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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Cleo Paskal writes – WASHINGTON, D.C.: ‘Many of us have received phone calls from [the opposing camp] telling them if they join the camp they will be given projects for their wards and $300,000 [around US$35,000] each’, says former Malaita Premier Daniel Suidani. The elections in Solomon Islands aren’t ...
With hindsight, it was inevitable that (a) Hamas would agree to the ceasefire deal brokered by Egypt and Qatar and that ( b) Israel would then immediately launch attacks on Rafah, regardless. We might have hoped the concessions made by Hamas would cause Israel to desist from slaughtering thousands more ...
Placards and mourners outside the Kilbirnie Mosque following the Christchurch terror attack: MSD has terminated the Kaiwhakaoranga service, which has been used by 415 families since the attacks. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: The Government’s pledge to only cut ‘back office’ staff rather than ‘frontline’ services is on increasingly shaky ground, with ...
There’s been a few smaller public transport announcements over the last week or so that I thought I’d cover in a single post. Fareshare I’ve long called for Auckland Transport to offer a way to enable employer-subsidised public transport options. The need for this took on even more importance ...
Parliament’s speaker had no option but to refer Green MP Julie Anne Genter to the Privileges Committee for her behaviour in the House last Wednesday evening. The incident, in which she crossed the floor to wave a book and yell at National Minister Matt Doocey, reflects poorly on Genter and ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Who likes being sneered at? Nobody. Worse yet, when the sneerer has their facts all wrong, and might well be an idiot.The sneer in question is The adults are in charge now, and it is a sneer offered in retort to criticism of this new Government, no matter how well ...
When in government, Labour pushed to extend the Parliamentary term to four years, to reduce accountability and our ability to vote out a bad government. And now, they're trying to do it through the member's ballot, with a Four-Year Parliamentary Term Legislation Bill. The bill at least requires a referendum ...
A ballot for a single Member's Bill was held today, and the following bill was drawn: Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill (Hūhana Lyndon) The bill would prevent the government from stealing Māori land in breach of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It ...
Simeon Brown, alongside Wayne Brown, is favouring a political figleaf now in exchange for loading up tens of millions in extra interest costs on Auckland ratepayers. Photo: Lynn GrievesonTL;DR: Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s is pushing back hard at suggestions from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown ...
Buzz from the Beehive One headline-grabber from the Beehive yesterday was the OECD’s advice that the government must bring the Budget deficit under control or face higher interest rates. Another was the announcement of a $1.9 billion “investment” in Corrections over the next four years. In the best interests of ...
Chris Trotter writes – Had Zheng He’s fleet sailed east, not west, in the early Fifteenth Century, how different our world would be. There is little reason to suppose that the sea-going junks of the Ming Dynasty, among the largest and most sophisticated sailing vessels ever constructed, would have failed ...
David Farrar writes – Two articles give a useful contrast in balance. Both seek to be neutral explainer articles. This one in the Herald on Social Investment covers the pros and cons nicely. It links to critical pieces and talks about aspects that failed and aspects that are more ...
The tikanga regulations will compel law students to be taught that a system which does not conform with the rule of law is nevertheless law which should be observed and applied…Gary Judd KC writes – I have made a complaint to Parliament’s Regulation ...
The future of Te Huia, the train between Hamilton and Auckland, has been getting a lot of attention recently as current funding for it is only in place till the end of June. The government initially agreed to a five year trial, through to April 2026, but that was subject ...
TL;DR: Hamas has just agreed to Israel’s ceasefire plan. Nelson hospital’s rebuild has been cut back to save money. The OECD suggests New Zealand break up network monopolies, including in electricity. PM Christopher Luxon’s news conference on a prison expansion announcement last night was his messiest yet.Here’s my top six ...
A homicide in Ponsonby, a manhunt with a killer on the run. The nation’s leader stands before a press conference reassuring a frightened nation that he’ll sort it out, he’ll keep them safe, he’ll build some new prison spaces.Sorry what? There’s a scary dude on the run with a gun ...
