There was a NZ scientist who contributed to the WHO guidelines for exactly that It was removed in the final guidelines by the sugar industry. They are a powerful beast who are likely still crying over the abolition of slavery.
The removal of the maximum was important as it shifted the responsibility for less sugar in food from the manufacturer to the consumer. The industry can kick into action pretty quickly when they want.
"The sugar industry in the US is threatening to bring the World Health Organisation to its knees by demanding that Congress end its funding unless the WHO scraps guidelines on healthy eating, due to be published on Wednesday.
The threat is being described by WHO insiders as tantamount to blackmail and worse than any pressure exerted by the tobacco lobby.
The industry is furious at the guidelines, which say that sugar should account for no more than 10% of a healthy diet. It claims that the review by international experts which decided on the 10% limit is scientifically flawed, insisting that other evidence indicates that a quarter of our food and drink intake can safely consist of sugar."
And of course there was the true conspiracy to blame fat.
The sugar-funded project in question was a literature review, examining a variety of studies and experiments. It suggested there were major problems with all the studies that implicated sugar, and concluded that cutting fat out of American diets was the best way to address coronary heart disease.
For one thing, there's motivation and intent. In 1954, the researchers note, the president of the SRF gave a speech describing a great business opportunity.
If Americans could be persuaded to eat a lower-fat diet — for the sake of their health — they would need to replace that fat with something else. America's per capita sugar consumption could go up by a third."
which raises another question. How to help kids transition off sugar. And how to ensure kids get adequate nutrients especially where nutrient deficiency underlies sugar cravings.
I'm not pretending to have all the answers but food in schools done properly would be part of the solution.
By properly I mean food cooked in-house or another school or high school. Not this neo liberal subcontracting food for profit carry on we have currently.
Both Japan and France offer great models we could aspire to.
have you ever hard stopped eating all sugars when you've been eating them daily for a long time? It's not pleasant. And even if that was ok, the impact on behaviours at school is an issue.
Frankly, one might more reasonably ask can NZ survive if kiwi rail don’t exit the cook straight? Quite happy for them to Choo Choo a few trains up and down the country when we have trucks as a realistic alternative. Meanwhile with their proven unreliability on the straight, maybe time for some one else to have a go.
Train services in the UK are appalling. We were there late last year and of the 8 or so train journeys we did only one was anything like comfortable and on time. It does not matter if you have booked seats or not – if your train is cancelled (often because of driver shortages) then you are thrown into the melee.
The trains that do go are horrendously overcrowded – we got one from York to Manchester that was full to the doors and the air conditioning had failed. The only fresh air was that which came in during the less than a minute dwell times at the stations. Two days later a driver refused to take a Manchester train out of Euston station because it was so overcrowded it was not safe.
We had another booked journey for a direct route from Manchester to Birmingham which was cancelled at the last minute and we were redirected to a change at Crewe and another change at Tamworth. It took 3 times the journey time and we had to stand on an outdoor platform at Tamworth for 30 minutes between connections.
If you are older and have luggage it can be very distressing to deal with. If we go back there again – we will travel intercity by coach. It may take longer, but they stow luggage properly and you actually get the seats you book.
We did the same sort of journeys in 2019 without so much drama. Our overall impression of England this time is that nothing seems to work properly.
The local CO-OP supermarket in Leeds regularly ran out of baskets as people would come into the store, fill them up, and just walk out without paying, basket and all. The shop staff were not going to put themselves at risk stopping them.
We certainly did not want to go out at night at all.
John Major, who idiotically privatised British Rail, splitting it into numerous uncoordinated and self-interested private companies, has much to answer for.
Enabling a privately owned monopoly, unable to efficiently shift freight off rail, would be of an effort to end rail freight and give road trucking a monopoly.
There would need to be an investigation of the connections between this government and all involved in this industry for corruption on a grand scale.
Rentier capitalism is the economic model of choice for NZ's decadent new right aristocracy. Our captains of industry would love nothing better than investing in a private sector shipping company that charges monopoly rents to cross Cook Strait while offering a level of service and safety that would make the owners of the MV Doña Paz uneasy.
Leaving aside the ability of Kiwi Rail to provided ongoing service across Cook Strait, there's got to be some Government control / regulation of the service. It is a vital single point link on SH 1, and just a bit important the Country's economy.
Down here we found out just how important that link was when it got disrupted by the Kaikoura earthquakes and covid, freight rates went through the roof and delivery / supply became patchy at best.
The current link through Picton is a legacy of 1940's thinking and maybe could be reviewed, but there's been many alternatives that haven't survived or made it of the plans. So Picton is probably the best option we've got.
But it's dangerous political waters for any party that wants to try and fuck with. Empty or expensive supermarket shelves and businesses closing or moving north because of freight issues won't go down well at elections. A lot of the South is quite marginal electorally and seats and party vote can and does switch abruptly. Nicola and Simion will have to come up with a solid plan to ensure an adequate and affordable service across Cook Strait or there'll be a lot of their voters asking some very impertinent questions.
at a guess, a deposit is required so banks don't lose money if there is a mortgagee sale. Which seems a bit daft given how much property prices increase, but it's probably not going to change.
Finance and extend coverage of the, currently over-subscribed, Kāinga Ora shared ownership scheme.
What is Shared Ownership?
Shared ownership means that you initially share ownership of the home with a third party who purchases the home with you (in this case Kāinga Ora). You are the majority homeowner and occupier, but we will own a share in the home, that you will buy out over time.
The make-up of shared ownership will be determined by several factors, including:
How much of a deposit you have
How much a participating lender is willing to lend you
How much contribution Kāinga Ora will make towards purchasing the home with you.
For example, you may have saved 10% of the purchase price of a home and a participating bank is willing to lend you 75%. Kāinga Ora then contributes 15% to purchase the home with you in return for a 15% share of ownership in the home.
“””A subprime mortgage is generally a loan that is meant to be offered to prospective borrowers with impaired credit records. The higher interest rate is intended to compensate the lender for accepting the greater risk in lending to such borrowers.””
You might have the wrong definition it would appear
After reading and watching Michael Lewis's The Big Short as well as others I can assure you Alwyn is wrong.
Brokers were renowned for NINJA loans. No Income No Job but that didn't stop them being signed up for mortgages.
You often hear parasites landlords regurgitate the refrain "the tenants can't afford a mortgage", when it is clear the tenant can afford the landlord's mortgage and rates and insurance and…
You say it was "No Income No Job". Why did you leave out the final bit that was No Assets? What is a no deposit loan but a loan to someone who has no assets?
Next May, New Zealand will catch up with Europe, Australia and the UK when open banking launches through ANZ, BNZ, ASB and Westpac — with Kiwibank to follow in 2026. The difference here is that the banks themselves are handling this transition, and not everyone is happy about it.
It was genuinely scary to cull through the docs leaked from Russia’s Education Ministry. They force deported Ukrainian kids into an indoctrination course — and carry out surveillance on those who’re not instilled with “Russian identity” quickly enough.
“The idea that Ukrainian children are potential terrorists looms over our conversations. We’re not morons — we realize that Russia didn’t come to Ukraine with ‘peace and kindness,’” the ministry source told Meduza.
Tarras International Airport in Central Otago may well be applied for any day now under the new fast track legislation. Simian will doubtless wave it through and there will be nothing the fine folk of Godzone will be able to do to stop it.
I'm with you there Jeremy….I will be helping the people of Tarras (I know some of them) if the fast-track starts.
While direct action is unlikely (IMHO) to influence somebody like Simeon Brown (who doesn’t give a toss about climate change), turning Tarras and the fast-track process into a major NZ-wide issue could help the Left win in 2026.
The Happiness survey was taken between the years 2021-2023 when NZ was happily continuing as usual under lockdown while the rest of the world (apart from WA) was being disrupted by masses of covid cases and millions of covid related deaths.
My understanding is that this is what TOP tried to do…..
Basically, it seems to be 'too hard' to shift the electorate from the familiar parties – to trying something new – in the short term.
Suspect that it requires multiple elections and decades, to actually gain enough traction to even be a contender to make a difference.
The trajectory of the Green Party rather illustrates the point.
An electoral answer would be to move the dial on the vote percentage required for election – down to 1-2%. Which would enable some of these minor parties to get into parliament – and (potentially) into government as part of a coalition. Once you're in parliament, you have a much greater chance of the support/funding required to increase the size of your representation.
ATM – it's much easier to finagle the electoral rules in order to gain an electorate seat, than it is to rely on party vote (David Seymour for ACT and Jim Anderton for New Labour are both examples of this happening).
There are downsides to reducing the threshold – in terms of making coalitions more difficult to form, and the risk of the tail wagging the dog. We see examples of both in Europe – when it can take months to form a government, and minor parties often wield influence far greater than the numbers.
So is there any political party that you think has a fresh kit of ideas?
Or does one have to spring from the brow of Zeus?
The point that I was making is that – unlike you – the electorate doesn't seem to get very excited over new and innovative policies and new and untried parties.
Many are there in our own history. From my post back in 2010.
These are the sorts of policies that if espoused by a party would get my vote.
1. The principle of an egalitarian society with all citizens being looked after and supported
2. A clear statement that an increasing gap between the top and the bottom is not to be desired due to the negative social impacts. That the country should move forward as a whole.
3, A fair days work for a fair days pay. The 8 hour working day and the 40 hour working week should be re-instated. Anyone working more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week should be paid time and a half. Salaries – by which some employers currently use to get around the minimum wage rules – should be set a a minimum equivalent of 40 hours per week X 120% of the minimum wage.
4. Benefit rates should be increased immediately by the $20-00 per week cut made years ago. Labour should be deeply embarrassed by reinstating this for NZS but not for benefits.
5. Government should undertake as part of their social commitment to provide jobs for young people and people with disabilities – particularly in times of recession. Government Departments should be funded specifically for this. The private sector should be supported to provide jobs for people with significant disabilities by having their health / productivty assessed on a 3 yearly basis and having the difference between the productivity assessment and the Invalids Benefit paid to the employer – until the person turns 65 and qualifies for NZS if need be. Workers must be paid at least the minimum wage.
6. All shop trading should cease on Sundays from 12:00 pm so workers all have half a day a week to spend with their families. This includes bars. This will also be positive for people running small businesses who have currently little choice but to open because their big competitors are.
7. Alcohol should not be able to be sold in dairies and similar outlets.
8. Gambling machines except in the casinos should be banned – this includes pubs and RSA’s.
9. A clear progressive tax system should be implemented with the proviso each year that 20% of any surplus should be returned to all tax payers in equal shares as a lump sum payment.
10. Depreciation should be clearly removed as a tax deduction. The basic principle should be to claim your costs when you actually incur them.
11. All employers can claim a flat $500-00 per year per employee for costs associated with keeping employees motivated – social clubs, Christmas and staff functions etc. No other costs beyond this can be claimed as a taxable expense. This puts all workers and all employers on an even footing.
12. Families with non-working or part-time working partners ( less than say $15,000 per annum) should be able to split their income for tax purposes.
