National leader the clueless Simon Bridges said to Duncan Garner this AM show ” that it is time we stopped the blame game”.
Shit i was blown away since he has been as a rabbid dog since september against every movbe labour/NZF/Greens have said and made so he alongside SS Joyce ‘fathered the harte camopaign against any oppositiion to their Neo-conservative policies and ‘sell & rort’.
We will see if he sticks to his words this time , but I am not confident he has the smarts to finaklly stop his ranting. it’s in his DNA sadly.
Slick’s probably waking up to the reasons why Shonky, Bingles, Coleman, Ryall, Power, Parata etc are all long gone after playing their roles in effectively strip mining NZ for 3 terms.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy, watch your back buddy as you’re job isn’t to act all sorry and sympathetic it’s to maintain the facade of neo liberal BS with nationals media mates.
“Online advertising creators aren’t alone in the struggle with meaninglessness among white-collar workers in the marketing, communications and media industry.”
So I did the survey at the end of the article (is your job BS) to find > 1/3 of respondents consider their job BS. This is a staggering number of folks potentially caught in an existential dilemma.
Meaning (in life) might be derived from a number of sources (e.g. community, religion, parenting…) other than work. But doing meaningless s*** day-in day-out has its toll. Humans have an inherent need to contribute and belong (and be praised for it – heap that praise wherever it’s deserved). When we remove folks ability to meaningfully contribute the fallout can be severe…
Mummies boys become school shooters
Reporters become petty little meme graspers
Leaders become disenfranchised and corrupt
Everyone gets shriller, more determined to be heard (significant)
I posit that the majority of social and mainstream media is utterly pointless. That engaging in it causes the viewer the same existential angst as the content creators suffer creating it.
So how do we counter existential angst (life is BS):
Plant some trees. Solve a problem. Clean your house. Grow a garden. Feed someone hungry. Raise children. Teach. Praise good works. Provide emotional support to your fellows. Spend the day in the service of others. Connect.
We’ve got a planet needs saving, so roll your bloody sleeves up!
‘Find a purpose in life worthy of supporting a life’ – Nietzsche.
“I posit that the majority of social and mainstream media is utterly pointless. That engaging in it causes the viewer the same existential angst as the content creators suffer creating it.”
Addictive though, isn’t it 🙂
Nice comment though, DB; “existential angst” is going to be/is the big challenge – we can’t save our souls/the neighbourhood if we have despaired.
Certainly not my intention to point at maternal influence as the issue. Though an established phrase – it is also a trite (and somewhat sexist) phrase so thanks for highlighting that.
I was thinking of those youths who are mollycoddled to the point they do nothing for themselves (and/or others) and so feel insignificant.
I think we really need to look at this differently.
You have a certain part of the population in the US – where most of the school shooting occur – that believes might makes right.
So its very easy for me to see how children who grow up with this mindset in their families and communities would equally believe that they too can use might to right any slight that they may have suffered.
as the herald shouted today the last shooter – a 17 year old – had to grab a gun and defend his manhood cause some young girl did not want to be his date’girlfriend or what ever and refused him his ‘right’ to sex.
Men are afraid that women laugh at them
women are afraid that men kill them, even the young men.
As for the youth being mollycoddled, that is again not their fault, its the fault of our society.
In our society, we the adults in the room, have literally taken away any rights and freedoms we had when we were children and replaced it with sugary drinks, sugary food, electronic gadgets and uppers or downers if we can’t manage our hyped up, over entertained and under challenged children.
Adults really need to stop complaining about the Youth. The Youth neither makes the rules nor do they get asked.
I liked your comment about people having lost sense of belonging, sense of self, sense of value and replaced their lost identity with gadgets of no importance. But it is us who are teaching these values as a community to our young ones.
As for feeling insignificant, why not. Why not admit that in the large scheme of things we are insignificant, no more important that one single grain of sand on a beach. There is freedom in knowing that. 🙂
These children are in some way reflections (feedback) of broader society. Some of the blame might be heaped upon so called leadership, in many roles (Govt, Caregivers, Church, Community) – but…
We possess the ability to discern things for ourselves too. These shooters are indeed responsible for their actions. Just not entirely so as they’re youths.