Hi,I know it’s been awhile since there’s been any Webworm merch — and today that all changes!Over the last four months, I’ve been working with New Zealand artist Jess Johnson to create a series of t-shirts, caps and stickers that are infused with Webworm DNA — and as of right ...
The OECD’s chief economist yesterday laid it on the line for the new Government: bring the deficit under control or face higher Reserve Bank interest rates for longer. And to bring the deficit under control, she meant not borrowing for tax cuts. But there was more. Without policy changes—introducing a ...
After a hiatus of over four months Selwyn Manning and I finally got it together to re-start the “A View from Afar” podcast series. We shall see how we go but aim to do 2 episodes per month if possible. … Continue reading → ...
In 2008, the UK Parliament passed the Climate Change Act 2008. The law established a system of targets, budgets, and plans, with inbuilt accountability mechanisms; the aim was to break the cycle of empty promises and replace it with actual progress towards emissions reduction. The law was passed with near-universal ...
Buzz from the Beehive Local Water Done Well – let’s be blunt – is a silly name, but the first big initiative to put it into practice has gone done well. This success is reflected in the headline on an RNZ report:District mayors welcome Auckland’s new water deal with ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate ConnectionsA farmworker cleans the solar panels of a solar water pump in the village of Jagadhri, Haryana Country, India. (Photo credit: Prashanth Vishwanathan/ IWMI) Decisions made in India over the next few years will play a key role in global ...
Lindsay Mitchell writes – The Children’s Minister, Karen Chhour, intends to repeal Section 7AA from the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 because it creates conflict between claimed Crown Treaty obligations and the child’s best interests. In her words, “Oranga Tamariki’s governing principles and its act should be colour ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. ...
Brian Easton writes – This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be (I will report on them ...
TL;DR:Winston Peters is reported to have won a budget increase for MFAT. David Seymour wanted his Ministry of Regulation to be three times bigger than the Productivity Commission. Simeon Brown is appointing a Crown Monitor to Watercare to protect the Claytons Crown Guarantee he had to give ratings agencies ...
The gloves are off. That might seem to be the undertone of surprisingly tough talk from New Zealand’s foreign and trade ministers. Winston Peters, the foreign minister, may be facing legal action after making allegations about former Australian foreign minister Bob Carr on Radio New Zealand. Carr had made highly ...
I could be a florist'Round the corner from Rye LaneI'll be giving daisies to craziesBut, baby, I'll wrap you up real safe Oh, I can give you flowers At the end of every dayFor the center of your table, a rainbowIn case you have people 'round to stay Depending on ...
TL;DR: The six key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to May 12 include:PM Christopher Luxon is scheduled to hold a post-Cabinet news conference at 4 pm today. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will give a pre-budget speech on Thursday.Parliament sits from Question Time at 2pm on ...
The price of the foreign affairs “reset” is now becoming apparent, with Defence set to get a funding boost in the Budget. Finance Minister Nicola Willis has confirmed that it will be one of the few votes, apart from Health and Education and possibly Police, which will get an increase ...
A listing of 26 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, April 28, 2024 thru Sat, May 4, 2024. Story of the week "It’s straight out of Big Tobacco’s playbook. In fact, research by John Cook and his colleagues ...
Yesterday I received come lovely feedback following my Star Wars themed newsletter. A few people mentioned they’d enjoyed reading the personal part at the beginning.I often begin newsletters with some memories, or general thoughts, before commencing the main topic. This hopefully sets the mood and provides some context in which ...
April 30 was going to be the day we’d be calling Mum from London to wish her a happy birthday. Then it became the day we would be going to St. Paul's at Evensong to remember her. The aim of the cathedral builders was to find a way to make their ...
Rob MacCulloch writes – Can’t remember the last book by a Kiwi author you read? Think the NZ government should spend less on the arts in favor of helping the homeless? If so, as far as Newsroom is concerned, you probably deserve to be called a cultural ignoramus ...
Eric Crampton writes – Grudges are bad. Better to move on. But it can be fun to keep a couple of really trivial ones, so you’re not tempted to have other ones. For example, because of the rootkit fiasco of 2005, no Sony products in our household. ...
