Thats why Watercare is doing major sewage upgrade through the isthmus.
The other factor is 1 and 2 person households are a very large share of the total households now, so the population impact on some services like schools isnt so great.
Dont forget those inner suburbs were jam packed with houses up till the 1950s, ugly commercial warehouses/ small manufacturing replaced a lot of that and the inner suburbs rebuild until recently was still fairly low density
“My desire is to play a part in making my community, city, country, and world a fairer and more equal place, because it is that equality that will drive aspiration, opportunity, and success for all. In my time in this Parliament, it is my commitment that I will work to build an ever better, fairer New Zealand, where we seek to ensure that achieving one’s potential is not just the preserve of the privileged, but possible for all"
Later
“I want to help build a modern, inclusive New Zealand where we do not accept children growing up in poverty. I believe we should set goals to eliminate poverty in New Zealand, and work out a programme of redistribution that will see incomes and spirits lifted together.”
There are two key pieces of legislation that are part of Robertson’s – and Ardern’s – legacy.
The first – The Child Poverty Reduction Act – tackles what Robertson mentioned in his maiden speech. It requires annual reporting (this year’s is due on Thursday) and for the Government of the day to set targets to reduce child poverty.
The latest report, covering the year to June 2022, showed that all nine measures of child poverty have reduced, with eight out of nine of the child poverty measures statistically significantly lower than the 2017/18 baseline year.
The second – The Zero Carbon Act – puts the Paris Agreement’s climate change targets into legislation. This addresses what Robertson said in his maiden speech immediately following his comments about child poverty:
“A modern, inclusive New Zealand also needs to be one that looks after our environment.”
Robertson said getting the country through the pandemic was what he was most proud of, noting advice at the start of the pandemic that unemployment was expected to head north of 10 per cent.
Robertson would point to Budget 2021, which reversed the 1990s benefit cuts and lifted rates by $32 and $55 per adult. It was estimated to lift between 19,000 and 33,000 children out of poverty.
This was also criticised as not going far enough, of being half-hearted responses to the Welfare Expert Advisory Group’s recommendations.
1.SLP at the same rate as Super
2.Sickness covered by ACC
3.The non working partner without children getting the JSB. The non working partner with children getting the JSB for up to one year – then moving to WFF tax credit support. The sole parent allowed non resident partners for up to one year without impact on their eligibility for support.
4.Government take over the private debt of beneficiaries (accruing interest year by year) and they pay it back once employed.
5. I would add government forming a partnership with landlords and homeowners to provide affordable property insurance – rebuild covered by government in return for ownership of the land (subsequent payment of rent for the land). This and sickness covered by ACC before any government involvement in income insurance (in part superseded by partner access to JSB).
2a. Unless Sickness is covered by ACC – JSB to non working partners who are sick for 1 or 2 years (at the moment sickness is a category on the JSB for up to 2 years).
Such very sad news Anne, for both politics and NZ. Efeso Collins was a good and decent man, who gave his all to his service to the community and society in general. He will be missed.
Yeah he was a mayoral candidate that was really and truly worth the fight.
He had so much soul that I didn't even mind so hard going down in flames.
That is a true South Auckland treasure of a man and I was also sad at how poorly he was treated by Labour that he had to go over to the Greens to be appreciated.
Such a true and amazing connector of people and who genuinely had their needs at heart in what he stood and fought for.
I would have been happy to get going on another campaign as well.
The Finance Minister says the Government remains committed to the transport projects in its coalition agreements as a report shows the transport agency has estimated they could cost up to $24 billion more.
Willis said the extent of the difference between commitments and funding was a new piece of information.
There is still some humanity and decency in Parliament. House will adjourn after 2 pm tributes today, resumes next week. Thanks to all parties for that.
Efeso was always positive and kind – when he was president of the AUSA he took time out to have lunch and pray with a random student (me) who isn’t really part of his community.
S@P Ratings agency puts 15 councils on review for downgrade, blaming uncertainty over new Government's financial support after Three Waters repeal
immediately increasing borrowing costs and forcing rates increases that will further inflate living costs and keep pressure on the Reserve Bank to keep mortgage rates high.
Good piece on this by Jonathan Milne in Newsroom yesterday.
“If S&P do downgrade them in the future, by one notch, then they will be paying an additional five basis points. Not all might go down, though. There are differences among those 21 councils,” he [Mark Butcher, chief executive of the Local Government Funding Agency] says.
For the third time, the US vetoes an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. In this iteration, brought by Algeria, the US was the lone vote against, with the UK abstaining.
The Algerian UN ambassador rightly stated:
"the United States veto should be understood as "approval of starvation as a means of war against hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. "
Meanwhile, the World Food Program has withdrawn from the desperate situation in Northern Gaza after being swamped by starving Gazans that then drew rifle and tank fire from the IDF.
Oh, I'm a ratepayer, too… and hoping one day this city sees the light and pushes all the polluting cars out of the CBD and make it finally people-friendly.
After I saw a picture today with the Wellington CBD water level at 2 degrees global warming (I guess above pre-industrial level), it will definitely be car-free at some point… the businesses might still blame "The Greens" for it when it happens even it was all the polluting cars, which – as far as I can tell – mainly give a shit about the businesses in the CBD, as they just travel through.
Marjen is an ecological economist with 28 years' experience gained through research, teaching, advising, consulting, management, enterprising and governance in settings ranging from local to global. She is a ministerial appointment to the Lincoln University Council and a member of the Edmund Hilary Fellowship and a previous Chief Economist for ...
As Lady Bracknell almost said, ‘to lose one may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness.’ And so a second Government Statistician has made a hasty exit, The official reason in each case was the management of the population census but the cult of generic management ...
Questions 1. What French expression best characterises this weeks’ intimate encounter between Old Mate Grabaseat and Mike Answer-the-fricken-question-for-the-love-of-me Hoskinga.Ménage à Trumpb.Folie à deuxc.Amour foud.None of the above all of the above I cannot live with this man I cannot live without him what even is this ...