I see social media playing a large role in all of this. School shooters (as a common occurrence) are modern phenomenon and on the increase. The correlation between mental illness and too much social media has already been suggested – but ‘controversy’ remains – (read, largest corporates in the world sell phones and computers).
And guns.
Meanwhile, they’re looking for an ‘elusive common element’ in school shootings.
I agree the understanding of one’s own insignificance in ‘the grand scheme of things’ can be liberating. We’re not there yet.
Much of mankind is insane with their own egos. Media magnify it all.
Significance is not about being a pop star. It is about being there for yourself, your family, and your community.
the children of today are the sum of our society. Full stop. they are birthed by adults (and children), they are educated by adults, they are surrounded by adults, and choices are made for them by adults. it is adults that run this world and its about time that adults own up to this.
Once we are of a certain age we are indeed able to discern things for ourself.
Most seventeen years olds are judged by society to not be able to do this hence why they are considered children who have no right to vote, to drink, to drive a car (obviously NZ is different ), and can only have sex with people of their age ( again depending on age of consent), can only enter into limited contracts etc etc etc . Unless of course we want to reduce the age to seventeen or earlier where one gets full autonomy of ones life and is legally considered an adult.
The ‘elusive common element’ in school shooting is generally the very easy access to weapons (even if the shooter do not have the legal age to legally posses a weapon in their own name), toxic masculinity that stipulates that men have to be of a certain type in order to be considered a real man, a society that puts power above all else, and a population brainwashed into believing that putting the bible and prayer into school will bring god to people and thus everyone will go back to singing kumbaya.
The media is a tool, it has as much power over you as you give it. Literally the only reason Hoskins still has a bullhorn is because people discuss him and his regular turds that he lays out for shits n giggles. The media is neither fake nor true, depending if they are left or right leaning they will report on the same shit with their inherent biases.
We either are able to discern things for us or not.
this is not about being a celebrity or stuff, this is simply about us admitting first our own shortcomings before we expect others to change.
And its time for adults to admit that we fucked things up royally. And we are continuing to fuck things up royally by wanting to preserve what we have rather then starting to share what we have so that our limited resource last longer. And the kids know this. They know that they are fucked. They know they will most likely never have what their parents and grandparents had, a job for life (or at least a full time contract), an affordable house, affordable healthcare, affordable dental care, nature that is healhty and abundant, lakes and rivers to swim in etc etc etc.
Significance is simply there to stroke our ego. We are not significant. We are just passing through, passengers on a ride to nowhere. And it is time that us adults admit this too. Lest some seventeen year old with access to weapons and weapon making abilities will blow you and me to smithereens simply because they can, and because other then thoughts and prayers nothing else is offered by the adults in the room.
I wasn’t actually disagreeing with you and tried hard to be respectful of what you were trying to say.
Now you sound ready to go on a weapons rampage. Cos ‘we’ (thanks for including me) fucked things up royally. And if we don’t ‘admit it’, some 17 year old with a weapon…
Take a deep breath. Maybe try that meditation you allude to.
This bit…. “I liked your comment about people having lost sense of belonging, sense of self, sense of value and replaced their lost identity with gadgets of no importance. But it is us who are teaching these values as a community to our young ones. ”
Strongly agree with you and it’s up to all of us to try and change that and make a difference, doesn’t matter if you have children or not, everyone can help.
For example, am currently working on the school production, this year have asked for an assistant, I asked for a student who was not doing that great in ‘core’ subject areas, I wanted someone who fidgets in class (fidgeting is a sign of creative interests) that might not have the best home life.
Deputy Principal knew exactly where I was coming from and my assistant has been amazing, will get her a gift after the production for her efforts. Have been giving her loads of well deserved praise, my goal with this girl is to build her up and give her something to be proud about.
You can kill initiative with praise Cinny unless it is an acknowledgement for task completed. We have a team of youths working on a 7 day project for us as part of their training. When it is finished I will provide a barbecue and heartfelt thanks for a good job well done and especially an observation on the way in which they cooperate with each other. Otherwise I note that “that is an accurate join” or “must be difficult to measure that,” or that step will be a help to our movement.”
There are many myths about praise and much research, but it is hard to not praise because that is what we have been told is good.
Alfie Kohn, is a good author to read about praise and incentives, particularly in regards to education.