A new report warns an estimated third of the adult population have unmet need for health care.Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāHere’s the six key things I learned about Aotaroa’s political economy this week around housing, climate and poverty:Politics - Three opinion polls confirmed support for PM Christopher Luxon ...
Today is May the fourth. Which was just a regular day when my mother took me to see the newly released Star Wars at the Odeon in Rotorua. The queue was right around the corner. Some years later this day became known as Star Wars Day, the date being a ...
Buzz from the Beehive Much more media attention is being paid to something Winston Peters said about former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr than to a speech he delivered to the New Zealand China Council. One word is missing from the speech: AUKUS. But AUKUS loomed large in his considerations ...
Is the economy in another long stagnation? If so, why?This is about the time that the Treasury will be locking up its economic forecasts to be published in the 2024 Budget Economic and Fiscal Update (BEFU) on budget day, 30 May. I am not privy to what they will be ...
The annual list of who's been bribing our politicians is out, and journalists will no doubt be poring over it to find the juiciest and dirtiest bribes. The government's fast-track invite list is likely to be a particular focus, and we already know of one company on the list which ...
In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Southern Israel I wrote about the possible 2nd, 3rd and even 4th order effects of the conflict. These included new fronts being opened in the West Bank (with Hamas), Golan … Continue reading → ...
Peter Dunne writes – It is one of the oldest truisms that there is never a good time for MPs to get a pay rise. This week’s announcement of pay raises of around 2.8% backdated to last October could hardly have come at a worse time, with the ...
David Farrar writes – Newshub reports: Newshub can reveal a fresh allegation of intimidation against Green MP Julie-Anne Genter. Genter is subject to a disciplinary process for aggressively waving a book in the face of National Minister Matt Doocey in the House – but it’s not the first time ...
The Treasury has published a paper today on the global productivity slowdown and how it is playing out in New Zealand: The productivity slowdown: implications for the Treasury’s forecasts and projections. The Treasury Paper examines recent trends in productivity and the potential drivers of the slowdown. Productivity for the whole economy ...
Winston Peters’ comments about former Australian foreign minister look set to be an ongoing headache for both him and Luxon. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The podcast above of the weekly ‘hoon’ webinar for subscribers features co-hosts and , along with regular guests on Gaza and ...
These puppet strings don't pull themselvesYou're thinking thoughts from someone elseHow much time do you think you have?Are you prepared for what comes next?The debating chamber can be a trying place for an opposition MP. What with the person in charge, the speaker, typically being an MP from the governing ...
The land around Lyme Regis, where Meryl Streep once stood, in a hood, on the Cobb, is falling into the sea.MerylThe land around Lyme Regis, around the Cobb that made it rich, has always been falling slowly but surely into the sea. Read more ...
Buzz from the Beehive Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters was bound to win headlines when he set out his thinking about AUKUS in his speech to the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. The headlines became bigger when – during an interview on RNZ’s Morning Report today – he criticised ...
The Post reports on how the government is refusing to release its advice on its corrupt Muldoonist fast-track law, instead using the "soon to be publicly available" refusal ground to hide it until after select committee submissions on the bill have closed. Fast-track Minister Chris Bishop's excuse? “It's not ...
As pressure on it grows, the livestock industry’s approach to the transition to Net Zero is increasingly being compared to that of fossil fuel interests. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / Getty ImagesTL;DR: Here’s the top five news items of note in climate news for Aotearoa-NZ this week, and a discussion above ...
The New Zealand Herald reports – Stats NZ has offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers as a way to give staff some control over their “future” amidst widespread job losses in the public sector. In an update to staff this morning, seen by the Herald, Statistics New Zealand ...
On Werewolf/Scoop, I usually do two long form political columns a week. From now on, there will be an extra column each week about music and movies. But first, some late-breaking political events:The rise in unemployment numbers for the March quarter was bigger than expected – and especially sharp ...
David Farrar writes – The Herald reports: TVNZ says it is dealing with about 50 formal complaints over its coverage of the latest 1News-Verian political poll, with some viewers – as well as the Prime Minister and a former senior Labour MP – critical of the tone of the 6pm report. ...