13. Family Benefit should be re-introduced so all people with children get this assistance regardless of income. Raising children should be valued.
Multiple reviews of Aotearoa NZ's MMP voting system have recommended decreasing the 5% party vote threshold – presumably they had their reasons.
But these recommendations have not been followed – funny that
Reducing the electoral threshold would automatically reduce the significance of the major parties – of course they're not going to agree.
NZ's major political parties didn't particularly relish the idea of MMP either:
The politicians respond
Few of Labour's leaders welcomed the commission's recommendations, however, and the government tried to sideline the issue. Although National's leadership also disliked the idea of MMP, they saw an opportunity to embarrass the government over its failure to respond to the commission's proposals.
And yet here we are, with an arguably fairer, more progressive and more popular voting system.
Perhaps then the fairest way to establish whether our MMP system should adopt recommended tweeks would be via indicative and binding referendums, similar to those that ushered in MMP in the first place.
In response to submitter feedback to the second consultation, we reconsidered whether a four per cent or three per cent party vote threshold would strike a better balance between a representative parliament and an effective parliament. We acknowledge the strong arguments in favour of each option, and we note these below. https://electoralreview.govt.nz/assets/PDF/Independent-Electoral-Review-Final-Report-November-2023.pdf
I find that your last point is the one holding most sway with people.
They're perfectly happy to consider 4 years terms, so long as 'their' party (or at least a government they can live with) is in power. But when the roles are reversed, 3 years is too long.
Fun fact: For the first 25 years, New Zealand's parliamentry term was five years. The term was reduced to three years in 1879, and since then has only been altered (increased/prolonged) on three occasions.
The major challenges that fully democractic countries are facing on overshoot spaceship Earth will likely bring those in genuine need, not to mention inconvenienced well-to-do moaners, more to the fore, and that won’t favour longer parliamentary terms, imho.
Still, major global challenges might just knit us together – dreams are free.
NZ GDP rose 0.6% for the year ending December 2023. This is far from the end of the world.
Switzerland, Canada, Norway, Italy Austria and the Netherlands were all predicted to have growth of less than 1% in 2023 and the OECD was only predicted to grow 1.4%.
Is there any remaining vulnerable group for these tory scum to attack and demean? They have had a go at state tenants, school kids lunches, endangered animal species, low paid workers, and now disabled…
Fightback time people, haunt these fuckers whenever they appear in public. And, if public housing tenants are evicted they should consider occupying the nearest “ghost houses” or even empty commercial property–there should be enough so affected to stretch the cops resources–who have also got a kicking from Mercenary Mitchell over their wages and conditions.
Restricting Free Prescriptions is another negative measure…
[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.]
[you are starting to look like a troll. I suggest you figure out how things work here and up your game with regard to political discussion and debate rather than this lazy slur politics. Feel free to ask if you are unclear – weka]
National and the Reserve Bank have been talking the country into a recession for at least a year.
And real business confidence, as reflected by investment in plant and staff, not the perceptions held by the delusional, in the near future is non existent, with the Coalition of Chaos's intentions to remove even more wealth/spending from the internal economy. Ruthanasia reprise!
Why are you surprised that we are now getting one.
yes, because we have looked up their history on TS and know it is already in the public domain. That's not doxxing.
I have no idea what you were talking about and what you were referring to, because you didn't say and you provided zero context or links. Why is this difficult to understand?
you made vague claims about a current commenter, including references to having an affair and another blog. I still have no idea what you were on about. You could easily have been doxxing. Seriously, you need to stop and listen to what I am saying here.
If you had backed up all the things you were saying at the start we wouldn't be having this conversation.
The reference to Red Alert was to her apparent form – connecting trainspotting with attacks on Labour economics after they leave office since … (as old as that bygone era).
I think you’ve taken aim at a target and ended up shooting yourself in foot.
This Rose at least only became aware of this site in the past 18 months. This rose was living in the UK in the timeframe you mentioned and blissfully unconcerned with NZ politics at that time.
Nice try but no cigar m.
[Please fix the same typo again in your email address in your next comment, thanks – Incognito]
In relation to your second paragraph. Yes. I’ve taken dozens of trips on UK trains each year for the past 31 years.
In relation to your other accusations, in your mind you think you’ve found a smoking gun. I know for a fact you are 100% incorrect, but there you have it. I leave you with the thoughts in your own head.
Last week, a bill that proposes to abolish the ratepayers roll – which allows people who own properties in multiple council areas to vote in local elections in each of those areas – was drawn from the parliament biscuit tin. Shanti Mathias explains.
it's hard to know how to manage that one. If you own a holiday home in another area, or even a rental in another area, it's understandable that you want a vote in the election of the people who determine things like rates, rules around housing and such.
Maybe cap it at two properties?
Also, are the left now arguing one person, one vote?
Also, are the left now arguing one person, one vote?
That was rimmer.
“ACT will restore democracy to local government. All New Zealanders are alike in dignity and this should be reflected in our institutions. We will repeal undemocratic Māori wards and re-establish one person, one vote to local elections.”
It's important to note that it doesn't matter how much property you own within a single local government area, you only get one vote.
It's only where you own property in two different local government areas, that you get to vote in both.
The majority of people who are affected by this are not landlords (who tend to own their properties in a single city) – it's people with a holiday home or bach.
Even the article says this isn’t a significant issue (as in most people don’t bother to enrol, even though they’re eligible) – it’s rather a matter of philosophical ‘fairness’.
I should have thought the Labour Party had significantly more important issues to address…. [Yes, I know it’s a private members bill – but a bit more thought into what bills go into the biscuit tin, wouldn’t go amiss]
There is also nothing in the legislation preventing the putative Machiavellian multiple-property owner from declaring their primary residence to be in the holiday-home area where they want to influence the outcome.
A 30-year battle over a Coromandel skate park between locals and bach owners that involved “dirty tricks”, “bribery” and accusations of nimbyism has reached its conclusion in court.
The community and waterfront property owners had been pitted against each other over a skate park in Tairua’s Cory Park Domain, near the estuary.
A High Court judge has this week dismissed the request for a judicial review, mounted by Preserve Cory Park Domain Inc. This group, many of whom were from Auckland, opposed the park for its proximity to houses, potential noise, anti-social behaviour and sanitary fears about toileting.
That's how some of them behave. Do you equally condemn all Kainga Ora residents because some are anti-social?
Note the word 'many' in the article – which implies that at least some who oppose the development are permanent residents.
It sounds like NIMBYism – not wanting their nice peaceful waterfront area to be contaminated by nasty skateboarding yoof. The fact that some are owners of holiday homes is a bit of a red herring.
And the proposed legislation still wouldn't resolve this – as the out of towners could declare their holiday home their primary residence for electoral purposes.
Nor would it prevent property owners taking cases to the High Court (you don't need to be a resident to do this)
"MPI has wide-reaching responsibilities. It was tasked with growing and sustaining primary industries such as farming, forestry, fishing, wine and food production."
"It also employed fisheries officers, responsible for patrolling marine protection areas and checking quotas.
Its (sic) also employed Biosecurity officers at airports and ports, who check for invasive pests and disease which could decimate the primary industries. With cuts also confirmed at Customs, that meant there would be fewer people protecting the border by the end of the year."
As long as those wallowing in the gains from tax cuts don't start grizzling about the wheels falling off somewhere in the system. There's plenty of scope thereconsidering the range of areas covered.
Dollars to donuts a certain former PM knew about this.
A foreign agency ran a spy operation out of New Zealand’s Government Communications Security Bureau for years without the government knowing.
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security has revealed this in an investigation out on Thursday.
It has found the GCSB knew when it agreed to host the signals intelligence system it could be used to support "military operations by foreign partners".
"The capability clearly had the potential to be used, in conjunction with other intelligence sources, to support military action against targets," the report by IGIS Brendan Horsley said.
The system operated from 2013 until 2020, when it was stopped by an equipment failure.
But government ministers were not told despite the agency knowing how sensitive it was.
EU ambassador to New Zealand Lawrence Meredith said the deal had the “highest approval rating” of any free trade deal in the European Parliament, which had already ratified it.
“We think that's an excellent deal for both sides.
“We're see big economic opportunities for European Union businesses and I would look in particular at the investment area and infrastructure. We're looking forward to the Government's upcoming privatisation of public infrastructure.
"We believe that on the EU side there's opportunities on wind energy, wind turbines, but potentially in other areas of major infrastructure.“
Way past time we had some serious labour support actions. Strikes, protests, demos, whatever. Clearly, under this government, working people are screwed. Labour Party please take note.
Last time we got up on our hind legs, more than a few were ready to blather on about nazi's, freedumb, foreign right wing interference, death threats and repeat the rivers of filth moniker.
Better take that energy and organise, and look out and care for those that have been screwed over.
I've pointed out previously you can only legally strike at the end of a contract and unions keep negotiating three year contracts. They need to start exerting a bit more power through one year contracts. Why the fuck you would limit your only strength to being able to be exercised only once every three years I don't know.
(There are a few exceptions for health and safety reasons)
Even the strike process is convoluted. Labour of course did sweet FA about strengthening the right to strike that we used to have eg going on strike to support other unions.
"Let’s say one union covers the employees of one workplace, and they share a collective agreement. Before any strike takes place, the following things need to happen:.
The union needs to gather its members to vote on whether they should ask for more money, or begin ‘bargaining’ with the employer.
Wait until there is three months or less before the last agreement expires, then ask the employer to begin bargaining.
Once bargaining begins – something that can be full day affairs – it needs to pass the 40-day mark.
The union then needs to go back to its members and ask for a majority vote on whether they should strike.
The union then writes to the employer and Government to tell them it’s keen to strike, what the strike would look like, where it will happen and how to end it.
Workers may then serve a notice period before the strike begins, depending on what kind of work they’re in. For essential services, that could be up to 28 days."
I'm still waiting for Darien Fenton to give me an example of getting people to go on strike during the period of a contract.
“I always said to workers who wanted to strike, go for it. Why do you need the law or a government to tell you it's okay?”
Give me one example where your advice resulted in workers striking during the term of their contract. Every strike I have seen has been on expired contracts.
In Roger Douglas's own words.
"We now have fixed term contracts. All contracts are now for a fixed term, determined by the parties to the contract. During the term of the contract, it is illegal to have a strike or lockout against the provisions of the contract."
In NZ it is illegal to strike for any other reason than the negotiation of an expired employment contract. And only the workers directly involved can strike.
Supposedly, you can also strike for safety reasons.
An infringement on human rights, to withdraw your labour. One of the reasons why Finland, for example, is a much happier country. Mind you, like us, for some inexplicable reason they have voted for right wing Government that wants to remove those rights.
Nor in this analysis of the comparative results of the happiness survey (why are the Finns so much happier than the Norwegians – given the same social outcomes?)
Meanwhile, this slightly older article explores whether the Finns really are 'happy' or just have more limited horizons – which comes right back to the cultural argument (BTW, the right to strike doesn't appear here, either)
Note that Parnell was not an employee – he was an independent contractor. And thus perfectly able (under the existing laws, let alone today's ones) to negotiate his hours of work, and pay.