Newsroom’s Fox Meyer wrote a good piece yesterday on the Compass school lunches contract, unveiling its terms, and revealing the government stumped up an extra $8.9m “bonus” to meet requirements.This means the per school lunch cost is now a minimum of just under $4 - excluding the large number of ...
Will a Government-set and regulated system of infrastructure levies replace council-set development contributions and open up new land supply for housing? Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things that stood out to me in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Friday, February ...
The Government is set to announce a levy system and new rules around housing infrastructure aimed at making housing developments and transport corridors more financially attractive to councils. The job market is potentially showing signs of recovery according to more positive advertising data which shows the rate of decline has ...
It’s Friday and we’re are the end of February already meaning here comes March Madness. Here too are some of the things that caught our attention this week. This week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt covered parts of a fantastic speech by Chris Bishop. Tuesday had Matt ...
Hi,Because the Webworm community is consistently a glowing light in my life, I wanted to share a few insights readers shared about Franks Ogilvie, the feral law firm that sent a threatening legal letter to Kiwi health professionals.(A lot of you asked for a copy of the original threatening letter, ...
Hi,Quite a few readers have asked to see a copy of the original letter Stephen Franks of Franks Ogilvie law sent out to various New Zealand health practitioners.So, here is a copy.I am not going to do a fact check here, but would advise you keep these emojis in mind ...
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts & talking about the week’s news with regular and special guests, including: on the week in geopolitics, including Donald Trump’s wrecking of the post-WW II politicial landscape; and, on the week in ...
It is now clear that the Government is singling out Cook Islands Premier Mark Brown as the person to blame for the Islands signing three partnership agreements with China. China itself appears to be standing aside. After a meeting in Beijing on Wednesday night, Foreign Minister Winston Peters even got ...
Open access notablesA twenty-first century structural change in Antarctica’s sea ice system, Raphael et al., Communications Earth & Environment:From 1979 to 2016, total Antarctic sea ice extent experienced a positive trend with record winter maxima in 2012 and 2014. Record summer minima followed within the period 2017-2024, raising ...
I am pleased that the under-recognized scholar (and previous co-author of mine) Kate Nicholl has decided to join Substack and publish her thoughts on comparative politics. By using Substack she wants to bridge the gap between scholarly articles and opinion editorials (op eds). Her gift as a writer is to ...
Fleur Fitzsimons has been appointed as the new National Secretary of the PSA. The Government has confirmed it will amend the Crimes Act to give all citizens greater ability to arrest or detain thieves stealing from retail stories amid an increase in retail crime – the move is opposed by ...
Sunny Kaushal - National Party member and donorThere are few things that make me viscerally irritable in politics, but seeing the government proposing citizens’ arrest as a method to curtail crime - while losing more police officers than it can hire because it’s unwilling to pay for professionals - does ...
Seymour has broken the first rule of modern focus-group and poll-driven politics: never alienate the soccer and netball ‘moms’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things that stood out to me in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 26:A crescendo ...
I've been caught stealin', once when I was 5I enjoy stealin', it's just as simple as thatOh well, it's just a simple factWhen I want something, man, I don't wanna pay for itHow much would you pay to change the law to whatever you want it to be? Probably quite ...
“We were one of the first central banks in the world to be tightening; we were one of the first central banks in the world to be easing” Those were Adrian Orr’s words last Thursday to Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee at their hearing on the Bank’s latest Monetary Policy ...
Patrick Reynolds is deputy chair of the City Centre Advisory Panel …and what can we do to increase its success? Here at Greater Auckland it is axiomatic that cities are, or at least can and should be, forces for good for their inhabitants and host nations. This of course explains ...
Things are starting to come right for the Government. Though recent polling has placed it behind Labour and the Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, keeps tripping up in public, the economy is picking up, which may be enough to stop further poll falls. Better still for National, it is picking up ...
The New Zealand Supreme Court describes detention as the “most punitive and most liberty-depriving” of the penalties the law can impose. Because of this, they have always been incredibly careful to give a wide interpretation and hefty weight to the right not to be arbitrarily detained. This is an interpretation ...
If there’s any one person to be praised for finding receipts and sticking them in this government’s complacent face, that person would be Craig Renney.His most recent effort is a thorough rebuttal of some tough-on-crime puffed-chest- beating that went like this:You can find the full rebuttal here but the essence ...
I have been trying to make sense out of the shifts in US foreign policy under Trump 2.0. I understand his admiration for authoritarians and supination to Putin (which I believe is because Putin has dirt on him), and I also understand the much vaunted “transactional” nature of his view ...
The Government’s announcement to change citizen’s arrest powers shows workers will bear the brunt of their lack of a plan to deal with retail crime, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff. “If the proposed changes to citizen’s arrests laws are any indication of what is to come, there ...
For the past few years I've been waging war on secrecy clauses, submitting at select committee where clauses in legislation seem to over-ride the Official Information Act. One of the drivers of this was a 2014 decision by the Ombudsman (unpublished, but posted here), where they interpreted an exemption in ...
This morning I saw a line on social media that got my attention —"More cycle and walking lanes that nobody uses to kill economy. Absolute genius!”But cycle ways only cost 1% of the entire transport budget!That's not what is killing the economy.Business liquidations are at a 10 year high. Unemployment ...
Recently, Auckland’s Mayor Wayne Brown expressed bewilderment in a social media post about the current changes to Victoria Street in the city centre. “Welcome to Cone Central,” he says, adopting the universally recognised arms-wide position of exasperation, and gesturing around him at the works under way. “Nobody knows what it’s ...
Economic growth – and the lack of the sustained productivity growth that underpins it – is again briefly in focus. 70 years of relative economic decline still shows no sign of being durably reversed, but the last few years have been particularly tough and there is an election next year, ...
Back in January the government held a public consultation on its draft Regulatory Standards Bill. The bill is a piece of neoliberal bullshit which seeks to bind all future lawmaking to some highly contentious (and not public accepted) Libertarian ideological principles, in an effort to deter future lawmaking with the ...
Risin' up, straight to the topHad the guts, got the gloryWent the distance, now I'm not gonna stopJust a man and his will to surviveSongwriters: Frank Sullivan / James Peterik.Butter Chicken is one of the most popular takeaway dishes in Aotearoa. It’s the curry to have when you don’t like ...
