will go through the roof
Farmers will walk off their land(haven’t heard that one for a few years) as Labour and the Greens have a hidden agenda introducing a fart tax and tax the water
Our personal taxes will rise
Massive unemployment as NO ONE will be able to afford to employ people.
Crime will skyrocket
It is the end of NZ as we know it (yeah that is right like the last nine years)
You name it and that’s what is going to happen so I added a couple myself.
Birds will now shit on Hoskins car.
The Labour lead coalition will cancel any fine weather this summer and we will have to put up with bad weather for the next three years
Ha ha fucking ha I have not laughed so much for ages, like the last nine years.
It takes time to recognise and live with loss of power.
i recall that in the Nats’ first term under John Key, NZ Labour seemed to present the attitude that they were better political managers – Nats threw everything at gaining power, and few hard plans of what to do with it; John key was a novice leader, kept away from many hard interviews – and I got the impression that the majority of the Labour caucus believed they would most likely regain power after one John key term.
That list sounds like what happened in 2010 and 2011, when the highest number of Kiwis migrated out of NZ, a lot those may return now.
I remember when a lower dollar was good… especially for exporters… not good for overseas holiday makers and importers.
“We are heading back to a communist controlled country like it was under Clark
only allowed to used shower heads and light bulbs they approve off.”
Because Clark, Cullen et al ordered the cumplosolry collectivization of agriculture and forcibly siezed farms around the country with armed Party members.
‘Interest rate will go through the ceiling’
Interest rates are set by the RBNZ, and will be adjusted in December. It will be likely that the OCR will be unchanged, or move only a quarter to half of a percentage point. There will be some bluff and bluster though from the Gov. A hard left governor will probably be appointed. but we shall what happens there
‘Banks will stop lending’
Not loading people up with unsustainable debt is probably a good thing
‘The dollar will fall’
Good for exporters, and FDI?
‘t is a coalition of losers’
English could have given Winston what he wanted.,.but didnt.
‘Food prices will go through the roof’
They already are — thanks to the shit weather over the past year or two.
‘Farmers will walk off their land(haven’t heard that one for a few years) is Labour and the Greens have a hidden agenda introducing a fart tax and tax the water’
Jacinda has chopped the water tax from the sounds of it, and Winston will never allow for a fart tax.
‘Our personal taxes will rise’
But you will get better public services.
‘Massive unemployment as NO ONE will be able to afford to employ people.’
There is a lot of unemployment already, with immigrants taking all the farm and hospo jobs
‘Crime will skyrocket’
It will be no worse or better than it has always been. Doesnt help that a bag of P is probably cheaper than a pack of smokes.
One of the things I’ve found interesting in the last twelve months is the discussions I’ve had with skilled qualified Chinese immigrants.
All have a strong sense of community and of government looking after all it’s citizens.
They are highly supportive of state health care and welfare – and also understand the value of a strong work ethic.
I don’t know any wealthy Chinese overseas investors, and as always anecdote is an example not a trend but I’ve dialogued with enough now to know that those people at least share many of the socialist values that the left do.
I’m not surprised at that – it’s always been interesting see the right sell their souls to the communist enemy (that includes the labour party right-wing neo-libs as well). Course they haven’t really sold their souls – the whole point of capitalism is to make money any way you can.
There’s something there though in congruity that I hope Labour/NZF/Greens can tap in to.
I’m not afeared of more socialist policies vs free market laissez-faire rubbish we’ve endured. While the right argue for individual poor choices being the problem it’s much more evident it’s the higher macro economic settings that are the problem. Less and less and less tax, more and more and more productivity, less and less support for those in lower socio economic circumstance, more and more surveillance of citizens, less and less rights for workers, more and more and more state assets sold, less and less and less public service has not delivered improvement for our country as a whole.
Many of these things need to be wound back.