Muriel Newman writes – When Meridian Energy was seeking resource consents for a West Coast hydro dam proposal in 2010, local Maori “strenuously” objected, claiming their mana was inextricably linked to ‘their’ river and could be damaged. After receiving a financial payment from the company, however, the Ngai Tahu ...
Alwyn Poole writes – “An SEP,’ he said, ‘is something that we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem. That’s what SEP means. Somebody Else’s Problem. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a ...
The Green Party is welcoming the announcement by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform Chris Bishop to approve most of the Wellington City Council’s District Plan recommendations. ...
David Seymour has failed to get the sweeping cuts he wanted to the free and healthy school lunch programme, Labour education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
Hon Willie Jackson has been invited by the Oxford Union to debate the motion “This House Believes British Museums are not Very British’ on May 23rd. ...
Green Party MP Hūhana Lyndon says her Public Works (Prohibition of Compulsory Acquisition of Māori Land) Amendment Bill is an opportunity to right some past wrongs around the alienation of Māori land. ...
A senior, highly respected King’s Counsel with decades of experience in our law courts, Gary Judd KC, has filed a complaint about compulsory tikanga Māori studies for law students - highlighting the utter depths of absurdity this woke cultural madness has taken our society. The tikanga regulations will compel law ...
The Government needs to be clear with the people of the Nelson Marlborough region about the changes it is considering for the Nelson Hospital rebuild, Labour health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
Ministers must front up about which projects it will push through under its Fast Track Approvals legislation, Labour environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
The Government is again adding to New Zealand’s growing unemployment, this time cutting jobs at the agencies responsible for urban development and growing much needed housing stock. ...
With Minister Karen Chhour indicating in the House today that she either doesn’t know or care about the frontline cuts she’s making to Oranga Tamariki, we risk seeing more and more of our children falling through the cracks. ...
The Labour Party is saddened to learn of the death of Sir Robert Martin, a globally renowned disability advocate who led the way for disability rights both in New Zealand and internationally. ...
Labour is calling for the Government to urgently rethink its coalition commitment to restart live animal exports, Labour animal welfare spokesperson Rachel Boyack said. ...
Today’s Financial Stability Report has once again highlighted that poverty and deep inequality are political choices - and this Government is choosing to make them worse. ...
The Green Party is calling on the Government to do more for our households in most need as unemployment rises and the cost of living crisis endures. ...
Unemployment is on the rise and it’s only going to get worse under this Government, Labour finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds said. Stats NZ figures show the unemployment rate grew to 4.3 percent in the March quarter from 4 percent in the December quarter. “This is the second rise in unemployment ...
The New Zealand Labour Party welcomes the entering into force of the European Union and New Zealand free trade agreement. This agreement opens the door for a huge increase in trade opportunities with a market of 450 million people who are high value discerning consumers of New Zealand goods and ...
The National-led Government continues its fiscal jiggery pokery with its Pharmac announcement today, Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall says. “The government has increased Pharmac funding but conceded it will only make minimal increases in access to medicine”, said Ayesha Verrall “This is far from the bold promises made to fund ...
This afternoon’s interim Waitangi Tribunal report must be taken seriously as it affects our most vulnerable children, Labour children’s spokesperson Willow-Jean Prime. ...
Te Pāti Māori are demanding the New Zealand Government support an international independent investigation into mass graves that have been uncovered at two hospitals on the Gaza strip, following weeks of assault by Israeli troops. Among the 392 bodies that have been recovered, are children and elderly civilians. Many of ...
Our two-tiered system for veterans’ support is out of step with our closest partners, and all parties in Parliament should work together to fix it, Labour veterans’ affairs spokesperson Greg O’Connor said. ...
Stripping two Ministers of their portfolios just six months into the job shows Christopher Luxon’s management style is lacking, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said. ...
Tonight’s court decision to overturn the summons of the Children’s Minister has enabled the Crown to continue making decisions about Māori without evidence, says Te Pāti Māori spokesperson for Children, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi. “The judicial system has this evening told the nation that this government can do whatever they want when ...