Yesterday, I received a few messages telling me that my article on school lunches was being heavily discussed on Reddit -I was pleasantly surprised it hadn’t been zapped, so took a look.95% of the comments were positive, and many Kiwis appear to feel angry at the ‘free market, public-private enterprise ...
The new report details the effects of unmet dental need and the financial strains, such as incurring debt including large MSD loans. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong story short, I spoke to researcher and campaigner Kayli Taylor in the interview above about her ActionStation Aotearoa report into unmet need ...
Hi,Late yesterday afternoon Webwormpublished a story on our website (www.webworm.co) — which this morning is top of New Zealand reddit, which is nice.But I wanted to get it to your inbox first thing today with a bit of added background.Webworm can report that various health professionals involved in gender ...
Germany had its Federal Election this week, and, well, people are talking about the map: Yes. That looks very much like the old German Democratic Republic (GDR) reborn, aka East Germany. Only this time, rather than Communism, the region has given itself over to the Far-Right (the Alternative ...
Prof Jane Kelsey examines what the ACT party and the NZ Initiative are up to as they seek to impose on the country their hardline, right wing, neoliberal ideology. A progressive government elected in 2026 would have a huge job putting Humpty Dumpty together again and rebuilding a state that ...
So. Farewell thenAndrew Bayly.It’s not easy to imagine something a minister could do in the Luxon Beehive that would be beyond the pale.But youseem to have a knack for finding it.I took the discussion too far and I placed a hand on their upperarm, you said.You sound like the sheriff ...
Back in January, Samoan cabinet minister La’auli Leuatea Schmidt was charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice. When he refused to resign, samoan prime minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa sacked him - triggering a political crisis. Because a majority of her political party felt that she should have not ...
Hi,Webworm can report that various health professionals involved in gender affirming care in New Zealand have received a threatening legal letter from Wellington law firm Franks Ogilvie.The law firm who sent the letter.The letter was sent on behalf of Inflection Point NZ, an anti-trans lobby group that boasts speakers including ...
Ryman Healthcare last year abandoned plans for a ‘boutique retirement village’ and sold this central Wellington site, after demolishing the former factory (seen here) and leaving it to sit vacant for 14 years. Now it has announced it will slash its building rate and look to dump more of its ...
Yesterday we covered a big part of a recent speech by Minister of Housing and Transport Chris Bishop. One aspect we didn’t cover was about the City Rail Link and his announcement of $200 million towards the removal of level crossings. On the CRL he notes: I’ve been down to ...
Long story short, I interviewed Reserve Bank of New ZealandChief Economist Paul Conway yesterday in the full video above about:the Monetary Policy Committee’s decision to cut the Official Cash Rate by 50 basis points to 3.75% last week;the bank’s projection in its Monetary Policy Statement (MPS) for three more ...
Stay where you areYou're not going, just leavingI will sit around, let everybody talkAnd they will say what they knowThey will end up believingI will sit around, let everybody talkAndrew by Fur Patrol.Subscribe to Nick's Kōrero and save 20%Around lunchtime yesterday, I started seeing notifications about Andrew Bayly’s resignation. To ...
Hi,Something interesting has happened in Aotearoa, where one of the country’s most toxic Christian churches has pushed things too far, and properly fucked New Zealand off.As I wrote last week, members of Destiny church protested a Pride event in a library, pushing and punching their way inside.Destiny has always been ...
Allegedly, the defence environment has changed, and New Zealand thus needs to spend significantly more on Defence. The rationale is that China (our main trading partner) has been raising its profile in the Pacific, a region hitherto seen to be our own backyard, and an American lake. The cheek of ...
Germans went to the polls today, in what looks to be their most important election since 1945. The good news is that they seem to have kept the fascists out, with the Putin/Trump/Musk-backed Alternative für Deutschland coming second and effectively excluded from power. Instead, it looks like a Christian Democrat ...
I relaxed myself into the dentist chair first thing this morning. I was back for a quick second filling that couldn’t be done on the last visit because it had to go alongside the one he’d just done.I like the dentist, Geoff, very much. You may recall me mentioning the ...
The Way We Were - And Hoped To Remain: The iconic photograph of Prime Minister Norman Kirk holding the hand of a little Māori boy at Waitangi on 6 February 1973 held out the promise of a future founded upon the uncomplicated and uncontested acceptance of racial equality.WAITANGI DAY commentary ...
Over the weekend, David Seymour announced the government’s plans to “overhaul” the Overseas Investment Act.The Act looks after overseas investments in sensitive assets in New Zealand. Its main purpose is balancing foreign money in our sensitive assets/lands/fisheries/forestries with the risks associated with that.This includes considering New Zealand’s national and economic ...
Last month, David Seymour’s press release on school lunches said:“The [school lunch] programme was reformed to deliver the same outcomes while costing taxpayers less. This was achieved by embracing commercial expertise, using government buying power, and generating supply chain efficiencies…”And while that all sounded fair, the end result is - ...
Here are some thoughts about the hysteria surrounding a Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) flotilla conducting freedom of navigation exercises in the Tasman Sea, including live fire drills. 1) The flotilla has been tracked for over a week by New Zealand and Australian forces. The tracking began when the ...
Insurance premia are already sky high, especially in Wellington and other places deemed high risk, and now another cost of living shock is set to be delivered by a Government. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things that stood out to me in our political ...
On Friday, Chris Bishop, the Minister of Housing, Transport, Infrastructure and RMA Reform, gave an absolutely fantastic speech to the Committee for Auckland. As a starter, he really sums up well why we need better cities with this line. I make no apologies for being an urbanist. Well-functioning urban environments ...
You can be amazingYou can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drugYou can be the outcastOr be the backlash of somebody's lack of loveOr you can start speaking upNothing's gonna hurt you the way that words doWhen they settle 'neath your skinKept on the inside and no sunlightSometimes, ...
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, wagged a metaphorical finger at the National Party on Saturday, and RMA Minister Chris Bishop wagged straight back. A former National Party Environment Minister, Upton was a keynote speaker at the party’s Blue Greens Forum in Methven. His speech went right to ...