I just hope that many of those public servants who whole heartedly embraced, and in some cases instigated the selling off of such assets, who wholeheartedly demonised beneficiaries, who privatised and outsourced, who bean counted everything to the bare minimum (health I’m looking at you) and so on – instead of ensuring the public service did their job vanish (in some cases back to the countries from whence they came) quietly.
I hope an environment is re-created of true public service as a priority. One in which authoritarians don’t wish to be in.
Good op ed from Stephanie Rodgers on RNZ website.
How often can we expect to see National side with Labour to help them get their more right leaning policy through?
The TPP is one area that quickly comes to mind.
While NZ First and the Greens may oppose it, National and Labour will be able to get it through.
Anything else come to mind?
.
With NZ First inside the government, it will require NZF and Labour to agree on the TPP – so there will be trade offs. Nats may then add to the numbers rather than the GP – but it won’t be the TPP the Nats want. And Peters mentioned being against ISDS in his speech last night – so that’s probably not going to be accepted in new trade agreements.
So I take it you’re saying they (NZ First) will have independence inside Caucus, but not when it comes to voting within the house?
Will they still be able to speak-out against certain policy?
Matthew Whitehead, in his post on TS about the GP last night, included this link about cabinet collective responsibilities in governments using the Westminster system:
Here’s an Asian site, reporting this morning on the likely NZF-NZLP policy on TPP:
“New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, who played the role of kingmaker in forming the new government, declared that his party will support Labour’s stance on the TPP.”
Seeing as Labour’s stance is soft, that’s going to disappoint a few. The two concessions don’t cover the vast concerns, but if secured, will help soften the blow. But still, some will feel let down.
wasn’t isds one of the things Labour had an issue with, too? I forget.
My take is that Lab wants an improved TPP without the yanks, whereas nat wants to sign it as-is with all the concessions to the yanks still in, even though the yanks aren’t in it.
And even if the grand coalition for tpp was anything more than tc’s wet dream, it would immediately imperil the coalition arrangements with both the greens and nz1, and I don’t see that as being high on the list of Labour’s priorities at the moment.
As for other right-wing policies, the “even if” criteria still stand. Sure, they might get some stuff though, but the main influences on Labour are economically centrist/left, with a couple of social conservative things from nz1 but overall I reckon benefits, regional development, housing, employment, cheaper tertiary education, and integrated transport (more than roads) are all on the table.
With the eagerness National has expressed for the TPP, I’m sure they’d accept it either way (concessions or not).
A grand coalition is not my wet dream.
There should be some good from this (change of Government) as you rightly highlighted. But there are still some potential downsides, such as the use of a flat regional tax to pay for transport improvements.
holy shit, a coalition government where adults make compromises isn’t going to be completely perfect according to your personal political manifesto? Better emigrate, then…
No. I’ll be here raising the bar.
You speak as if I’m the only one opposed to the use of a regional flat tax (akin to GST) being used.
Surely you don’t support its use?
Dude, I’m not immediately familiar with that policy, which party favours it, or what it will be taxed on. It seems to me that the only person who’s raised it here is you, which means it’s probably not earth-shattering in its impact.
Although regional transport development needs a look at anyway, so anyone who came up with that policy is probably asking the right questions, even if their answers aren’t perfect.
tl/dr: tell me what you’re talking about, and maybe even suggest why I should give a shit.
As for the TPP, what makes you believe National no longer want it?
Well now some of the corporate drugs have been cut off – welfare money & unlimited immigration – lets see if those corporations can step up to the challenge.
Corporations could stop keeping the bulk of their jobs in Auckland -outsorce to the provinces.
Stick some call centre’s and other business units in Palmerston North,Napier, New Plymouth, Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin and other places. Shift jobs that can be done easily by older populations to those areas.
Take the pressure off housing & transport in Auckland , cut welfare bills , use under utilised provincial resources, spread prosperity, in a wired world everyone doesn’t need to be parked up in a multi story building in Auckland.
Stuff ripping shit out of hosking’s despair. Nice to see the fair and impartial mc of the leaders’ debates taking the result with grace, equanimity , and style lol.