Fundamentally, I think it is about making strong connections, and working with each other honestly. When you are in the company of someone you trust, unearned praise strikes a note of discord, (however sometimes for those unused to positive remarks it can kick start off a sense of pride.)
In the end though, the best form of self-management requires all of us to have a good and accurate measure of self-estimation. We all get to prioritise where our energies are directed as adults, and we get to decide what tasks can be achieved with smaller effort, and which we can immerse ourselves in.
Thanks Ian for that, much appreciated, this young girl has blown me away with her initiative, she was tidying up and organising a items as well as a few stray kids without me having to ask her. When she does such things, I thank her for being helpful by seeing that something needed to be done and taking action.
Thanks for the tips 🙂 Will def take it onboard.
Molly, thanks so much for the link, much appreciated, looking forward to having a read. Yes it’s about trust and honesty, the last thing I want her to do is to think that I’m just giving her praise to help her feel happy.
In the few weeks since I’ve been engaging with her I’ve noticed she is becoming more relaxed, will be spending one on one time with her this week, so am hoping she will open up and share any of her ideas for our project.
The shooting culture starts off when they are young. Have an American liberal friend and we were telling her how crazy US gun laws were and she said she didn’t think so and then told us how she was left alone in the house as a 10 yo and her parents gave her a gun to defend herself just in case! Didn’t see anything wrong with it!
Obviously knocking on someones door in the US must have it’s issues if you could be blown away by a nervous kid home alone. This was about 20 years ago when she was 10 so I’m sure much worse now with automatic weapons!
And this women was a liberal minded person who still thought being bought up like that was ok!
The US has a massive gun violence problem and mass killings at schools are only a small part of the overall problem. To date this year alone 5,482 people have been killed by by guns and 9,996 people injured. That’s around 40 people a day killed by firearms. There have been 102 mass killings so far this year (ie numbers killed > 4 ) . Taking into account the number of young people – 992 teens (12 – 17), and 237 children under the age of 12 have killed or injured. http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/
The solutions is frankly straight forward – but not one that US legislators are willing or able to grapple with. As Germane Lopez who has been covering gun violence in the US for years explains here https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/21/17028930/gun-violence-us-statistics-charts the simple fact is that there are far too many guns available and next to no restrictions on who has access to them. The rate of gun ownership in the US is almost 1 per person, far outstripping all other countries. The US makes up less than 5% of the world population but has 42% of the privately owned firearms.
It was not so much that the young man felt jilted by a girl which lead him to kill and injure so many others – but the fact that in his home there was easy access to a pistol and shotgun and ammunition. Had the guns not been there this horrible event most likely would not have happened.
a 2013 study, led by a Boston University School of Public Health researcher, found that, after controlling for multiple variables, each percentage point increase in gun ownership correlated with a roughly 0.9 percent rise in the firearm homicide rate.
From the above link.
It is all too easy to blame these killings on anything and everything other than the fact that there are firearms easy to hand.
Supporters of gun rights look at America’s high levels of gun violence and argue that guns are not the problem. They point to other issues, from violence in video games and movies to the supposed breakdown of the traditional family.
Most recently, they’ve blamed mental health issues for mass shootings. This is the only policy issue that Trump mentioned in his first speech following the Florida shooting.
But as far as homicides go, people with mental illnesses are more likely to be victims, not perpetrators, of violence. And Michael Stone, a psychiatrist at Columbia University who maintains a database of mass shooters, wrote in a 2015 analysis that only 52 out of the 235 killers in the database, or about 22 percent, had mental illnesses. “The mentally ill should not bear the burden of being regarded as the ‘chief’ perpetrators of mass murder,” he concluded. Other research has backed this up.
I find it difficult to understand how the USA has so many shootings, can it really be just because of the availability of firearms?
Seems strange, that other country’s don’t experience the same level of shootings.
Seems too me it must be gun culture, rather than gun availablity.
My personal rural experience is one of gun availability throughout my life, and I’m sure that’s not uncommon in NZ.
Even Urban NZ has plenty of firearms, pistol clubs for example are well attended in our main cities.
Yet mass shootings thankfully are uncommon.
I suspect part of it is the emphasis on guns for self defense. The idea you need to carry the gun everywhere, all the time, doesn’t come from the issue of sudden visits to a firing range.