A listing of 33 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 16, 2025 thru Sat, February 22, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Several years ago, as an intellectual exercise, I had the fun of ranking the worst Emperors of the Western Roman Empire (https://phuulishfellow.wordpress.com/2020/09/04/the-five-worst-western-roman-emperors/). I even followed it up with a look at Honorius historiography. But there was still a missing piece of the puzzle. I was limiting myself to Emperors from ...
Prof Jane Kelsey examines what the ACT party and the NZ Initiative are up to as they seek to impose on the country their hardline, right wing, neoliberal ideology. A progressive government elected in 2026 would have a huge job putting Humpty Dumpty together again and rebuilding a state that ...
Kia Ora,I was reading about the history New Zealand Timekeeping and I think I may have identified a factual error on this page from 2006:Page 1. Time past - Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand[The rest of the Te Ara article is included for substack readers]In Europe other markers ...
None of the official measures of child poverty improved in the year to June, 2024. Photo: Lynn GrievesonLong stories short, the top six things that stood out to me in our political economy around housing, climate and poverty in the week to Sunday, February 23 were:Stats NZreported on Thursday ...
1/ Join community / common cause organisations Find organisations you resonate with. Join them and/or donate. In the fight against the state, it’s critical we pool together in all cases. If you don’t have the financial resources, sign up for information & updates. Knowledge is power. These groups, and the ...
Long story short: Aotearoa-NZ now has to make some difficult and probably expensive decisions about how we work and trade with China and the United States, our two largest trading partners. That’s because Donald Trump just overturned 80 years of certainty about how the US deals with and protects the ...
People killin', people dyin'Children hurt, and you hear them cryin'Can you practice what you preach?And would you turn the other cheek?Father, father, father, help usSend some guidance from above'Cause people got me, got me questioningWhere is the love?Songwriters: will.i.am, Justin Timberlake, Taboo, apl.de.ap, Printz Board, Michael Fratantuno, George Pajon, Jr.Where ...
A Bully in a China Shop?It is a mystery what Donald Trump learned when he did his BA in economics at the University of Pennsylvania in the mid-1960s. The Ivy League college has a good economics reputation, but even had Trump been a top student – unlikely or he would ...
The conflict we can see echoing across the world is being imported directly into New Zealand by outside powers and monetary influences that we don't want in our politics. It makes our politics messy and confusing, but untangling the puppet strings can help make sense of how we got here.This ...
Questions1. The poem that offers the immortal words The boy stood on the burning deck is about what?a. Eskimo Nell’s younger brotherb. The Reichstag firec. One of Napoleon’s shipsd. Christopher Luxon’s first year as Prime Minister2. What happens to the boy in the poem?a. Goes on an absolute bender in ...
I decided not to bother listening to the Reserve Bank’s appearance at FEC yesterday morning. After all, the OCR decision had been much as expected and foreshadowed, the forecast tracks etc hadn’t changed much, and – with all due respect to some new FEC members – how searching was any ...
Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when publishedQuote of the day:Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published“Our primary duty, I believe, is to maintain our water, our lakes, our rivers in a form in nature that supports life, ecosystems, communities, and, indeed, it ...
NZ’s peaceful and historic Hikoi for Maori rights and bottom, London police arrest environmental protestorsPeaceful protesters around the world are being jailed for years for nothing more than turning up or planning a protestAusralian climate change protesters To continue to receive posts like this, consider becoming a free or paid ...
And mama said mmmmh, mmmmhWhy don't the newscasters cryWhen they read about people who dieAt least they could be decent enoughTo put just a tear in their eyesAnd mama saidIt's just make-believeYou can't believe everything you seeSo baby, close your eyes to the lullabiesOn the news tonightSongwriters: Jack Hody Johnson.The ...
The Government’s levies announcement is a step in the right direction, but they must be upfront about who will pay its new infrastructure levies and ensure that first-home buyers are protected from hidden costs. ...
New Zealand First continues to bring balance, experience, and commonsense to Government. This week we've made progress on many of our promises to New Zealand.Winston representing New ZealandWinston Peters is overseas this week, with stops across the Middle East and North Asia. Winston's stops include Saudi Arabia, the ...
Green Party Co-Leaders Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick have announced the party’s plans to deliver a Green Budget this year to offer an alternative vision to the Government’s trickle-down economics and austerity politics. ...
At this year's State of the Planet address, Green Party co-leaders Marama Davidson and Chlöe Swarbrick announced the party’s plans to deliver a Green Budget this year to offer an alternative vision to the Government’s trickle-down economics and austerity politics. ...
The Government has spent $3.6 million dollars on a retail crime advisory group, including paying its chair $920 a day, to come up with ideas already dismissed as dangerous by police. ...
The Green Party supports the peaceful occupation at Lake Rotokākahi and are calling for the controversial sewerage project on the lake to be stopped until the Environment Court has made a decision. ...
ActionStation’s Oral Healthcare report, released today, paints a dire picture of unmet need and inequality across the country, highlighting the urgency of free dental care for all New Zealanders. ...
The Golden Age There has been long-standing recognition that New Zealand First has an unrivalled reputation for delivering for our older New Zealanders. This remains true, and is reflected in our coalition agreement. While we know there is much that we can and will do in this space, it is ...
Labour Te Atatū MP Phil Twyford has written to the charities regulator asking that Destiny Church charities be struck off in the wake of last weekend’s violence by Destiny followers in his electorate. ...
Bills by Labour MPs to remove rules around sale of alcohol on public holidays, and for Crown entities to adopt Māori names have been drawn from the Members’ Bill Ballot. ...
The Government is falling even further behind its promised target of 500 new police officers, now with 72 fewer police officers than when National took office. ...
This morning’s Stats NZ child poverty statistics should act as a wake-up call for the government: with no movement in child poverty rates since June 2023, it’s time to make the wellbeing of our tamariki a political priority. ...
Green Party Co-Leader Marama Davidson’s Consumer Guarantees Right to Repair Amendment Bill has passed its first reading in Parliament this evening. ...
“The ACT Party can’t be bothered putting an MP on one of the Justice subcommittees hearing submissions on their own Treaty Principles Bill,” Labour Justice Spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...