I know a two-year-old who makes the same face when he sees chocolate but isn’t allowed any.
Loved every minute of it!
Watching nationals sock puppet dying on the inside was almost worth 9 years of morally bankrupt government. Almost.
Let me guess, some libertarian tech dude who believes his billions are endangered by governments and their regulations.
In September 2013, the man who bought Brexit – Arron Banks – was in trouble.
For the past two years, financial regulators in Gibraltar had been scrutinising his insurance under-writer, Southern Rock. They had discovered it was keeping reserves far below what was needed.
[…]
One question remains though. If Banks was in such a tight spot in September 2013, how did he manage to be so generous the following year?
https://www.opendemocracy.net/uk/brexitinc/adam-ramsay/how-did-arron-banks-afford-brexit
And Green will get the cannabis Referendum. Good eh!
Reeferendum 😉
(yes, great! Please dear god let Genter be in charge of that)
Labours first caucus meeting today
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/video-lets-do-jacinda-issues-war-cry-and-mps-rise-in-standing-ovation-first-caucus-meeting-begins?auto=5618570542001
So many people have been given hope with our new government, so many.
Every time the news comes on, am smiling ear to ear as I’m reminded of our talented, clued up new government, and it makes me feel so freaking proud to be a NZer.
And then to make things even better, am reminded of the outstanding policies that are going to happen. Loving listening to the news today.
Miss Twelve is walking around wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, she says it’s like Christmas come early.
The kids at school all cheered when I reminded them that with the change of government they will have some incredible opportunities such as going to university, due to the steps that will be taken towards free tertiary education. For kids at the local low decile school, this is MASSIVE
What a wonderful day for so many many New Zealanders
THANK YOU Labour, NZ1st and Greens, thank you for giving us hope 🙂
Will Trevor tell Paula Bennett on the occasions of her interjecting with nonsense from the Opposition benches, “Zip it sweetie?”
Paula couldn’t in her wildest nightmares have considered that we would have such a sweetie as Prime Minister!
Karma
Free counselling for under 25’s…… FOR REALS 🙂
Am beyond ecstatic, this will help save lives.
How much more good news can a girl digest and it’s not even 6pm.
Epic goodness all day long 🙂
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/98075490/Live-Labour-led-government-to-make-climate-change-a-priority
Richard Prebble: Jacinda Ardern will regret this coalition of losers
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11935125
FPP thinking from Mr. Prebble. None of the parties won or lost the election. Each party received a different amount of votes. The government is made up of the parties able to offer more than 50% of the electoral seats available. The coalition won fair and square.
Oh the irony from Prebble. Remind me why anyone gives a shit what sell to the lowest bidder Prebble thinks?
A discussion on the situation for NZ in coming years as China and USA front of with each other to see who is going to be top dog put NZ as a bone of contention, the meat in the sandwich and other gristley fillings.
The analyst assumes that between the two we must arm ourselves against China.
I think we need to debate this.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/thepanel/audio/2018618735/the-new-china
Defence strategy analyst Dr Malcolm Davis weighs in on China’s new plan to become the world’s biggest superpower, following president Xi Jinping’s latest speech.
https://www.aspi.org.au/bio/malcolm-davis
Australian Strategic Policy Institute
Well this is my third vaping pipe I brought one thought it got lifted moko’s . Brought another found the old one was to stressed to use it gave one to my m8 and sent one to my brother . Less stress now I have it worked out now .Its just $50 for a joyetech stainless one and the vanilla tabbco vap juice is ok it only cost $5 a week for this big saving and one just has to remember what it was like when you first started smoking and persist and you will get use to it and no more spending heaps on smokes an your health will improve real quick. P.S if your congested and need to by that stuff on tv just take a panadol it does the same clears the chest and clears the cough Ka pai
You’re a mine of information ecoMaori. Hope you can have an enjoyable Labour weekend.