So they end up regarding guns as daily tools, and in heightened paranoia all the time. And they’re always close if someone has a bad day and loses impulse control.
Also perhaps the issue with firearms is people who use them for hunting etc, actually see the damage that they are capable of.
I remember being absolutely shocked at the damage the .270 rifle I had used to shoot a Billy goat when I was 16.
It certainly brings a sobriety to firearms, and any other feelings of masculinity and power soon left me for shock.
Perhaps this sort of experience is needed to understand firearms, and give a greater appreciation of what it means to fire one at man or beast.
If you were to look at the links in the comment above you would see just how it is that the the US has such a high carnage from gun violence. There is a direct correlation between the rate of gun ownership and gun fatalities. This is not just studies which look at the US, they look at other countries and what actions they have taken in response to mass shootings. – notably the Port Albert Massacre in Australia where 38 were killed in one episode of violence. The crackdown by the Australian federal Government – even buying back guns in a gun amnesty – led to a dramatic drop in deaths by gun violence.
There is virtually no gun control measures in the states. Where one state may impose restrictions, that is easily circumvented by going out of state and purchasing whatever you want elsewhere. Whilst illegal, it is almost impossible to police until coming to the notice of police through criminal activity.
I suspect there’s also a function to do with the distribution of guns amongst owners – while a certain proportion of owners of multiple firearms would be historical collectors and dealers, if the majority of firearms are in the hands of a small proportion of owners, I’d be interested in any correlation. It might explain Switzerland being an outlier, if I recall correctly.
The US has around 88 guns per hundred people, while Switzerland has around 42 guns per hundred.
Switzerland’s relatively high rate of gun ownership (NZ’s is about 22/100 Australia about 17/100) is of course due to their fierce neutrality and the requirement for a standing “civilian” Army.) Switzerland not only has the highest rate of gun ownership in Europe, it also has the highest rate of gun related deaths in Europe (around 4 per 100,000 people). The US is around 9/100,000. By Comparison NZ’s is around 2.5 /100,000 and Australia with far stricter gun regulations than NZ is around 1 /100,000.
What you say wrt to the 3% owning the majority of the guns is correct. There are estimated to be 300 million guns in the U.S., but 130 million of them are owned by about 3 percent of the adult population. That’s still 170 million spread over the rest of the population of 325 million – still a rate of gun ownership higher than all other countries apart from Yeman.
The other main difference between the US and Switzerland is in background checks and regulations with respect to the storage and carriage of guns. Like NZ guns in Switzerland must be unloaded and securely stored – in many States in the US this is not the case, and little to no background checks.
The first paragraph should be easy enough for you to have interpreted, and as you’ve not addresed it I would say you understood what I said…
The second paragraph was offering an example of an industry where human decisions also kill, and in far greater numbers than guns…or more poignantly the human beings who decide to use them to kill…
You edited the first sentence after posting so I hope you will have the decency to admit that. You added that claptrap about a gun not making the decision to kill.
Macro put up some very damning statistics about gun prevalence and regulation versus human loss of life.
Yes I added the extra sentence…why do you think it’s ‘decent’ that I should admit to having added the sentence…it didn’t alter the core premise of what I stated…
Guns don’t kill people no matter how much you believe it…they don’t!
As for how you’ve interpreted my comments or link as ‘AV’ is all in your imagination…perhaps read the link and then try again…
Life was tough, we were poor, Dad ruled by fist. We got by… My brother died in front of me crushed in machinery – a factory accident. I got questioned by police, repeatedly. The detectives were brutal. They made many threats including prison and prison rape to a then seven year old boy. They took me to town and put me in a cell and said I was never getting out. There was no adult supervision for me during any of this and today (> 40 years later) I still struggle with PTSD, trust and authority.
Probably wouldn’t have been so severe except I was meant to be grieving, not defending myself.
My brother saw no mangled bodies, had no interrogations, accusations…
Months later the neighbors boys invaded a hut we were in. I had made a rabbit warren of an existing shed. This thing with layers and trapdoors, three stories, hidden doors, a bolthole, etc. I was a mess, I wanted to feel safe.
I went and found another place to hide. My brother (6) got Dad’s gun and went after them. Luckily, he couldn’t find bullets.