The Government’s newly announced funding for biodiversity and tourism of $30-million over three years is a small fraction of what is required for conservation in this country. ...
The Government's sudden cancellation of the tertiary education funding increase is a reckless move that risks widespread job losses and service reductions across New Zealand's universities. ...
National’s cuts to disability support funding and freezing of new residential placements has resulted in significant mental health decline for intellectually disabled people. ...
The hundreds of jobs lost needlessly as a result of the Kinleith Mill paper production closure will have a devastating impact on the Tokoroa community - something that could have easily been avoided. ...
Today Te Pāti Māori MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, released her members bill that will see the return of tamariki and mokopuna Māori from state care back to te iwi Māori. This bill will establish an independent authority that asserts and protects the rights promised in He Whakaputanga ...
The Whangarei District Council being forced to fluoridate their local water supply is facing a despotic Soviet-era disgrace. This is not a matter of being pro-fluoride or anti-fluoride. It is a matter of what New Zealanders see and value as democracy in our country. Individual democratically elected Councillors are not ...
Nicola Willis’ latest supermarket announcement is painfully weak with no new ideas, no real plan, and no relief for Kiwis struggling with rising grocery costs. ...
Half of Pacific children sometimes going without food is just one of many heartbreaking lowlights in the Salvation Army’s annual State of the Nation report. ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report is a bleak indictment on the failure of Government to take steps to end poverty, with those on benefits, including their children, hit hardest. ...
New Zealand First has today introduced a Member’s Bill which would restore decision-making power to local communities regarding the fluoridation of drinking water. The ‘Fluoridation (Referendum) Legislation Bill’ seeks to repeal the Health (Fluoridation of Drinking Water) Amendment Act 2021 that granted centralised authority to the Direct General of Health ...
New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill aimed at preventing banks from refusing their services to businesses because of the current “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Framework”. “This Bill ensures fairness and prevents ESG standards from perpetuating woke ideology in the banking sector being driven by unelected, globalist, climate ...
Erica Stanford has reached peak shortsightedness if today’s announcement is anything to go by, picking apart immigration settings piece by piece to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. ...
As the world marks three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced additional sanctions on Russian entities and support for Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction. “Russia’s illegal invasion has brought three years of devastation to Ukraine’s people, environment, and infrastructure,” Mr Peters says. “These additional sanctions target 52 ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced the Government’s plan to reform the Overseas Investment Act and make it easier for New Zealand businesses to receive new investment, grow and pay higher wages. “New Zealand is one of the hardest countries in the developed world for overseas people to ...
Associate Health Minister Hon Casey Costello is traveling to Australia for meetings with the aged care sector in Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney next week. “Australia is our closest partner, so as we consider the changes necessary to make our system more effective and sustainable it makes sense to learn from ...
The Government is boosting investment in the QEII National Trust to reinforce the protection of Aotearoa New Zealand's biodiversity on private land, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. The Government today announced an additional $4.5 million for conservation body QEII National Trust over three years. QEII Trust works with farmers and ...
The closure of the Ava Bridge walkway will be delayed so Hutt City Council have more time to develop options for a new footbridge, says Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Mayor of Lower Hutt, Campbell Barry. “The Hutt River paths are one of the Hutt’s most beloved features. Hutt locals ...
Good afternoon. Can I acknowledge Ngāti Whātua for their warm welcome, Simpson Grierson for hosting us here today, and of course the Committee for Auckland for putting on today’s event. I suspect some of you are sitting there wondering what a boy from the Hutt would know about Auckland, our ...
The Government will invest funding to remove the level crossings in Takanini and Glen Innes and replace them with grade-separated crossings, to maximise the City Rail Link’s ability to speed up journey times by rail and road and boost Auckland’s productivity, Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Auckland Minister Simeon Brown ...
The Government has made key decisions on a Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (CCUS) framework to enable businesses to benefit from storing carbon underground, which will support New Zealand’s businesses to continue operating while reducing net carbon emissions, Energy and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “Economic growth is a ...
Minister for Regulation David Seymour says that outdated and burdensome regulations surrounding industrial hemp (iHemp) production are set to be reviewed by the Ministry for Regulation. Industrial hemp is currently classified as a Class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act, despite containing minimal THC and posing little ...
The Ministerial Advisory Group on transnational and serious organised crime was appointed by Cabinet on Monday and met for the first time today, Associate Police Minister Casey Costello announced. “The group will provide independent advice to ensure we have a better cross-government response to fighting the increasing threat posed to ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will travel to Viet Nam next week, visiting both Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, accompanied by a delegation of senior New Zealand business leaders. “Viet Nam is a rising star of Southeast Asia with one of the fastest growing economies in the region. This ...
The coalition Government has passed legislation to support overseas investment in the Build-to-Rent housing sector, Associate Minister of Finance Chris Bishop says. “The Overseas Investment (Facilitating Build-to-Rent Developments) Amendment Bill has completed its third reading in Parliament, fulfilling another step in the Government’s plan to support an increase in New ...
The new Police marketing campaign starting today, recreating the ‘He Ain’t Heavy’ ad from the 1990s, has been welcomed by Associate Police Minister Casey Costello. “This isn’t just a great way to get the attention of more potential recruits, it’s a reminder to everyone about what policing is and the ...
No significant change to child poverty rates under successive governments reinforces that lifting children out of material hardship will be an ongoing challenge, Child Poverty Reduction Minister Louise Upston says. Figures released by Stats NZ today show no change in child poverty rates for the year ended June 2024, reflecting ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden is pleased to announce the most common family names given to newborns in 2024. “For the seventh consecutive year, Singh is the most common registered family name, with over 680 babies given this name. Kaur follows closely in second place with 630 babies, while ...
A new $3 million fund from the International Conservation and Tourism Visitor Levy will be used to attract more international visitors to regional destinations this autumn and winter, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says. “The Government has a clear priority to unleash economic growth and getting our visitor numbers ...
Good Evening Let us begin by acknowledging Professor David Capie and the PIPSA team for convening this important conference over the next few days. Whenever the Pacific Islands region comes together, we have a precious opportunity to share perspectives and learn from each other. That is especially true in our ...