He didn't strike. He simply didn't accept contracts which didn't meet his requirements.
In order for someone to strike they need to be employed.
Parnell simply did not accept contracts which required more than 8 hour days.
It's an interesting legal question over whether an independent contractor is a 'firm'. I'm inclined to think that they are not for the purposes of the Commerce Act. Which is designed to prevent chain supermarkets or petrol colluding to keep prices high (how well it works is another question).
Nothing in the current law prevents a self-employed contractor (a builder or a plumber, for example) deciding their hours of work stop at 2pm on a Friday (for example) and going fishing for the rest of the day.
They are either paid for the job (and it's up to them how they allocate time to it during the week) or by the hour (and, again, they can juggle their hours to suit their own circumstances).
I do agree that there is a very strong temptation – especially when there is a lot of work around, and a desire to pay off the mortgage quickly – to pack in as many hours as possible; but there is nothing in the legislation requiring or preventing this.
If a Telecoms "contractor" individually refused to work it is a breach of contract. Illegal.
If they all clubbed together and refused to work asking for more pay.
It is not only breach of contract, but also "collusion to limit output. Both illegal. Under the commerce act and "contract" law. What Purnell and the builders in Wellington did to gain an 8 hour day, could these days wind up in court.
Ergo. They do not have a legal right to "withdraw their labour".
Same with employees. Striking, except in very limited circumstances is illegal.
A human right accepted in most democratic countries is illegal in NZ.
the right to strike is a fundamental one enshrined in international human rights and labour law, and that its protection is necessary in ensuring just, stable and democratic societies:
The new right leaning Finnish Government wants to head the same way. Which, like NZ, will led to increasing inequality and reduced social cohesion, with all the detrimental effects we have seen here. If it is enacted, we will again see a counter example of how effective Unions increase social wellbeing. In the decreasing Happiness.
You clearly didn't bother reading or understand, either.
It is not possible to 'strike' unless you are employed.
Refusing to bid on a contract (because you don't like the terms or remunderation) is not a strike.
I'm not arguing about the rest of your points – and whether or not striking or withdrawal of labour is justified – just that Parnell did not implement a strike. He set the ground-rules for him to accept a contract. The two are very different things.
Strike wave in Finland—a legacy of trust in transition? [13 Feb 2024]
The strike wave in Finland is not only a symptom of this upheaval. It also demonstrates that the changes being pushed through by the government may not only erode the core content of workers’ rights but also endanger a trust-based social model.
Endangering a trust-based social model suits some more than others, at least in the short-to-medium term, but no-one wins in the long run. I'm grateful the TEU had my back when I encountered a particularly rough 'pocket of turbulence' in the workplace.
Attacks on trade union rights in Finland – the fight goes on
[14 March 2024]
Strikes and protests have resumed in Finland this week as Finnish unions across the spectrum keep up the pressure on the Orpo government to withdraw its highly controversial proposals to liberalise the labour market. The main aims of the reform are to decentralise collective bargaining, weaken the right to strike and allow more precarious employment.
SPC, I've dumped the whole thread in Trash because I don't have time for this. Again, if you had done these two things with your first comment, there wouldn't have been a problem (assuming you weren't doxxing)
provide links to back up what you were saying
explained what you were meaning.
However, on the face of it, I've not seen evidence that demonstrates the two commenters are the same. You are guessing. I don't know why, but just leave it alone now please.
also, I don't read every comment on this site. In future, link to every comment you are referring to. Onus is on you do the work. I'm trying to finish a post, you know, the reason the site exists.
Normally you ask people to change names, if they are using the name of an existing commentator. Did this not happen because the name Rose, went to Christine Rose and then to Compass Rose and then back to Rose?
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Years of hard work finally paid off last week as the country’s biggest and most important transport project, the City Rail Link reached a major milestone with the first test train making its way slowly though the tunnels for the first time. This is a fantastic achievement and it is ...
Engineers are pleading for the Government to free up funds to restart stalled projects. File Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, February 17 are:Engineering New Zealand CEO Richard Templer said yesterday hundreds of ...
It’s one of New Zealand’s great sustaining myths: the spirit of ANZAC, our mates across the ditch, the spirit of Earl’s Court, Antipodeans united against the world. It is also a myth; it is not reality. That much was clear from a series of speakers, including a former Australian Prime ...
Many people have been unsatisfied for years that things have not improved for them, some as individuals, many more however because their families are clearly putting in more work, for less money – and certainly far less purchase on society. This general discontent has grown exponentially since the GFC. ...
A listing of 34 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 9, 2025 thru Sat, February 15, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
The Salvation Army’s State of the Nation report shows worsening food poverty and housing shortages mean more than 400,000 people now need welfare support, the highest level since the 1990s. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in our political economy around housing, climate and ...
You're just too too obscure for meOh you don't really get through to meAnd there's no need for you to talk that wayIs there any less pessimistic things to say?Songwriters: Graeme DownesToday, I thought we’d take a look at some of the most cringe-inducing moments from last week, but don’t ...
Please note: I’ve delayed my “What can we do?” article for this video.The video above shows Destiny Church members assaulting staff and librarians as they pushed through to a room of terrified parents and young children.It was posted to social media last night.But if you read Sinead Boucher’s Stuff, you ...
Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline. Is sea level rise exaggerated? Sea levels are rising at an accelerating rate, not stagnating or decreasing. Warming global temperatures cause land ice ...
Here is a scenario, but first a historical parallel. Hitler and the Nazis could well have accomplished everything that they wanted to do within German borders, including exterminating Jews, so long as they confined their ambitious to Germany itself. After all, the world pretty much sat and watched as the ...
I’ve spent the last couple of days in Hamilton covering Waikato University’s annual NZ Economics Forum, where (arguably) three of the most influential people in our political economy right now laid out their thinking in major speeches about the size and role of Government, their views on for spending, tax ...
Simeon Brown’s Ideology BentSimeon Brown once told Kiwis he tries to represent his deep sense of faith by interacting “with integrity”.“It’s important that there’s Christians in Parliament…and from my perspective, it’s great to be a Christian in Parliament and to bring that perspective to [laws, conversations and policies].”And with ...
Severe geological and financial earthquakes are inevitable. We just don’t know how soon and how they will play out. Are we putting the right effort into preparing for them?Every decade or so the international economy has a major financial crisis. We cannot predict exactly when or exactly how it will ...
Questions1. How did Old Mate Grabaseat describe his soon-to-be-Deputy-PM’s letter to police advocating for Philip Polkinghorne?a.Ill-advisedb.A perfect letterc.A letter that will live in infamyd.He had me at hello2. What did Seymour say in response?a.What’s ill-advised is commenting when you don’t know all the facts and ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff has called on OJI Fibre Solutions to work with the government, unions, and the community before closing the Kinleith Paper Mill. “OJI has today announced 230 job losses in what will be a devastating blow for the community. OJI needs to work with ...
NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is sounding the alarm about the latest attack on workers from Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden, who is ignoring her own officials to pursue reckless changes that would completely undermine the personal grievance system. “Brooke van Velden’s changes will ...
Hi,When I started writing Webworm in 2020, I wrote a lot about the conspiracy theories that were suddenly invading our Twitter timelines and Facebook feeds. Four years ago a reader, John, left this feedback under one of my essays:It’s a never ending labyrinth of lunacy which, as you have pointed ...
And if you said this life ain't good enoughI would give my world to lift you upI could change my life to better suit your moodBecause you're so smoothAnd it's just like the ocean under the moonOh, it's the same as the emotion that I get from youYou got the ...
Aotearoa remains the minority’s birthright, New Zealand the majority’s possession. WAITANGI DAY commentary see-saws manically between the warmly positive and the coldly negative. Many New Zealanders consider this a good thing. They point to the unexamined patriotism of July Fourth and Bastille Day celebrations, and applaud the fact that the ...
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: and on the week in geopolitics, including the latest from Donald Trump’s administration over Gaza and Ukraine; on the ...
Up until now, the prevailing coalition view of public servants was that there were simply too many of them. But yesterday the new Public Service Commissioner, handpicked by the Luxon Government, said it was not so much numbers but what they did and the value they produced that mattered. Sir ...
In a moment we explore the question: What is Andrew Bayly wanting to tell ACC, and will it involve enjoying a small wine tasting and then telling someone to fuck off? But first, for context, a broader one: What do we look for in a government?Imagine for a moment, you ...
As expected, Donald Trump just threw Ukraine under the bus, demanding that it accept Russia's illegal theft of land, while ruling out any future membership of NATO. Its a colossal betrayal, which effectively legitimises Russia's invasion, while laying the groundwork for the next one. But Trump is apparently fine with ...
A ballot for a single member's bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Employment Relations (Collective Agreements in Triangular Relationships) Amendment Bill (Adrian Rurawhe) The bill would extend union rights to employees in triangular relationships, where they are (nominally) employed by one party, but ...
This is a guest post by George Weeks, reviewing a book called ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin AshtonBook review: ‘How to Fly a Horse’ by Kevin Ashton (2015) – and what it means for Auckland. The title of this article might unnerve any Greater Auckland ...
This story was originally published by Capital & Main and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story. Within just a week, the sheer devastation of the Los Angeles wildfires has pushed to the fore fundamental questions about the impact of the climate crisis that have been ...
In this world, it's just usYou know it's not the same as it wasSongwriters: Harry Edward Styles / Thomas Edward Percy Hull / Tyler Sam JohnsonYesterday, I received a lovely message from Caty, a reader of Nick’s Kōrero, that got me thinking. So I thought I’d share it with you, ...
In past times a person was considered “unserious” or “not a serious” person if they failed to grasp, behave and speak according to the solemnity of the context in which they were located. For example a serious person does not audibly pass gas at Church, or yell “gun” at a ...
Long stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Thursday, February 13 are:The coalition Government’s early 2024 ‘fiscal emergency’ freeze on funding, planning and building houses, schools, local roads and hospitals helped extend and deepen the economic and jobs recession through calendar ...
For obvious reasons, people feel uneasy when the right to be a citizen is sold off to wealthy foreigners. Even selling the right to residency seems a bit dubious, when so many migrants who are not millionaires get turned away or are made to jump through innumerable hoops – simply ...
A new season of White Lotus is nearly upon us: more murder mystery, more sumptuous surroundings, more rich people behaving badly.Once more we get to identify with the experience of the pampered tourist or perhaps the poorly paid help; there's something in White Lotus for all New Zealanders.And unlike the ...
In 2016, Aotearoa shockingly plunged to fourth place in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index. Nine years later, and we're back there again: New Zealand has seen a further slip in its global ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). [...] In the latest CPI New Zealand's score ...
1. You’ve started ranking your politicians on how much they respect the rule of law2. You’ve stopped paying attention to those news publications3. You’ve developed a sudden interest in a particular period of history4. More and more people are sounding like your racist, conspiracist uncle.5. Someone just pulled a Nazi ...