One more. Pete was a state ward who sometimes slept in our dog kennel when on the run from the boys home. He was 14 when he joined me, also 14, at the Hillcrest Tavern for some beers. We walked home through a park to smoke weed and some older males (who we actually knew!) mugged him.
Pete had a stash of guns and a too long and tragic history. About a week later he was passenger in someone’s car and hello – driving past one of the muggers. He opened up both barrels of a sawn-off shotgun at him as they drove by. He missed and hit a crate of beer the guy was standing beside.
Points you illustrated:
1. The mentally ill should not bear the burden of being regarded as the ‘chief’ perpetrators of mass murder.
2. Guns are the smoking gun in (school) shootings.
Agreed. The more access to guns the more gun violence. It’s so blatantly obvious.
Thanks for the personal anecdote DB. Your story about the rabbit warren in your shed, hit home because of the similarity to a childhood story of a friend of mine. Both you and she deserved better.
It’s never too late to get support, if you ever feel that it is time to do so. You are providing support just by relating your story. Thanks, again.
DB, I spent quite a time thinking about the way the Police treated a shocked wee boy. Sometimes when males in the family have broken laws, all the members of the family are “written off” and treated badly as a consequence.
A cousin had that experience. His adoptive Father got on the wrong side of the law, the Police followed the boy in a small town ’till they “caught him throwing stones”. It spiralled down ’till my Dad sent him to live with another Uncle who discovered Bill was a natural at Maths and building intricate models…it saved him. One loving caring adult can make such a difference.
Our youngest decided to go into Baking. Well with one vehicle between us, son would wake me with a cuppa at 2a.m. I would get into my dressing gown and slippers, pile into the car while he drove 12km to the Bakery to start the weighing and machinery at 2.30a.m. Then I’d return home to sleep ’till 6.30a.m.
Again I would collect him from his work at 12.30 or 3.30p.m. Long days.
This particular night the car lit up. “Police” Son pulled over. We waited. A voice says “Is this your car?” Son said “no, it is my parents” “Do they know you are driving round at this time of night?” “Yes” said son. “Oh yeah..Right! How old are you?’ Son “18” “Oh yeah Right!”
Tone was now really aggressive so I leaned forward and said “What is the problem Officer?” He gasped then said “I didn’t know you were there” “No I didn’t think you did!” He then said “Where are you going at this hour?” I then explained G was going to work in the Bakery as he had the responsibility of starting all the ovens and do the weighing before 5.30 shift started and I would drive home for some sleep before my teaching day.
He then became utterly charming, saying he had stopped us as a tail light was not operating. I hopped out, and sure enough. So as you do, I wanged it and it flickered on. “Oh ” I said “I’ll get N to look into that today.” “Fine you can go then” So we did, but we commented on his change of manner and we wondered what would have happened if I hadn’t been there! Is it Power??
It took me ever so long to understand what happened as it was so outrageous my Mother would leave me alone with them like that. And also, that they could treat me so. I was terrified. Why would they want to talk to me if I hadn’t done something wrong. They certainly instilled a complex or two. I can still remember them initiating terms with her ‘if you or a lawyer are with him you might coach him and we need to get to the truth’ – so they got me alone. And then leaving, most proud of themselves to announce to her ‘he’s definitely innocent, anyone else would of broke after all that’. Of course I did break, as I was just a little kid.
This was a Dairy Company factory. Pre-Fonterra but big business all the same. Safety regulations had to be upgraded to stop kids wandering onto sites after that. Would have been a whole lot cheaper, and sold plenty of papers, to convict a kid of pushing his brother into a machine. I had a friend with me too, an eye-witness. They said we colluded but we’d been kept separate the whole time. They told me he signed a statement saying I did it. They were bloody mongrels. Some detectives from the big smoke.
I must note I’ve also worked alongside/witnessed amazing police folk who are a real credit to the community. One particular community constable in Hamilton stands out, he’d take local ratbags out fishing on his boat. He let me drive a slightly dodgy car to do the run for a food bank. I parked it practically under his office window as that’s where we unloaded. Got the warrant soon as I got the cash he he. He was top notch. Straight up but not a dick about it. Turned a few of those kids around too.
Back to me story. Children have a way of masking stuff that is a bit much for them and I had no idea what I was up against I just took forever to put the pieces back together again. Even with the help of all the kings horses and all the kings men… Hehe. Ya gotta laugh, it’s mandatory!