The Reserve Bank’s positive outlook indicates the economy is growing and people can look forward to more jobs and opportunities, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The Bank today reduced the Official Cash Rate by 50 basis points. It said it expected further reductions this year and employment to pick up ...
Agriculture Minister, Todd McClay and Minister for Māori Development, Tama Potaka today congratulated the finalists for this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy, celebrating excellence in Māori sheep and beef farming. The two finalists for 2025 are Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust and Tawapata South Māori Incorporation Onenui Station. "The Ahuwhenua Trophy is a prestigious ...
The Government is continuing to respond to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care by establishing a fund to honour those who died in care and are buried in unmarked graves, and strengthen survivor-led initiatives that support those in need. “The $2 million dual purpose fund will be ...
A busy intersection on SH5 will be made safer with the construction of a new roundabout at the intersection of SH28/Harwoods Road, as we deliver on our commitment to help improve road safety through building safer infrastructure, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Safety is one of the Government’s strategic priorities ...
The Government is turbo charging growth to return confidence to the primary sector through common sense policies that are driving productivity and farm-gate returns, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced today. “The latest Federated Farmers Farm Confidence Survey highlights strong momentum across the sector and the Government’s firm commitment to back ...
Improving people’s experience with the Justice system is at the heart of a package of Bills which passed its first reading today Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. “The 63 changes in these Bills will deliver real impacts for everyday New Zealanders. The changes will improve court timeliness and efficiency, ...
Returning the Ō-Rākau battle site to tūpuna ownership will help to recognise the past and safeguard their stories for the benefit of future generations, Minister for Māori Crown Relations Tama Potaka says. The Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill passed its third reading at ...
A new university programme will help prepare PhD students for world-class careers in science by building stronger connections between research and industry, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti says. “Our Government is laser focused on growing New Zealand’s economy and to do that, we must realise the potential ...
Health Minister Simeon Brown has today announced funding of more than $14 million to replace the main water supply and ring mains in the main building of Auckland City Hospital. “Addressing the domestic hot water system at the country’s largest hospital, which opened in 2003, is vitally important to ensure ...
The Government is investing $30 million from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy to fund more than a dozen projects to boost biodiversity and the tourist economy, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says. “Tourism is a key economic driver, and nature is our biggest draw card for international tourists,” says ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters will travel to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, China, Mongolia, and the Republic of Korea later this week. “New Zealand enjoys long-standing and valued relationships with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both highly influential actors in their region. The visit will focus on building ...
Minister for Rail Winston Peters has announced director appointments for Ferry Holdings Limited – the schedule 4a company charged with negotiating ferry procurement contracts for two new inter-island ferries. Mr Peters says Ferry Holdings Limited will be responsible for negotiating long-term port agreements on either side of the Cook Strait ...
Ophthalmology patients in Kaitaia are benefiting from being able to access the complete cataract care pathway closer to home, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. “Ensuring New Zealanders have access to timely, quality healthcare is a priority for the Government. “Since 30 September 2024, Kaitaia Hospital has been providing cataract care ...
By Khalia Strong of Pacific Media Network Tongan community leaders and artists in New Zealand have criticised the Treaty Principles Bill while highlighting the ongoing impact of colonisation in Aotearoa and the Pacific. Oral submissions continued this week for the public to voice their view on the controversial proposed bill, ...
"This is an overwhelmingly significant public response considering the submission period was over Christmas and the New Year,” said Claire Bleakley, president of GE Free NZ "Especially as the deadline of 17 February allowed only 4 weeks, after ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gavin Brown, Lecturer in Religious Education, Australian Catholic University Wikimedia Commons Most people recognise organisations such as the YMCA and the Boy Scouts, or events such as the Modern Olympic Games, summer camps and wilderness retreats. Few, though, have ever ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Ferrie, A/Prof, UTS Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research and ARC DECRA Fellow, University of Technology Sydney PsiQuantum American quantum computing startup PsiQuantum announced yesterday that it has cracked a significant puzzle on the road to making the technology useful: manufacturing quantum chips ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gemma Hamilton, Senior Lecturer, RMIT University Jacob Lund/Shutterstock As International Women’s Day approaches, we must redouble our efforts to champion social justice and the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). These are under unprecedented attack by some political leaders. In ...
Everything you missed from day five of the Treaty principles bill hearings, when the Justice Committee heard seven hours of submissions.Read our recaps of the previous hearings here.It’s the final day of the Justice Committee’s hearings of oral submissions on the Treaty principles bill. The road has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Thorp, Professor of Finance, University of Sydney Marek Masik/Shutterstock You might remember Pesto, the king penguin chick who became a star attraction at Melbourne Aquarium last year. Good food, good genes and a safe home let Pesto grow into a ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julaine Allan, Professor, Mental Health and Addiction, Rural Health Research Institute, Charles Sturt University Lenscap Photography/Shutterstock Nitrous oxide – also known as laughing gas or nangs – is cheap, widely available and popular among young people. Yet it often flies ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Richard Dunley, Senior Lecturer in History and Maritime Strategy, UNSW Sydney Over the past few days, the Australian media has been dominated by the activities of the Chinese navy’s Task Group 107 as it has progressed south along the Australian coast and ...
Speed limits are being increased on 1,500 Auckland streets, many neighbouring schools, after a council objection failed to sway the government. Auckland Transport has released a list of 1,500 residential Auckland streets, many near schools, where speed limits are increasing by order of the Ministry of Transport.Last year, the ...
New Zealand crime thriller The Gone returns for a second season – with more missing Irish tourists. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. Theo Richter is standing in a hut deep in the New Zealand bush, staring out the window. An animal ...
A new poem by Mikaela Nyman. Moon Dogs Your words chafe days weeks months into a blur. Squinting brings petty relief. See pinpricks of light long lost turn into myriad of tiny chevrons all pointing at this extraterrestrially lonely human squatting between goal posts on an abandoned ...