Transforming New Zealand: Brian EastonBrian Easton will discuss the above topic at 2/57 Willis Street, Wellington at 5:30pm on Tuesday 26 February at 2/57 Willis Street, WellingtonThe sub-title to the above is "Why is the Left failing?" Brian Easton's analysis is based on his view that while the ...
Salvation Army’s State of the Nation 2025 report highlights falling living standards, the highest unemployment rates since the 1990s and half of all Pacific children going without food. There are reports of hundreds if not thousands of people are applying for the same jobs in the wake of last year’s ...
Mountain Tui is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Correction: On the article The Condundrum of David Seymour, Luke Malpass conducted joint reviews with Bryce Wilkinson, the architect of the Regulatory Standards Bill - not Bryce Edwards. The article ...
Tomorrow the council’s Transport, Resilience and Infrastructure Committee meet and agenda has a few interesting papers. Council’s Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport Every year the council provide a Letter of Expectation to Auckland Transport which is part of the process for informing AT of the council’s priorities and ...
All around in my home townThey're trying to track me down, yeahThey say they want to bring me in guiltyFor the killing of a deputyFor the life of a deputySongwriter: Robert Nesta Marley.Support Nick’s Kōrero today with a 20% discount on a paid subscription to receive all my newsletters directly ...
Hi,I think all of us have probably experienced the power of music — that strange, transformative thing that gets under our skin and helps us experience this whole life thing with some kind of sanity.Listening and experiencing music has always been such a huge part of my life, and has ...
Business frustration over the stalled economy is growing, and only 34% of voters are confidentNicola Willis can deliver. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, February 12 are:Business frustration is growing about a ...
I have now lived long enough to see a cabinet minister go both barrels on their Prime Minister and not get sacked.It used to be that the PM would have a drawer full of resignations signed by ministers on the day of their appointment, ready for such an occasion. But ...
This session will feature Simon McCallum, Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Computer Science (VUW) and recent Labour Party candidate in the Southland Electorate talking about some of the issues around AI and how this should inform Labour Party policy. Simon is an excellent speaker with a comprehensive command of AI ...
The proposed Waimate garbage incinerator is dead: The company behind a highly-controversial proposal to build a waste-to-energy plant in the Waimate District no longer has the land. [...] However, SIRRL director Paul Taylor said the sales and purchase agreement to purchase land from Murphy Farms, near Glenavy, lapsed at ...
The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been a vital tool in combatting international corruption. It forbids US companies and citizens from bribing foreign public officials anywhere in the world. And its actually enforced: some of the world's biggest companies - Siemens, Hewlett Packard, and Bristol Myers Squibb - have ...
December 2024 photo - with UK Tory Boris Johnson (Source: Facebook)Those PollsFor hours, political poll results have resounded across political hallways and commentary.According to the 1News Verizon poll, 50% of the country believe we are heading in the “wrong direction”, while 39% believe we are “on the right track”.The left ...
A Tai Rāwhiti mill that ran for 30 years before it was shut down in late 2023 is set to re-open in the coming months, which will eventually see nearly 300 new jobs in the region. A new report from Massey University shows that pensioners are struggling with rising costs. ...
As support continues to fall, Luxon also now faces his biggest internal ructions within the coalition since the election, with David Seymour reacting badly to being criticised by the PM. File photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Not since 1988 when Richard Prebble openly criticised David Lange have we seen such a challenge to a Prime Minister as that of David Seymour to Christopher Luxon last night. Prebble suggested Lange had mental health issues during a TV interview and was almost immediately fired. Seymour hasn’t gone quite ...
Three weeks in, and the 24/7 news cycle is not helping anyone feel calm and informed about the second Trump presidency. One day, the US is threatening 25% trade tariffs on its friends and neighbours. The reasons offered by the White House are absurd, such as stopping fentanyl coming in ...
This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any). Wherever you look, you'll hear headlines claiming we've passed 1.5 degrees of global warming. And while 2024 saw ...
Photo by Heather M. Edwards on UnsplashHere’s the key news, commentary, reports and debate around Aotearoa’s politics and economy in the week to Feb 10 below. That’s ahead of live chats on the Substack App and The Kākā’s front page on Substack at 5pm with: on his column in The ...
Is there anyone in the world the National Party loves more than a campaign donor? Why yes, there is! They will always have the warmest hello and would you like to slip into something more comfortable for that great god of our age, the High Net Worth Individual.The words the ...
Waste and fraud certainly exist in foreign aid programs, but rightwing celebration of USAID’s dismantling shows profound ignorance of the value of soft power (as opposed to hard power) in projecting US influence and interests abroad by non-military/coercive means (think of “hearts and minds,” “hugs, not bullets,” “honey versus vinegar,” ...
Health New Zealand is proposing to cut almost half of its data and digital positions – more than 1000 of them. The PSA has called on the Privacy Commissioner to urgently investigate the cuts due to the potential for serious consequences for patients. NZNO is calling for an urgent increase ...
We may see a few more luxury cars on Queen Street, but a loosening of rules to entice rich foreigners to invest more here is unlikely to “turbocharge our economic growth”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong stories short, the top six things in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate ...
Let us not dance daintily around the elephant in the room. Our politicians who serve us in the present are not honest, certainly not as honest as they should be, and while the right are taking out most of the trophies for warping narratives and literally redefining “facts”, the kiwi ...
A few weeks ago I took a look at public transport ridership in 2024. In today’s post I’m going to be looking a bit deeper at bus ridership. Buses make up the vast majority of ridership in Auckland with 70 million boardings last year out of a total of 89.4 ...
Oh, you know I did itIt's over and I feel fineNothing you could say is gonna change my mindWaited and I waited the longest nightNothing like the taste of sweet declineSongwriters: Chris Shiflett / David Eric Grohl / Nate Mendel / Taylor Hawkins.Hindsight is good, eh?The clarity when the pieces ...
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on UnsplashHere’s what we’re watching in the week to February 16 and beyond in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty:Monday, February 10The Kākā’s weekly wrap-up of news about politics and the economy is due at midday, followed by webinar for paying subscribers in Substack’s ...
A listing of 23 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, February 2, 2025 thru Sat, February 8, 2025. This week's roundup is again published soleley by category. We are still interested in feedback to hone the categorization, so if ...
Today, I stumbled across a Twitter Meme: the ending of The Lord of the Rings as a Chess scenario: https://x.com/mellon_heads/status/1887983845917564991 It gets across the basic gist. Aragorn and Gandalf offering up ‘material’ at the Morannon allows Frodo and Samwise to catch Sauron unawares – fair enough. But there are a ...
Last week, Kieran McAnulty called out Chris Bishop and Nicola Willis for their claims that Kāinga Ora’s costs were too high.They had claimed Kāinga Ora’s cost were 12% higher than market i.e. private devlopersBut Kāinga Ora’s Chair had already explained why last year:"We're not building to sell, so we'll be ...
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. ...
Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. The intention was to establish a colony with the cession of sovereignty to the Crown, ...
Te Whatu Ora Chief Executive Margie Apa leaving her job four months early is another symptom of this government’s failure to deliver healthcare for New Zealanders. ...
The Green Party is calling for the Prime Minister to show leadership and be unequivocal about Aotearoa New Zealand’s opposition to a proposal by the US President to remove Palestinians from Gaza. ...
The latest unemployment figures reveal that job losses are hitting Māori and Pacific people especially hard, with Māori unemployment reaching a staggering 9.7% for the December 2024 quarter and Pasifika unemployment reaching 10.5%. ...
Waitangi 2025: Waitangi Day must be community and not politically driven - Shane Jones Our originating document, theTreaty of Waitangi, was signed on February 6, 1840. An agreement between Māori and the British Crown. Initially inked by Ngā Puhi in Waitangi, further signatures were added as it travelled south. ...
Despite being confronted every day with people in genuine need being stopped from accessing emergency housing – National still won’t commit to building more public houses. ...
The Green Party says the Government is giving up on growing the country’s public housing stock, despite overwhelming evidence that we need more affordable houses to solve the housing crisis. ...
Before any thoughts of the New Year and what lies ahead could even be contemplated, New Zealand reeled with the tragedy of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming losing her life. For over 38 years she had faithfully served as a front-line Police officer. Working alongside her was Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay ...
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson will return to politics at Waitangi on Monday the 3rd of February where she will hold a stand up with fellow co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick. ...
Te Pāti Māori is appalled by the government's blatant mishandling of the school lunch programme. David Seymour’s ‘cost-saving’ measures have left tamariki across Aotearoa with unidentifiable meals, causing distress and outrage among parents and communities alike. “What’s the difference between providing inedible food, and providing no food at all?” Said ...
The Government is doubling down on outdated and volatile fossil fuels, showing how shortsighted and destructive their policies are for working New Zealanders. ...
Green Party MP Steve Abel this morning joined Coromandel locals in Waihi to condemn new mining plans announced by Shane Jones in the pit of the town’s Australian-owned Gold mine. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to strengthen its just-announced 2030-2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement and address its woeful lack of commitment to climate security. ...
Today marks a historic moment for Taranaki iwi with the passing of the Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill in Parliament. "Today, we stand together as descendants of Taranaki, and our tūpuna, Taranaki Maunga, is now formally acknowledged by the law as a living tūpuna. ...
The Government’s commitment to get New Zealand’s roads back on track is delivering strong results, with around 98 per cent of potholes on state highways repaired within 24 hours of identification every month since targets were introduced, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says. “Increasing productivity to help rebuild our economy is ...
The former Cadbury factory will be the site of the Inpatient Building for the new Dunedin Hospital and Health Minister Simeon Brown says actions have been taken to get the cost overruns under control. “Today I am giving the people of Dunedin certainty that we will build the new Dunedin ...
From today, Plunket in Whāngarei will be offering childhood immunisations – the first of up to 27 sites nationwide, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. The investment of $1 million into the pilot, announced in October 2024, was made possible due to the Government’s record $16.68 billion investment in health. It ...
New Zealand’s strong commitment to the rights of disabled people has continued with the response to an important United Nations report, Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston has announced. Of the 63 concluding observations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), 47 will be progressed ...
Resources Minister Shane Jones has launched New Zealand’s national Minerals Strategy and Critical Minerals List, documents that lay a strategic and enduring path for the mineral sector, with the aim of doubling exports to $3 billion by 2035. Mr Jones released the documents, which present the Coalition Government’s transformative vision ...
Firstly I want to thank OceanaGold for hosting our event today. Your operation at Waihi is impressive. I want to acknowledge local MP Scott Simpson, local government dignitaries, community stakeholders and all of you who have gathered here today. It’s a privilege to welcome you to the launch of the ...
Racing Minister, Winston Peters has announced the Government is preparing public consultation on GST policy proposals which would make the New Zealand racing industry more competitive. “The racing industry makes an important economic contribution. New Zealand thoroughbreds are in demand overseas as racehorses and for breeding. The domestic thoroughbred industry ...
Business confidence remains very high and shows the economy is on track to improve, Economic Growth Minister Nicola Willis says. “The latest ANZ Business Outlook survey, released yesterday, shows business confidence and expected own activity are ‘still both very high’.” The survey reports business confidence fell eight points to +54 ...