I found a decade of drinking helped, at least it felt like it did.
So I went a bit wild. I was living in the bush age 17. Me, my girl, our dog, a sack of rice and some fishing lines. It was probably that that saved me. I still hit the piss for ten years when I got out of the bush, but I wasn’t so angry anymore…
Thanks DB. We all have to rationalise things that have scared or hurt us.
When I had polio aged six, and was separated from my parents for six months, I became clingy or belligerent in wild swings. Nightmares about lumbar punctures and iron lungs made going to bed a dreaded ritual where for years after, I knotted my hair with catatonic rocking to shut out the visions. At that age we don’t have the language to express the very strong feelings. They stay ’till we master them. Keep well, ecology sounds good. Mine was reading.
When the right to bear arms is enshrined in the US constitution and has the backing of numerous supreme court decisions, how could the solution (assuming the solution is to restrict or prohibit access to guns) possibly be straight forward?
So 80% (or thereabouts) of mass shooters don’t have a mental illness. What a crock.
For someone to deliberately murder one innocent person, let alone multiple people in cold blood they must have some form of mental illness. People with ‘normal’ functioning mental states don’t go out and murder innocent people on mass.
They may not have shown any form of severe mental illness before becoming mass murderers and without reading the study you mentioned I’d bet that is what it says, but to say they are in a normal mental state when committing mass murder is bollocks. Think about what state of mind you yourself would have to be in to commit mass murder. Would you imagine you could do it in your normal mental state?
You might compare it to peer pecking in birds – raptor chicks must learn to limit sibling pecking because they could easily kill each other. Dove chicks lack that mechanism and sibling pecking is occasionally fatal in spite of the less impressive armaments.
Boys who roughhouse inappropriately (fight dirty for example) may struggle to make friends or self-isolate. These are risk factors for things like school shooting.
“Boys who roughhouse inappropriately (fight dirty for example) may struggle to make friends or self-isolate. These are risk factors for things like school shooting.”
That’s a bit of a leap of logic there, Stuart.
More of a statistical gap – psych folks have been pointing out the problem of families without good male role models for a long time. The research supports that to some degree – but school shooters are a tiny proportion of even the US population, it’s by no means every sole parent child, or even 1% of them.
Of course sole parent families also are more likely to be financially stressed, which is another risk factor. It’s a bit tricky finding research not prompted by the desire to impose a set of norms on struggling families, but there is some. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/7a3f/3c6ac4fdf8014ab6ea604ea750e96743d1a0.pdf
I have read some of the literature, but was pointing out your jump in logic in your comment.
Have done a quick skim through the link, which looks very interesting, and saved a copy for when I have the time to sit and ponder. But the table on Page six looks like a good indication of where it is going.
(Didn’t find anything about rough-housing and female parenting though. Interestingly enough, two of my closest male friends who seemed very grounded were brought up in female households. But that could be a reflection of my female perspective to what a grounded human (male or female) acts like).
Good role models are good role models. They aren’t necessarily linked to specific acts ie. male roughhousing. (I know few rough females 😉 )
I think any generalizations are always going to look a bit like a smear. Children will learn appropriate behavior from peers in a healthy community, and it may be that kiwi women are more physical than the parts of the US such studies come from. In less healthy communities it may be more real, but still only a risk factor.
I’m surprised not to see a more recent breakdown though, and it wouldn’t surprise me if a multiple risk factor threshold existed along the lines of Malcolm Gladwell’s argument about air crashes, that they principally occurred in bad weather with tired crews and mechanical issues. Gladwell reckoned seven present risk factors was typical for an air accident.
The multiple-risk factor seems most likely. Which makes the predictive nature of individual risk factors very inaccurate.
I’m more inclined to look for studies that seem to reflect a loss of social connections within families, neighbourhoods, and communities that produce not only a ‘sense’ of isolation, but an reality of isolation that is not hampered by the awareness and adept handling by others around you. Sounds a bit simplistic in “a village raises a child” way, but more like the social net has smaller holes so less people fall through.
(The case studies at the end of your link make a good read too, as does the conclusion. )
There’s an abundance of data which shows clearly that children raised in single parent families are massively more likely to commit serious crimes when they get older. This is a fact. For example, 85% of prison inmates in the USA come from fatherless homes.