The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Hay House, $32) Latest self-help bestseller that is proving controversial out ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Zarmati, Senior Lecturer in Humanities and Social Sciences Education, Faculty of Education, University of Tasmania A fragment of vitrified brain found at Herculaneum.Guido Giordano et al. / Scientific Reports A young man killed in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ellen Reeves, Lecturer in Criminology, University of Liverpool Traci Hahn/Shutterstock People experiencing domestic violence are often urged to report their abuse to police. But what if your abuser is a police officer? Our new research, drawing on 17 interviews with victim-survivors ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stefan Korber, Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Shutterstock It might have surprised some people when the United Nations made 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives and praised the “significant role cooperatives play in advancing ...
Alex Casey recaps the last two months of kitchen nightmares. In October last year, David Seymour launched his revamped school lunch programme. At a cost of $3 per meal and reportedly set to save $130 million a year, the meal options included chickpea curry, butter chicken, “Tex-Mex” beans and rice, ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Harcourt, Industry Professor and Chief Economist, University of Technology Sydney This weekend, Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) continues to trumpet its now annual pilgrimage to open its season in Las Vegas. While it’s only the second year of a five-year ...
By Talaia Mika of the Cook Islands News As concerns continue to emerge over China’s “unusual” naval exercises in the Tasman Sea, raising eyebrows from New Zealand and Australia, the Cook Islands government was questioned for an update in Parliament. This follows the newly established bilateral relations between the Cook ...
Sixty years on from gaining independence, debate is raging in the Cook Islands about its political relationships with other countries.“Cook Islands deal with China takes NZ Government by surprise!”“Is Cook Islands-China deal shipshape?”“Crisis in the region deepens!”“Should New Zealand invade the Cook Islands?”From the questionable ...
Comment: Look, I know – no one really wants to think about the Covid pandemic, particularly in those parts of the world that suffered its worst horrors. We’ve moved on. But hear me out – if there’s one thing we can learn from those dark times it’s to get ready ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ehsan Noroozinejad, Senior Researcher, Urban Transformations Research Centre, Western Sydney University studiovin/Shutterstock Australia is in the grip of a severe housing shortage. Many people are finding it extremely difficult to find a place to live in the face of rising rents ...
Alex Casey talks to Tinā writer and director Miki Magasiva about setting the film in Ōtautahi, and what he learned from the community. The first of many palpable moments in the room at the Christchurch premiere of Tinā came during a phone conversation between the main character Mareta (Anapela Polataivao) ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia We’ve probably all had a moment when we stopped taking the Oscars too seriously. For me, it was when Denzel Washington won best actor for Training Day (2001), a crime ...
Demanding a return to locally produced meals, the Principals Federation says schools have been patient long enough, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. Bring back old system, urge principals The NZ Principals’ Federation (NZPF) has urged associate ...
A prominent freshwater ecologist, appearing in a High Court trial, has defended comments made to Newsroom about nitrate pollution “ecocide”.On Thursday, Mike Joy, a senior research fellow at Victoria University of Wellington, gave evidence for Ngāi Tahu in its case against the Attorney-General over freshwater. A key part of the ...
The government has over $140 billion of projects being planned or built, and while cost pressures are put at just one billion, Treasury is not sure about the figure. ...
Giving the opposition more power on select committees is actually a pretty good idea. But is it enough of an extra accountability measure to make up for longer stretches between elections? Fresh off announcing some, shall we say, underwhelmingly received changes to the law governing citizen’s arrests, justice minister Paul ...
Max Johns embarks on a comprehensive tour of the current NZ music landscape. On Monday Independent Music NZ will announce the ten albums shortlisted for this year’s Taite Music Prize, which is traditionally called “the prestigious Taite Music Prize” on first mention. Albums are judged on originality, artistic merit, creativity ...
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/350183036/apartment-mogul-joins-mayor-blasting-rapacious-money-grubbing-fringe-developers
Gotta say I like Mr Browns shoot from the hip style, he makes alot of sense to me most of the time .
The biggest problem with building out is where it is on useful horticultural land.
Todd and Brown seem to be ignoring the urban density impact of a 1M people living above infrastructure designed for 500,000.
Thats why Watercare is doing major sewage upgrade through the isthmus.
The other factor is 1 and 2 person households are a very large share of the total households now, so the population impact on some services like schools isnt so great.
Dont forget those inner suburbs were jam packed with houses up till the 1950s, ugly commercial warehouses/ small manufacturing replaced a lot of that and the inner suburbs rebuild until recently was still fairly low density
It's great that Barbara Edmonds is admired for her work as a public sector tax lawyer.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/509692/who-is-new-labour-finance-spokesperson-barbara-edmonds#:~:text=Labour%20leader%20Chris%20Hipkins%20described,with%20her%20in%20this%20role.
But what does she actually believe in?
Has anyone dealt with her on specific campaigns?
What is she prepared to fight for?
https://www.facebook.com/labourpasifika/videos/barbara-edmonds-maiden-speech-member-of-parliament-for-mana/179534173901367/
Grant Robertson MP 2008
Later
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/grant-robertsons-value-to-labour-has-been-
The work undone
1.SLP at the same rate as Super
2.Sickness covered by ACC
3.The non working partner without children getting the JSB. The non working partner with children getting the JSB for up to one year – then moving to WFF tax credit support. The sole parent allowed non resident partners for up to one year without impact on their eligibility for support.
4.Government take over the private debt of beneficiaries (accruing interest year by year) and they pay it back once employed.
5. I would add government forming a partnership with landlords and homeowners to provide affordable property insurance – rebuild covered by government in return for ownership of the land (subsequent payment of rent for the land). This and sickness covered by ACC before any government involvement in income insurance (in part superseded by partner access to JSB).
https://archive.li/Oq3fk#selection-1947.99-1959.90
2a. Unless Sickness is covered by ACC – JSB to non working partners who are sick for 1 or 2 years (at the moment sickness is a category on the JSB for up to 2 years).
https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/350186582/whats-deal-benefit-sanctions-and-sickness
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/509745/green-party-mp-efeso-collins-dies-during-charity-run
Just awful. I only met him the once at a function where he gave a speech. He was impressive and so very kind in every way.
update: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/509744/live-mp-efeso-collins-dies-during-charity-run
New Green MP from Epsom.
https://policy.nz/2023/epsom-electorate/candidates/lawrence-xi-xu-nan
Such very sad news Anne, for both politics and NZ. Efeso Collins was a good and decent man, who gave his all to his service to the community and society in general. He will be missed.