Enabling works have begun this week on an expanded radiology unit at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital which will double CT scanning capacity in Hawke’s Bay to ensure more locals can benefit from access to timely, quality healthcare, Health Minister Simeon Brown says. This investment of $29.3m in the ...
The Government has today announced New Zealand’s second international climate target under the Paris Agreement, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. New Zealand will reduce emissions by 51 to 55 per cent compared to 2005 levels, by 2035. “We have worked hard to set a target that is both ambitious ...
Nine years of negotiations between the Crown and iwi of Taranaki have concluded following Te Pire Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua/the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill passing its third reading in Parliament today, Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith says. “This Bill addresses the historical grievances endured by the eight iwi ...
As schools start back for 2025, there will be a relentless focus on teaching the basics brilliantly so all Kiwi kids grow up with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to grow the New Zealand of the future, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “A world-leading education system is a key ...
Housing Minister Chris Bishop and Associate Agriculture Minister Mark Patterson have welcomed Kāinga Ora’s decision to re-open its tender for carpets to allow wool carpet suppliers to bid. “In 2024 Kāinga Ora issued requests for tender (RFTs) seeking bids from suppliers to carpet their properties,” Mr Bishop says. “As part ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today visited Otahuhu College where the new school lunch programme has served up healthy lunches to students in the first days of the school year. “As schools open in 2025, the programme will deliver nutritious meals to around 242,000 students, every school day. On ...
Minister for Children Karen Chhour has intervened in Oranga Tamariki’s review of social service provider contracts to ensure Barnardos can continue to deliver its 0800 What’s Up hotline. “When I found out about the potential impact to this service, I asked Oranga Tamariki for an explanation. Based on the information ...
A bill to make revenue collection on imported and exported goods fairer and more effective had its first reading in Parliament, Customs Minister Casey Costello said today. “The Customs (Levies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill modernises the way in which Customs can recover the costs of services that are needed ...
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Department of Internal Affairs [the Department] has achieved significant progress in completing applications for New Zealand citizenship. “December 2024 saw the Department complete 5,661 citizenship applications, the most for any month in 2024. This is a 54 per cent increase compared ...
Reversals to Labour’s blanket speed limit reductions begin tonight and will be in place by 1 July, says Minister of Transport Chris Bishop. “The previous government was obsessed with slowing New Zealanders down by imposing illogical and untargeted speed limit reductions on state highways and local roads. “National campaigned on ...
Finance Minister Nicola Willis has announced Budget 2025 – the Growth Budget - will be delivered on Thursday 22 May. “This year’s Budget will drive forward the Government’s plan to grow our economy to improve the incomes of New Zealanders now and in the years ahead. “Budget 2025 will build ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sonia R. Grover, Clinical Professor of Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne Polina Zimmerman/Pexels Menstruation, or a period, is the bleeding that occurs about monthly in healthy people born with a uterus, from puberty to menopause. This happens when the endometrium, the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ella Barclay, Senior Lecturer, School of Art and Design, Australian National University Despite the perceived outrage at Khaled Sabsabi’s depiction of Hassan Nasrallah in his 2007 work You, Australian art has long made subjects of outlaws and questionable figures. And it is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Louise Pryke, Honorary Research Associate, Department of Classics and Ancient History, University of Sydney Lisa Tomasetti/Opera Australia “It’s an old song”, Hermes (Christine Anu) sings at the opening of Hadestown, but “we’re gonna sing it again and again”. Based on a ...
An additional $13 million will be invested in tourism infrastructure, including upgrading huts and resolving the backlog in Milford Sound concessions. ...
The reality is that we have no obligation to tolerate the intolerant. They are using violence to shut down and silence others. The result of tolerating intolerant views is the loss of everyone’s freedom of speech except for the one who most effectively ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Davis, Associate Professor in Conservation, Edith Cowan University Adwo/Shutterstock Humans have been poisoning rodents for centuries. But fast-breeding rats and mice have evolved resistance to earlier poisons. In response, manufacturers have produced second generation anticoagulant rodenticides such as bromadiolone, widely ...
Alex Casey unearths Simon Court’s full sales pitch for how menstrual cups could end poverty. On Friday last week, Act MP Simon Court was accused of “mansplaining” during a parliamentary committee hearing about benefit sanctions. After submitter Rachel Dibble shared her concerns about period poverty and the impact that sanctions ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato It’s an unfortunate fact that bad people sometimes want guns. And while laws are designed to prevent guns falling into the wrong hands, the determined criminal can be highly resourceful. There are three main ...
Asia Pacific Report Two independent Jewish Voices groups in Aotearoa New Zealand have written an open letter to the government condemning the Zionist “colonisation” project leading to genocide and criticising the role of the NZ Jewish Council for its “unelected” and “uncritical support” for Israel. The groups, Alternative Jewish Voices ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Newspoll, conducted February 10–14 from a sample of 1,244, gave the Coalition a 51–49 lead, unchanged from the previous Newspoll, ...
We round up everything coming to streaming services this week, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Apple TV+, ThreeNow, Neon and TVNZ+. If you enjoy whip-smart satire: The White Lotus (Neon, February 17) HBO’s award-winning The White Lotus is back for what critics are calling “an absolutely exquisite third ...
NZPF called for a slowdown of the curriculum change, asking for one subject at a time, so that teachers and principals could be fully trained and feel confident and competent to implement the changes, New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF) President ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Indonesia’s TVOne launched an AI news presenter in 2023.T.J. Thomson Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has taken off at lightning speed in the past couple of years, creating disruption in ...
Many of the young vapers interviewed by a team of public health researchers said they felt unable to resist the pro-vaping environment that surrounded them. New Zealand’s smokefree law was hailed around the world for creating a smokefree generation that would have lifelong protection from smoking’s harms. The smokefree ...
Analysis: While most Wellingtonians enjoyed a rare but unbeatable sunny day on Saturday, some New Zealand diplomats will have been briefly shocked by a screenshot making the rounds on social media showing US President Donald Trump calling us a “third world country”.The image, it appears, was a fake – certainly a ...
ActionStation Director, Kassie Hartendorp says that the Treaty Principles Bill has galvanised the biggest movement in support of Te Tiriti in modern history. ...
While it is in the interests of Wellington ratepayers to sell off this subsidy for the rich, it is unfortunate that it has come to this point. The council should have never spent a penny on this programme, and the $3.4 million spent is a flagrant abuse ...
A search for the person behind a social media account ridiculing Māori.Last week, while scrolling Facebook, I came across a post shared to the New Zealand Centre for Political Research group. The post began, “From Matua Kahurangi on X”, before pasting his critique of iwi leadership – particularly Ngāpuhi ...
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Got no money, got no plan for improving access to dental care.
Still not an excuse for doing nothing.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/03/20/dentists-call-for-sugary-drink-ban-in-secondary-schools/
The Right have fought the banning of sugary-drinks-in-secondary-schools since the year dot.
The only way to fix the sugar problem…
..is to set maximum amounts allowed..in food/drinks…in legislation if necessary..
To do any less is just a bandaid on a supperating wound..
There was a NZ scientist who contributed to the WHO guidelines for exactly that It was removed in the final guidelines by the sugar industry. They are a powerful beast who are likely still crying over the abolition of slavery.
The removal of the maximum was important as it shifted the responsibility for less sugar in food from the manufacturer to the consumer. The industry can kick into action pretty quickly when they want.
"The sugar industry in the US is threatening to bring the World Health Organisation to its knees by demanding that Congress end its funding unless the WHO scraps guidelines on healthy eating, due to be published on Wednesday.
The threat is being described by WHO insiders as tantamount to blackmail and worse than any pressure exerted by the tobacco lobby.
The industry is furious at the guidelines, which say that sugar should account for no more than 10% of a healthy diet. It claims that the review by international experts which decided on the 10% limit is scientifically flawed, insisting that other evidence indicates that a quarter of our food and drink intake can safely consist of sugar."
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2003/apr/21/usnews.food
And of course there was the true conspiracy to blame fat.
The sugar-funded project in question was a literature review, examining a variety of studies and experiments. It suggested there were major problems with all the studies that implicated sugar, and concluded that cutting fat out of American diets was the best way to address coronary heart disease.
For one thing, there's motivation and intent. In 1954, the researchers note, the president of the SRF gave a speech describing a great business opportunity.
If Americans could be persuaded to eat a lower-fat diet — for the sake of their health — they would need to replace that fat with something else. America's per capita sugar consumption could go up by a third."
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/09/13/493739074/50-years-ago-sugar-industry-quietly-paid-scientists-to-point-blame-at-fat
All the above is good and I'm down with it, with one proviso, the sugar isn't replaced by artificial sweeteners.
Cough 'accumulative neuro toxin' cough.
which raises another question. How to help kids transition off sugar. And how to ensure kids get adequate nutrients especially where nutrient deficiency underlies sugar cravings.
I'm not pretending to have all the answers but food in schools done properly would be part of the solution.
By properly I mean food cooked in-house or another school or high school. Not this neo liberal subcontracting food for profit carry on we have currently.
Both Japan and France offer great models we could aspire to.
Don't give it to them seems to work,
have you ever hard stopped eating all sugars when you've been eating them daily for a long time? It's not pleasant. And even if that was ok, the impact on behaviours at school is an issue.
Yes..I used to have two and a half sugars in tea..
..would smother porridge in brown sugar..etc etc..
One day..a long time ago..I was getting a bit chubby..
..so I decided to kick sugar..
..on the difficulty of giving up scale..it ranks about 1.5..
..just a bit harder than cocaine..which was a doddle..
..and products will be able to still have sugar in them..just not the exorbitant amounts now permitted..
..given the damage it does…some grumpy kids for awhile..seems a bearable price to pay…
.. anyway..there are also other natural sweeteners for them..
Setting maximum amounts is a no-brainer..really..
what did the scale run from and to?
Zero to ten…
Heroin @ 8.5..
Alcohol/cigs 4.5..
I still have sugar in things I consume that have sugar in them..but not too much..
And so much stuff is sodden with sugar…and is peddled as being healthy for children..
Go and have a look how much sugar is in milo..
..just reading the amount could give you a sugar rush..
..so..change to another hot chocolate that is what it claims…and is not just chocolate flavoured sugar..
https://businessdesk.co.nz/article/infrastructure/ministry-thinks-kiwirail-could-exit-interislander-services
Can nz survive if kiwi rail exits the ferry business?
Frankly, one might more reasonably ask can NZ survive if kiwi rail don’t exit the cook straight? Quite happy for them to Choo Choo a few trains up and down the country when we have trucks as a realistic alternative. Meanwhile with their proven unreliability on the straight, maybe time for some one else to have a go.
Yup, the usual neoliberal mantra – private companies can do it better.
Just like they have in the UK with train and water services!
Indeed. Train services in the Uk are fabulous.
[Please fix the typo in your email address in your next comment, thanks – Incognito]
Mod note
Is HS2 a Government or a private company project?