It appears Nicola Willis is about to pull the rug out from under the feet of local communities still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s severe weather, and local councils relying on funding to build back from these disasters. ...
The Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...
Labour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...
The Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...
Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...
The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The government's decision to reintroduce Three Strikes is a destructive and ineffective piece of law-making that will only exacerbate an inherently biased and racist criminal justice system, said Te Pāti Māori Justice Spokesperson, Tākuta Ferris, today. During the time Three Strikes was in place in Aotearoa, Māori and Pasifika received ...
Cuts to frontline hospital staff are not only a broken election promise, it shows the reckless tax cuts have well and truly hit the frontline of the health system, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
The Green Party has joined the call for public submissions on the fast-track legislation to be extended after the Ombudsman forced the Government to release the list of organisations invited to apply just hours before submissions close. ...
New Zealand’s good work at reducing climate emissions for three years in a row will be undone by the National government’s lack of ambition and scrapping programmes that were making a difference, Labour Party climate spokesperson Megan Woods said today. ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...
Rape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...
New research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...
There has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...
Defence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...
Welcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...
It is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...
New Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...
A new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...
The Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...
Minister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...
New Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...
Six tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...
New Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...
The OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...
The Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...
The Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...
Thank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...
The Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...
The coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...
Structured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...
Trade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...
The rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...
The Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...
New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...
Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...
From today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...
People with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...
Kiwi exporters are $100 million better off today with the NZ EU FTA entering into force says Trade Minister Todd McClay. “This is all part of our plan to grow the economy. New Zealand's prosperity depends on international trade, making up 60 per cent of the country’s total economic activity. ...
There are heartening signs that the extractive sector is once again becoming an attractive prospect for investors and a source of economic prosperity for New Zealand, Resources Minister Shane Jones says. “The beginnings of a resurgence in extractive industries are apparent in media reports of the sector in the past ...
The return of the historic Ō-Rākau battle site to the descendants of those who fought there moved one step closer today with the first reading of Te Pire mō Ō-Rākau, Te Pae o Maumahara / The Ō-Rākau Remembrance Bill. The Bill will entrust the 9.7-hectare battle site, five kilometres west ...
Energy Minister Simeon Brown has announced 25 new high-speed EV charging hubs along key routes between major urban centres and outlined the Government’s plan to supercharge New Zealand’s EV infrastructure. The hubs will each have several chargers and be capable of charging at least four – and up to 10 ...
The coalition Government will not proceed with the previous Government’s plans to regulate residential property managers, Housing Minister Chris Bishop says. “I have written to the Chairperson of the Social Services and Community Committee to inform him that the Government does not intend to support the Residential Property Managers Bill ...
The Government has announced an independent review into the disability support system funded by the Ministry of Disabled People – Whaikaha. Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston says the review will look at what can be done to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Disability Support Services to provide disabled people and ...
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has attended the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva and outlined the Government’s plan to restore law and order. “Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council provided us with an opportunity to present New Zealand’s human rights progress, priorities, and challenges, while responding to issues and ...
The Government and Rotorua Lakes Council are committed to working closely together to end the use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua. Associate Minister of Housing (Social Housing) Tama Potaka says the Government remains committed to ending the long-term use of contracted emergency housing motels in Rotorua by the ...
The Minister Responsible for GCSB and the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security have been notified of this review, and have been provided a finalised Terms of Reference. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Minglu Chen, Senior Lecturer, Government and International Relations, University of Sydney Robert Way/Shutterstock As the past few years have illustrated so clearly, the Australia-China relationship is complicated. As such, it is crucial for Australians to develop a more nuanced understanding of ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mariana Campbell, Research Lecturer, Conservation, Charles Darwin University Marilyn Connell Australian freshwater turtles are facing an alarming trend. Almost half of these species are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered. The Mary River turtle (Elusor macrurus) is one of Australia’s ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Debbie Passey, Digital Health Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Barbaro, Associate Professor, Principal Research Fellow, Psychologist, La Trobe University Unsplash We’ve come a long way in terms of understanding that everyone thinks, interacts and experiences the world differently. In the past, autistic people, people with attention deficit hyperactive disorder ...
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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.