RIP Efeso.
Yes, v. sad indeed.
The political analysis can perhaps be done after this initial shock is absorbed.
Oh no! Efeso!
The gentlest of giants.
Gentle giants are vulnerable…
Yeah he was a mayoral candidate that was really and truly worth the fight.
He had so much soul that I didn't even mind so hard going down in flames.
That is a true South Auckland treasure of a man and I was also sad at how poorly he was treated by Labour that he had to go over to the Greens to be appreciated.
Such a true and amazing connector of people and who genuinely had their needs at heart in what he stood and fought for.
I would have been happy to get going on another campaign as well.
Efeso was and is awesome.
Yes. Never understood what happened there, but he was Labour's loss.
Labour had two candidates in the mayoral election and they had to make a choice
Horrible, shocking news. Can't believe it.
All Aroha to his family.
James Shaw's statement:
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/509762/an-authentic-genuine-warm-man-flood-of-tributes-for-fa-anana-efeso-collins
A mighty Totara has fallen.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2024/02/nicola-willis-says-government-committed-to-coalition-transport-projects-despite-report-showing-they-could-cost-double.html
Are they now of greater benefit than the cancelled Kiwi Rail Cook Strait plan at double the cost?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/part-privatisation-public-private-partnerships-on-the-table-as-government-considers-future-of-wellington-port/HYSJQK4DMJELJF643WBFLVXYOQ/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Tributes to Efeso from Members of Parliament
https://ondemand.parliament.nz/parliament-tv-on-demand/?keyword=death+of+member&subject=&person=&stage=207
""He may have moved from our fale, but he only moved to the fale next door"
There is still some humanity and decency in Parliament. House will adjourn after 2 pm tributes today, resumes next week. Thanks to all parties for that.
Who are some of the NGOs that would be opposed to this cruel, inhumane, currently outlawed practice?
Such barbarism only in the name of greed.
I know S.A.F.E. have had a few things to say but surely there are some other mainstream organisations that can lend their shoulder to the wheel.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/350187142/kuwaiti-death-ship-transporting-19000-cows-iraq-stinks-cape-town
Efeso was always positive and kind – when he was president of the AUSA he took time out to have lunch and pray with a random student (me) who isn’t really part of his community.
Fare well brother
Bernard Hickey The Kākā has noted
https://thekaka.substack.com/p/s-and-p-slams-new-govts-council-finance
Good piece on this by Jonathan Milne in Newsroom yesterday.
https://newsroom.co.nz/2024/02/20/councils-placed-on-negative-credit-watch-due-to-three-waters-repeal/
On a happier note:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/cameron-slater-ordered-to-pay-475000-to-matthew-bloomfield-for-defamation-judge-finds-he-facilitated-vendetta/6B5CQHQU4JBGNKM6GL4HNBLTII/
Justice seen to be done at last.
Good.
Hope Lynn does a post on it.
Already underway. I read the judgement this morning.
Just has to wait until after I do a meet this afternoon so that my mind is clear.
I'd love to know what the implications are for Slater given he's been bankrupted.
Doesn't seem a lot of money for Bloomfield given how long he had to spend on it.
There'll be trusts , no doubt
Good plan, look forward to the read.
For the third time, the US vetoes an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. In this iteration, brought by Algeria, the US was the lone vote against, with the UK abstaining.
The Algerian UN ambassador rightly stated:
"the United States veto should be understood as "approval of starvation as a means of war against hundreds of thousands of Palestinians. "
Meanwhile, the World Food Program has withdrawn from the desperate situation in Northern Gaza after being swamped by starving Gazans that then drew rifle and tank fire from the IDF.
https://consortiumnews.com/2024/02/20/us-again-vetoes-un-cease-fire-resolution/
"
Really, the sooner the hamas 'fighters' turn themselves in, the better for the women and children they hide behind.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/509775/green-party-candidate-geordie-rogers-wins-wellington-city-council-by-election
Wasn't looking good on the weekend but the Greens hold their seat.
What a pleasant surprise…
As a Wellington Ratepayer I can only add three letters to your comment.
"What an unpleasant surprise…"
Nice whinge – any luck inventing a better method of calculation? It's been a week.
Thanks, I knew you would say that…
Oh, I'm a ratepayer, too… and hoping one day this city sees the light and pushes all the polluting cars out of the CBD and make it finally people-friendly.
After I saw a picture today with the Wellington CBD water level at 2 degrees global warming (I guess above pre-industrial level), it will definitely be car-free at some point… the businesses might still blame "The Greens" for it when it happens even it was all the polluting cars, which – as far as I can tell – mainly give a shit about the businesses in the CBD, as they just travel through.
Only good for me today is knowing Jesus just got one of the Good ones.
Our Father in heaven,
Lo matou Tamä e, oi le lagi,
hallowed be thy name.
ia paia lou suafa
Thy kingdom come.
Ia o’o mai lou malo
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Ia faia lou finagalo, i le lalolagi e pei ona faia i le lagi
Give us this day our daily bread
Ia e foa’i mai ia te’i matou i le aso nei a matou mea’ai e tatau ma le aso
and forgive us our trespasses,
Ia e fa’amagalo ia te’i matou ia matou agasala,
as we forgive
e pei o i matou foi ona matou fa’amagaloina atu
those who trespass against us.
i e ua agaleaga mai ia te i matou.
and lead us not into temptation,
aua fo’i e te ta’ita’iina i matou i le fa’aosoosoga,
but deliver us from evil.
a ia e lavea’i ia i matou ai le leaga.
For thine is the Kingdom,
Auä e ou le malo,
the power, and the glory
ma le mana, atoa ma le viiga,
forever and ever, Amen.
e faavavau, faavavau lava, Amene.
Ua malolo nei Efeso faatasi ma le Leoleo Mamoe Lelei.
Efeso is resting now with the Good Shepherd.