Train services in the UK are appalling. We were there late last year and of the 8 or so train journeys we did only one was anything like comfortable and on time. It does not matter if you have booked seats or not – if your train is cancelled (often because of driver shortages) then you are thrown into the melee.
The trains that do go are horrendously overcrowded – we got one from York to Manchester that was full to the doors and the air conditioning had failed. The only fresh air was that which came in during the less than a minute dwell times at the stations. Two days later a driver refused to take a Manchester train out of Euston station because it was so overcrowded it was not safe.
We had another booked journey for a direct route from Manchester to Birmingham which was cancelled at the last minute and we were redirected to a change at Crewe and another change at Tamworth. It took 3 times the journey time and we had to stand on an outdoor platform at Tamworth for 30 minutes between connections.
If you are older and have luggage it can be very distressing to deal with. If we go back there again – we will travel intercity by coach. It may take longer, but they stow luggage properly and you actually get the seats you book.
Yes, I had similar experiences with UK trains about 5 years ago.
But . . . but private companies do it better! (Repeat until you've got it by heart!)
We did the same sort of journeys in 2019 without so much drama. Our overall impression of England this time is that nothing seems to work properly.
The local CO-OP supermarket in Leeds regularly ran out of baskets as people would come into the store, fill them up, and just walk out without paying, basket and all. The shop staff were not going to put themselves at risk stopping them.
We certainly did not want to go out at night at all.
John Major, who idiotically privatised British Rail, splitting it into numerous uncoordinated and self-interested private companies, has much to answer for.
Ah yes, but you got a train going when and where you wanted. Meanwhile here we have / had Te Huia and …. Crickets
Well, no we didn't. Not without a lot of bother, and at some risk to our health and wellbeing.
I think the data shows your contention above to be completely false. The only time the trains in the UK ran on time was during covid – when obviously everyone avoided them.
The same quality of argument is that if the RNZAF struggle with old transport planes, they should not get new ones.
It is this government that blocked KiwiRail plan to get replacement ferries, because they had $30B of roads to fund and a $5B hole.
Enabling a privately owned monopoly, unable to efficiently shift freight off rail, would be of an effort to end rail freight and give road trucking a monopoly.
There would need to be an investigation of the connections between this government and all involved in this industry for corruption on a grand scale.
Rentier capitalism is the economic model of choice for NZ's decadent new right aristocracy. Our captains of industry would love nothing better than investing in a private sector shipping company that charges monopoly rents to cross Cook Strait while offering a level of service and safety that would make the owners of the MV Doña Paz uneasy.
Leaving aside the ability of Kiwi Rail to provided ongoing service across Cook Strait, there's got to be some Government control / regulation of the service. It is a vital single point link on SH 1, and just a bit important the Country's economy.
Down here we found out just how important that link was when it got disrupted by the Kaikoura earthquakes and covid, freight rates went through the roof and delivery / supply became patchy at best.
The current link through Picton is a legacy of 1940's thinking and maybe could be reviewed, but there's been many alternatives that haven't survived or made it of the plans. So Picton is probably the best option we've got.
But it's dangerous political waters for any party that wants to try and fuck with. Empty or expensive supermarket shelves and businesses closing or moving north because of freight issues won't go down well at elections. A lot of the South is quite marginal electorally and seats and party vote can and does switch abruptly. Nicola and Simion will have to come up with a solid plan to ensure an adequate and affordable service across Cook Strait or there'll be a lot of their voters asking some very impertinent questions.
Looking at the slow car wreak this government is turning into the aging ferries will be here long after them .
Bloody hope so!!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/money/350220152/investors-have-top-rent-payments-hundreds-week
Why are we expected to have sympathy for poor investors?
Cut subsidies today, if a person can prove they have paid rent consistently for 2 years allow no deposit mortgages, build more apartments.
at a guess, a deposit is required so banks don't lose money if there is a mortgagee sale. Which seems a bit daft given how much property prices increase, but it's probably not going to change.
Saving for deposit while paying rent must be a hell of an impediment
yep. We could be setting up systems that give people access to deposits. Government did this for women on the DPB in the 80s/90s.
maybe a deposit that is paid back to the government when the house is sold.
Finance and extend coverage of the, currently over-subscribed, Kāinga Ora shared ownership scheme.
What is Shared Ownership?
Shared ownership means that you initially share ownership of the home with a third party who purchases the home with you (in this case Kāinga Ora). You are the majority homeowner and occupier, but we will own a share in the home, that you will buy out over time.
The make-up of shared ownership will be determined by several factors, including:
For example, you may have saved 10% of the purchase price of a home and a participating bank is willing to lend you 75%. Kāinga Ora then contributes 15% to purchase the home with you in return for a 15% share of ownership in the home.
https://kaingaora.govt.nz/home-ownership/first-home-partner/
nice.
Or just folded into the mortgage…
"allow no deposit mortgages".
A person who wants a repeat of the subprime mortgages that was a major cause of the GFC of 2007-2008. As George Santayana so eloquently put it.
“Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it.”
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-subprime-mortgage-en-110/
“””A subprime mortgage is generally a loan that is meant to be offered to prospective borrowers with impaired credit records. The higher interest rate is intended to compensate the lender for accepting the greater risk in lending to such borrowers.””
You might have the wrong definition it would appear
After reading and watching Michael Lewis's The Big Short as well as others I can assure you Alwyn is wrong.
Brokers were renowned for NINJA loans. No Income No Job but that didn't stop them being signed up for mortgages.
You often hear
parasiteslandlords regurgitate the refrain "the tenants can't afford a mortgage", when it is clear the tenant can afford the landlord's mortgage and rates and insurance and…Why did you leave out the full meaning of NINJA?
You say it was "No Income No Job". Why did you leave out the final bit that was No Assets? What is a no deposit loan but a loan to someone who has no assets?
Because I made my point.
You don't need assets to service a mortgage in the fractional reserve banking environment that we operate in.
So…john key led a gummint that refused to bring in open banking..
…which the monopolist-banksters didn't want..
..and which was the norm in most other countries..
..and then he went on to become one of those banksters..
.. corruption in nz isn't usually briefcases bulging with cash..
.. it's more of a physical-interaction..
..involving lots of mutual back-scratching..
..I would submit that is the case here..
Banksters; rhymes with gangsters.
C'mon, be reasonable, gangsters have codes of honour.
And of course the next question is why didn't the last labour gummint bring in open banking..?
If it wasn't fear of vested interests..
..what was the reason..?
Soon.
But not without issues.
Next May, New Zealand will catch up with Europe, Australia and the UK when open banking launches through ANZ, BNZ, ASB and Westpac — with Kiwibank to follow in 2026. The difference here is that the banks themselves are handling this transition, and not everyone is happy about it.
https://northandsouth.co.nz/2023/12/18/open-banking-arrives-in-new-zealand/
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/govt-moves-introduce-open-banking-give-customers-better-deal
How Russia treats the (700,000) children they've kidnapped.
/
@DrJadeMcGlynn
This is such a terrifying piece, especially the longer Russian version. The English one is terrifying enough though.
https://twitter.com/DrJadeMcGlynn/status/1770519669901778979
Down thread-.
.
@lilia_yapparova
“The idea that Ukrainian children are potential terrorists looms over our conversations. We’re not morons — we realize that Russia didn’t come to Ukraine with ‘peace and kindness,’” the ministry source told Meduza.
https://twitter.com/lilia_yapparova/status/1767886893826400711
Tarras International Airport in Central Otago may well be applied for any day now under the new fast track legislation. Simian will doubtless wave it through and there will be nothing the fine folk of Godzone will be able to do to stop it.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/512259/the-unprecedented-power-the-government-is-handing-three-of-its-ministers-under-its-new-fast-track-approval-bill
is that why they pulled back last year, waiting for this?
Surely they wouldn't be that cynical? (sarc)
"nothing the fine folk of Godzone will be able to do to stop it."
There is always the option of direct action.
yep. I'm really hoping the climate activists will step up on this one. Lots of resistance from locals too.
I'm with you there Jeremy….I will be helping the people of Tarras (I know some of them) if the fast-track starts.
While direct action is unlikely (IMHO) to influence somebody like Simeon Brown (who doesn’t give a toss about climate change), turning Tarras and the fast-track process into a major NZ-wide issue could help the Left win in 2026.
Memo to labour party looking for policy ideas:
Finland has the happiest citizens on the planet award in an iron grip..
And this in a country very cold most of the time..and living under the direct shadow of putin…
It could be a useful exercise to have a look at what finland does for it's citizens ..and how it could fit here..
We seem to be going in the wrong direction..and we seem to know this..
..we have just slipped out of the top ten happiest countries..
..so…y'know..!
..it wouldn't hurt..would it..to have a look at their winning formula…
.. whaddya reckon..?
The Happiness survey was taken between the years 2021-2023 when NZ was happily continuing as usual under lockdown while the rest of the world (apart from WA) was being disrupted by masses of covid cases and millions of covid related deaths.
How did we end up in only 11th place?
What??? Use evidence over ideology, what a silly idea.
I have long thought that would/could be the seed of a new political party..
To pick new/fresh policies ( for here)…from proven successful policies elsewhere..
..so really it's a no-brainer for labour to look over there..
..for policy ideas that will excite the electorate ..
..an electorate very tired of the same-old same-old..
..we don't have to reinvent the wheel all the time..
..the answers to our burning questions are already out there..
My understanding is that this is what TOP tried to do…..
Basically, it seems to be 'too hard' to shift the electorate from the familiar parties – to trying something new – in the short term.
Suspect that it requires multiple elections and decades, to actually gain enough traction to even be a contender to make a difference.
The trajectory of the Green Party rather illustrates the point.
An electoral answer would be to move the dial on the vote percentage required for election – down to 1-2%. Which would enable some of these minor parties to get into parliament – and (potentially) into government as part of a coalition. Once you're in parliament, you have a much greater chance of the support/funding required to increase the size of your representation.
ATM – it's much easier to finagle the electoral rules in order to gain an electorate seat, than it is to rely on party vote (David Seymour for ACT and Jim Anderton for New Labour are both examples of this happening).
There are downsides to reducing the threshold – in terms of making coalitions more difficult to form, and the risk of the tail wagging the dog. We see examples of both in Europe – when it can take months to form a government, and minor parties often wield influence far greater than the numbers.
If so..top did a crap job of selling those ideas..
..all the action around them seemed to focus on the leader winning a chch seat..
So is there any political party that you think has a fresh kit of ideas?
Or does one have to spring from the brow of Zeus?
The point that I was making is that – unlike you – the electorate doesn't seem to get very excited over new and innovative policies and new and untried parties.
Many are there in our own history. From my post back in 2010.
These are the sorts of policies that if espoused by a party would get my vote.
1. The principle of an egalitarian society with all citizens being looked after and supported
2. A clear statement that an increasing gap between the top and the bottom is not to be desired due to the negative social impacts. That the country should move forward as a whole.
3, A fair days work for a fair days pay. The 8 hour working day and the 40 hour working week should be re-instated. Anyone working more than 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week should be paid time and a half. Salaries – by which some employers currently use to get around the minimum wage rules – should be set a a minimum equivalent of 40 hours per week X 120% of the minimum wage.
4. Benefit rates should be increased immediately by the $20-00 per week cut made years ago. Labour should be deeply embarrassed by reinstating this for NZS but not for benefits.
5. Government should undertake as part of their social commitment to provide jobs for young people and people with disabilities – particularly in times of recession. Government Departments should be funded specifically for this. The private sector should be supported to provide jobs for people with significant disabilities by having their health / productivty assessed on a 3 yearly basis and having the difference between the productivity assessment and the Invalids Benefit paid to the employer – until the person turns 65 and qualifies for NZS if need be. Workers must be paid at least the minimum wage.
6. All shop trading should cease on Sundays from 12:00 pm so workers all have half a day a week to spend with their families. This includes bars. This will also be positive for people running small businesses who have currently little choice but to open because their big competitors are.
7. Alcohol should not be able to be sold in dairies and similar outlets.
8. Gambling machines except in the casinos should be banned – this includes pubs and RSA’s.
9. A clear progressive tax system should be implemented with the proviso each year that 20% of any surplus should be returned to all tax payers in equal shares as a lump sum payment.
10. Depreciation should be clearly removed as a tax deduction. The basic principle should be to claim your costs when you actually incur them.
11. All employers can claim a flat $500-00 per year per employee for costs associated with keeping employees motivated – social clubs, Christmas and staff functions etc. No other costs beyond this can be claimed as a taxable expense. This puts all workers and all employers on an even footing.
12. Families with non-working or part-time working partners ( less than say $15,000 per annum) should be able to split their income for tax purposes.
13. Family Benefit should be re-introduced so all people with children get this assistance regardless of income. Raising children should be valued.
There’s some thoughts anyway.
https://thestandard.org.nz/open-mike-11062010/#comment-224176
Multiple reviews of Aotearoa NZ's MMP voting system have recommended decreasing the 5% party vote threshold – presumably they had their reasons.
But these recommendations have not been followed – funny that
Turkeys don't vote for Christmas.
Reducing the electoral threshold would automatically reduce the significance of the major parties – of course they're not going to agree.
Unless it gets bundled in with something they do want but is electorally unpopular (e.g. 4 year terms)
Turkeys don’t vote, period
NZ's major political parties didn't particularly relish the idea of MMP either:
And yet here we are, with an arguably fairer, more progressive and more popular voting system.
Perhaps then the fairest way to establish whether our MMP system should adopt recommended tweeks would be via indicative and binding referendums, similar to those that ushered in MMP in the first place.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_threshold
I don't know whether you're unfamiliar with the idiom – or are attempting to be amusing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkeys_voting_for_Christmas
I like to keep people guessing. Re “funny that“, sorry for the confusion.
Better?
I have mixed feelings on the four year term..
As essentially now gummints usually get two bites of the apple..six years..
Whereas a four yr term gives the electorate more time to decide if the then current mob are a waste of space..or not..
..and so save us from them sooner than usual…
(Heh..!..have to admit this far-right three-headed hydra isn't doing much for the case for four year terms..)
I find that your last point is the one holding most sway with people.
They're perfectly happy to consider 4 years terms, so long as 'their' party (or at least a government they can live with) is in power. But when the roles are reversed, 3 years is too long.
Fun fact: For the first 25 years, New Zealand's parliamentry term was five years. The term was reduced to three years in 1879, and since then has only been altered (increased/prolonged) on three occasions.
https://elections.nz/assets/Report-of-the-Royal-Commission-on-the-Electoral-System-1986/Chapter-6-the-term-of-parliament.pdf
The major challenges that fully democractic countries are facing on overshoot spaceship Earth will likely bring those in genuine need, not to mention inconvenienced well-to-do moaners, more to the fore, and that won’t favour longer parliamentary terms, imho.
Still, major global challenges might just knit us together – dreams are free.
Affordable, quality housing and heating means warm, happy people.
Replace fluoride with MDMA in the water supply.
Thanks National
Officially in recession. Economic geniuses.
NZ GDP rose 0.6% for the year ending December 2023. This is far from the end of the world.
Switzerland, Canada, Norway, Italy Austria and the Netherlands were all predicted to have growth of less than 1% in 2023 and the OECD was only predicted to grow 1.4%.
https://www.oecd.org/newsroom/economic-outlook-a-mild-slowdown-in-2024-and-slightly-improved-growth-in-2025.htm
thanks national
haha you’re funny. Two consecutive quarters to be in recession. Figures are therefore from 1 July 2023 to 31 December 2023.
Thanks Robbo.
That's a bit of an own goal!
Remember it is two consecutive negative quarters, so 1st July 2023 to 31 Dec 23. National only got in after coalition talks in November?
Did you mean thanks Robbo?
Is there any remaining vulnerable group for these tory scum to attack and demean? They have had a go at state tenants, school kids lunches, endangered animal species, low paid workers, and now disabled…
Fightback time people, haunt these fuckers whenever they appear in public. And, if public housing tenants are evicted they should consider occupying the nearest “ghost houses” or even empty commercial property–there should be enough so affected to stretch the cops resources–who have also got a kicking from Mercenary Mitchell over their wages and conditions.
Restricting Free Prescriptions is another negative measure…
https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/undoctored/better-health-services-and-access-due-free-prescriptions-survey
Predictions:
* prescription fees return
* independent (community) pharmacies have no choice but to charge them
* meanwhile, big international chains like Chemist Warehouse refrain from charging them because they can afford the temporary dip in cash flow, until
* most or all of the independent pharmacies have been squeezed out of business, and then …
* up go all the prices (including prescription fees), to whatever level
the big firms think they can get away withthe market can standOnya – Phillip Mills. If only some more well off people with a conscience would do the same. His stance has been published previously, but I just hope he doesn't face a backlash from the usual suspects. https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350210940/richlister-behind-les-mills-gym-empire-reveals-why-he-donates-political-parties
Robbos parting gift, a double dip recession.
Thanks mate, you won’t be missed.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8563046/double-dip-new-zealand-recession-confirmed/
[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.]
[you are starting to look like a troll. I suggest you figure out how things work here and up your game with regard to political discussion and debate rather than this lazy slur politics. Feel free to ask if you are unclear – weka]
mod note.
"starting"???
National and the Reserve Bank have been talking the country into a recession for at least a year.
And real business confidence, as reflected by investment in plant and staff, not the perceptions held by the delusional, in the near future is non existent, with the Coalition of Chaos's intentions to remove even more wealth/spending from the internal economy. Ruthanasia reprise!
Why are you surprised that we are now getting one.
mod note.
Doxxing? Moderators refer to the history of commentators quite a lot you know.
yes, because we have looked up their history on TS and know it is already in the public domain. That's not doxxing.
I have no idea what you were talking about and what you were referring to, because you didn't say and you provided zero context or links. Why is this difficult to understand?
I thought this was enough,
not using a link, is not doxxing.
I’ll link to past posts, if mentioned, so people don’t have to go back and check.
you made vague claims about a current commenter, including references to having an affair and another blog. I still have no idea what you were on about. You could easily have been doxxing. Seriously, you need to stop and listen to what I am saying here.
If you had backed up all the things you were saying at the start we wouldn't be having this conversation.
The reference to Red Alert was to her apparent form – connecting trainspotting with attacks on Labour economics after they leave office since … (as old as that bygone era).
And this "Rose" made this comment
https://thestandard.org.nz/catherine-princess-of-wales/#comment-1992670
There are rumours about why "Rose" has gone into hiding from the UK media.
Given her comments about crickets (chirping) …
See first comment, September.
https://thestandard.org.nz/search/%40author+%22Rose%22/page/4/?search_comments=true&search_posts=true&search_sortby=date
Then this the following month, along with her 2013 return.
https://thestandard.org.nz/on-doing-what-it-takes-to-win/#comment-93560
https://thestandard.org.nz/search/%40author+%22Rose%22/page/3/?search_comments=true&search_posts=true&search_sortby=date
I think you’ve taken aim at a target and ended up shooting yourself in foot.
This Rose at least only became aware of this site in the past 18 months. This rose was living in the UK in the timeframe you mentioned and blissfully unconcerned with NZ politics at that time.
Nice try but no cigar m.
[Please fix the same typo again in your email address in your next comment, thanks – Incognito]
Second Mod note.
I'll leave it to the management to clean up your "site history record".
So your experience of functioning trains in England is recent?
Some coincidence, the first post on the site by someone named Rose talked about Cullen and his expensive train set and about the debt left by Labour.
And here you are, after the following Labour government leaving office talking about trains and debt.
Is it in the troll farm playbook?
In relation to your second paragraph. Yes. I’ve taken dozens of trips on UK trains each year for the past 31 years.
In relation to your other accusations, in your mind you think you’ve found a smoking gun. I know for a fact you are 100% incorrect, but there you have it. I leave you with the thoughts in your own head.
Thanks for the gaslighting.
that's not gaslighting. It's someone saying you made things up. I don't know who is right here, and neither do you. I suggest you leave it alone.
I heard an interesting tid-bit on the radio this morning.
Concerning bottom trawling for minerals in Taranaki, one of the uber ministers, Shane Jones, has recused himself from the decision making process.
Edit.https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018931059/around-the-motu-robin-martin-in-taranaki
Nearer the end of the piece.
The whisper is Talley's don't like the idea of their fishing being disrupted.
One person, one vote, unless you own land.
/
Last week, a bill that proposes to abolish the ratepayers roll – which allows people who own properties in multiple council areas to vote in local elections in each of those areas – was drawn from the parliament biscuit tin. Shanti Mathias explains.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/19-02-2024/a-new-members-bill-wants-to-stop-landlords-getting-extra-votes-in-local-elections
it's hard to know how to manage that one. If you own a holiday home in another area, or even a rental in another area, it's understandable that you want a vote in the election of the people who determine things like rates, rules around housing and such.
Maybe cap it at two properties?
Also, are the left now arguing one person, one vote?
That was rimmer.
“ACT will restore democracy to local government. All New Zealanders are alike in dignity and this should be reflected in our institutions. We will repeal undemocratic Māori wards and re-establish one person, one vote to local elections.”
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2308/S00255/act-will-repeal-undemocratic-maori-wards.htm
No taxation without representation?
It's important to note that it doesn't matter how much property you own within a single local government area, you only get one vote.
It's only where you own property in two different local government areas, that you get to vote in both.
The majority of people who are affected by this are not landlords (who tend to own their properties in a single city) – it's people with a holiday home or bach.
Even the article says this isn’t a significant issue (as in most people don’t bother to enrol, even though they’re eligible) – it’s rather a matter of philosophical ‘fairness’.
I should have thought the Labour Party had significantly more important issues to address…. [Yes, I know it’s a private members bill – but a bit more thought into what bills go into the biscuit tin, wouldn’t go amiss]
There is also nothing in the legislation preventing the putative Machiavellian multiple-property owner from declaring their primary residence to be in the holiday-home area where they want to influence the outcome.
And this how they behave.
/
A 30-year battle over a Coromandel skate park between locals and bach owners that involved “dirty tricks”, “bribery” and accusations of nimbyism has reached its conclusion in court.
The community and waterfront property owners had been pitted against each other over a skate park in Tairua’s Cory Park Domain, near the estuary.
A High Court judge has this week dismissed the request for a judicial review, mounted by Preserve Cory Park Domain Inc. This group, many of whom were from Auckland, opposed the park for its proximity to houses, potential noise, anti-social behaviour and sanitary fears about toileting.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/300952830/30year-spat-with-bach-owners-over-skate-park-won-by-locals-fighting-for-their-right-to-shred
That's how some of them behave. Do you equally condemn all Kainga Ora residents because some are anti-social?
Note the word 'many' in the article – which implies that at least some who oppose the development are permanent residents.
It sounds like NIMBYism – not wanting their nice peaceful waterfront area to be contaminated by nasty skateboarding yoof. The fact that some are owners of holiday homes is a bit of a red herring.
And the proposed legislation still wouldn't resolve this – as the out of towners could declare their holiday home their primary residence for electoral purposes.
Nor would it prevent property owners taking cases to the High Court (you don't need to be a resident to do this)
Hundreds to lose jobs as Ministry of Primary Industries cuts costs.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350220974/hundreds-lose-jobs-ministry-primary-industries-cuts-costs
"MPI has wide-reaching responsibilities. It was tasked with growing and sustaining primary industries such as farming, forestry, fishing, wine and food production."
"It also employed fisheries officers, responsible for patrolling marine protection areas and checking quotas.
Its (sic) also employed Biosecurity officers at airports and ports, who check for invasive pests and disease which could decimate the primary industries. With cuts also confirmed at Customs, that meant there would be fewer people protecting the border by the end of the year."
As long as those wallowing in the gains from tax cuts don't start grizzling about the wheels falling off somewhere in the system. There's plenty of scope thereconsidering the range of areas covered.
Let’s hope MBovis doesn’t make a comeback.
Economics 101, charge what the market can bear. Not cost plus
So why do supposedly economically literate MPs in the CoC think rents will come down?
No self respecting landlord in their right mind will pass on savings.
"No self respecting landlord in their right mind will pass on savings."
No one in their right mind would be a landlord, let alone a self respecting one.
No Right Turn agrees with you, and offers some solutions: crush the landlords!
https://norightturn.blogspot.com/search/label/Housing
Be careful in regards to landlords.
This site is riddled with them.
landlording is a psychological desire to have power over others!
Moron, Reference: any post he has posted
[Please no personal attacks here. Address the comment, don’t attack the commenter – Incognito]
all good Incognito, sometimes the temptation just overwhelms. Understood tho. I could never be a Moderator thats for sure haha
Dollars to donuts a certain former PM knew about this.
A foreign agency ran a spy operation out of New Zealand’s Government Communications Security Bureau for years without the government knowing.
The Inspector General of Intelligence and Security has revealed this in an investigation out on Thursday.
It has found the GCSB knew when it agreed to host the signals intelligence system it could be used to support "military operations by foreign partners".
"The capability clearly had the potential to be used, in conjunction with other intelligence sources, to support military action against targets," the report by IGIS Brendan Horsley said.
The system operated from 2013 until 2020, when it was stopped by an equipment failure.
But government ministers were not told despite the agency knowing how sensitive it was.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/512310/foreign-agency-ran-spy-operation-out-of-gcsb-for-years
Um…
my emphasis.
https://www.waikatotimes.co.nz/politics/350219383/nz-eu-free-trade-deal-be-ratified-force-may
This video explains how European publicly owned rail profits from ownership of UK privatised rail. Seems pertinent (someone linked on reddit)
Already in the shop window for spring sales!
NZ slipping down happiness index since nationals government took power
Way past time we had some serious labour support actions. Strikes, protests, demos, whatever. Clearly, under this government, working people are screwed. Labour Party please take note.
Too right. Lots of damage being done. Reminds me of the early 90s. Why aren’t we taking to the streets?
Last time we got up on our hind legs, more than a few were ready to blather on about nazi's, freedumb, foreign right wing interference, death threats and repeat the rivers of filth moniker.
Better take that energy and organise, and look out and care for those that have been screwed over.
are you talking about the occupation of parliament grounds?
Yes.
I've pointed out previously you can only legally strike at the end of a contract and unions keep negotiating three year contracts. They need to start exerting a bit more power through one year contracts. Why the fuck you would limit your only strength to being able to be exercised only once every three years I don't know.
(There are a few exceptions for health and safety reasons)
Even the strike process is convoluted. Labour of course did sweet FA about strengthening the right to strike that we used to have eg going on strike to support other unions.
"Let’s say one union covers the employees of one workplace, and they share a collective agreement. Before any strike takes place, the following things need to happen:.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/explained/130057198/explained-what-does-a-strike-actually-mean-or-do
unions can organise protests and demos right though? They were central in the early 90s protests.
Absolutely. Been on a few of them myself. Took annual leave – or was already on annual leave.
Illegal.
Unlike civilised countries. Finland Strikes.
Though note the new right wing Government wants to place limits on the right to strike.
Strikes, as a non violent political protest, should have remained legal in any society which pretends to be Democratic.
I'm still waiting for Darien Fenton to give me an example of getting people to go on strike during the period of a contract.
“I always said to workers who wanted to strike, go for it. Why do you need the law or a government to tell you it's okay?”
Give me one example where your advice resulted in workers striking during the term of their contract. Every strike I have seen has been on expired contracts.
In Roger Douglas's own words.
"We now have fixed term contracts. All contracts are now for a fixed term, determined by the parties to the contract. During the term of the contract, it is illegal to have a strike or lockout against the provisions of the contract."
https://thestandard.org.nz/political-comeback-getting-the-sequencing-right/#comment-1981613
In NZ it is illegal to strike for any other reason than the negotiation of an expired employment contract. And only the workers directly involved can strike.
Supposedly, you can also strike for safety reasons.
An infringement on human rights, to withdraw your labour. One of the reasons why Finland, for example, is a much happier country. Mind you, like us, for some inexplicable reason they have voted for right wing Government that wants to remove those rights.
I don't know that the right to strike is a significant factor in the happiness index of the ordinary Finn.
I suspect that there are much more significant social, economic and cultural reasons for their high levels of happiness.
An interesting take here on the current strike campaign against government policies in Finland.
https://jacobin.com/2024/03/finland-orpo-right-wing-labor
The question remains – as outlined at the end of the article – what happens if even a general strike doesn't shift the government's attitude?
Such as Unions right to strikes, effect on equality and social welfare, access to education and opportunity?
Noting that Parnells contractors work to rule, for an 8 hour day, would now be illegal in NZ.
The right to strike isn't a significant social, economic or cultural reason for happiness (I guess, unless you're a Union leader)
The right to strike doesn't appear anywhere in this survey of why Finns are happy – though a lot of other factors are canvassed.
https://finland.fi/life-society/we-asked-people-in-finland-what-makes-them-happy/
Nor in this analysis of the comparative results of the happiness survey (why are the Finns so much happier than the Norwegians – given the same social outcomes?)
https://finland.fi/life-society/we-asked-people-in-finland-what-makes-them-happy/
Meanwhile, this slightly older article explores whether the Finns really are 'happy' or just have more limited horizons – which comes right back to the cultural argument (BTW, the right to strike doesn't appear here, either)
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/04/finland-happiness-lagom-hygge.html
Note that Parnell was not an employee – he was an independent contractor. And thus perfectly able (under the existing laws, let alone today's ones) to negotiate his hours of work, and pay.
He didn't strike. He simply didn't accept contracts which didn't meet his requirements.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/people/samuel-parnell
It was, effectively, a strike.
I am fully aware that he was a contractor.
Individually he could refuse contracts that didn't suit him.
However!
"Colluding" with other contractors is nowadays illegal. As is getting unconnected employees to strike in support.
Commerce Commission – Commission issues anti-collusion reminder to businesses supplying essential services (comcom.govt.nz)
Note. "Restrict output".
No it was not "effectively a strike"
In order for someone to strike they need to be employed.
Parnell simply did not accept contracts which required more than 8 hour days.
It's an interesting legal question over whether an independent contractor is a 'firm'. I'm inclined to think that they are not for the purposes of the Commerce Act. Which is designed to prevent chain supermarkets or petrol colluding to keep prices high (how well it works is another question).
Nothing in the current law prevents a self-employed contractor (a builder or a plumber, for example) deciding their hours of work stop at 2pm on a Friday (for example) and going fishing for the rest of the day.
They are either paid for the job (and it's up to them how they allocate time to it during the week) or by the hour (and, again, they can juggle their hours to suit their own circumstances).
I do agree that there is a very strong temptation – especially when there is a lot of work around, and a desire to pay off the mortgage quickly – to pack in as many hours as possible; but there is nothing in the legislation requiring or preventing this.
You didn't bother reading. Or didn'understand?
A "strike" is a collective withdrawal of Labour.
If a Telecoms "contractor" individually refused to work it is a breach of contract. Illegal.
If they all clubbed together and refused to work asking for more pay.
It is not only breach of contract, but also "collusion to limit output. Both illegal. Under the commerce act and "contract" law. What Purnell and the builders in Wellington did to gain an 8 hour day, could these days wind up in court.
Ergo. They do not have a legal right to "withdraw their labour".
Same with employees. Striking, except in very limited circumstances is illegal.
A human right accepted in most democratic countries is illegal in NZ.
The new right leaning Finnish Government wants to head the same way. Which, like NZ, will led to increasing inequality and reduced social cohesion, with all the detrimental effects we have seen here. If it is enacted, we will again see a counter example of how effective Unions increase social wellbeing. In the decreasing Happiness.
You clearly didn't bother reading or understand, either.
It is not possible to 'strike' unless you are employed.
Refusing to bid on a contract (because you don't like the terms or remunderation) is not a strike.
I'm not arguing about the rest of your points – and whether or not striking or withdrawal of labour is justified – just that Parnell did not implement a strike. He set the ground-rules for him to accept a contract. The two are very different things.
Endangering a trust-based social model suits some more than others, at least in the short-to-medium term, but no-one wins in the long run. I'm grateful the TEU had my back when I encountered a particularly rough 'pocket of turbulence' in the workplace.
https://www.sak.fi/en/serious-grounds
SPC, I've dumped the whole thread in Trash because I don't have time for this. Again, if you had done these two things with your first comment, there wouldn't have been a problem (assuming you weren't doxxing)
However, on the face of it, I've not seen evidence that demonstrates the two commenters are the same. You are guessing. I don't know why, but just leave it alone now please.
also, I don't read every comment on this site. In future, link to every comment you are referring to. Onus is on you do the work. I'm trying to finish a post, you know, the reason the site exists.
No worries.
Normally you ask people to change names, if they are using the name of an existing commentator. Did this not happen because the name Rose, went to Christine Rose and then to Compass Rose and then back to Rose?
you just did exactly the same thing again.