Currently most single parent families are a mother raising children by herself. This doesn’t mean necessarily that these stats would be any different for single parent families where the father is the parent there just doesn’t seem to be much data on single father families.
Yes good role models are good role models but the stats clearly show that having 2 good role models ( a mother and a father) massively decreases the chances of negative consequences for the child as they grow up.
Might also be linked to the poverty of many single parent homes as well. As stuart mentioned, the issue is multi faceted, and linking outcomes to one factor is too simplistic.
I appreciate the feedback. You are right, that old saying ‘mummies boy’ is well past its used by date. It was pointed out to me and addressed above as well. It’s a saying embedded in language, and I’ve not given it a second thought till now.
I was alluding to mollycoddling children and their subsequent lack of personal responsibility and feelings of insignificance. It’s a recipe for trouble.
It would be good if women who regard themselves as feminists weren’t so sensitive yet aggressive, responding like this.
Women want to be treated as equals and be able to mix with others in a relaxed way which means not defensive, not hysterical, not aggressive and retaliatory.
DB
Are you trolling? I have been commenting here for years and people who know me would not consider that I go in for that. I guess you are someone who can’t cope with a different view than whatever is the meme amongst the in group.
I thought this was about the term ‘mummie’s boy’? This is not a fallacy, it is an opinion which may be appropriate in some cases. Daddie’s girl also. And I think the possible remark about stupid fathers and guns would be justified from what I have read. Honesty and room for reasoned opinion will help understanding I think. Otherwise it’s authoritarian and unnecessary censorship. Incidentally a Texas leader or governor has given his opinion about the mass of shootings there that the causes are abortion, broken homes and video games. That’s outspoken but not reasoned, so is an example of what isn’t helpful!
This discussion on what is ‘proper’ language takes me back to 1988 and the delightful Ronald Searle’s Non-Sexist Dictionary. He had a look at words that could have a change of gender, or perhaps two depending on who used them.
He drew his fine illustrations to Mango – Womango, Mandolin – Womandolin, Hedonist- Shedonist, Historian – Hertorian. The words finishing in ment – Instrument, Implement, Improvement, were easily amended. In 2018 and this 1988 publication still is current.
By the way there are 6 women activists locked up in Saudi Arabia for advocating women have the right to drive a car and go out in public on their own. Perhaps writing protests to the relevant Saudi authority, Amnesty International would probably have the address, would help them. And perhaps write rather than go through the internet seeing we are so friendly with one Saudi sheik and they might be close allies. Your email address might end up with the GCSB.
The new threat of disease to our entire cattle stock is a case of point as we have now allowed the unchecked transport of cows all around NZ on trucks and the Mycoplasma_bovis dsease which may destroy our second largest export earner and biggest company.
Prevention[edit]
There are many ways by which cattle can be prevented from catching Mycoplasma bovis and other pathogenic bacteria.[7]
Transport of animals[edit]
When transporting the animals from one farm to another, It would be appropriate if the transport vehicle could be cleaned with disinfectants before and after use. For better care, environmental swabbing should be taken place and samples sent to a microbiology lab if any harmful bacteria will be detected, further actions should be taken place.[8]
Visitors[edit]
Only authorized people should be allow to visit a farm. Visitors shall arrive with clean clothing and footwear and disinfectant on arrival and departure can be used to stop getting the introduction of bacteria’s. For example, a water mat with disinfectant can be used in the entrance of the farm, water bath, company can provide sanitized clothes for people.
Weekly inspection and maintenance[edit]
In the end of the week, cleaning of all the areas and equipment reduces the chances of animals getting sick. Also, it is important to clean the feedlot container and keep the feed dry. Doubling the boundary fence with a 6-inch gap prevents the animals contacting neighbouring animals.
History and taxonomy[edit]
Also the on board containment of stock affluent and discharge of it into government controlled iraddication of those toxins has not been enforced nor funded under nine years of national Government either so national made it all worse but we need to contain the spread now so need to stop movement of tock now to stop the spread or we are all done stuffed and fucked.
Judge Tuohy awarded Kelly’s estate the maximum it could – $1000 – and said it would have been “several times more” if possible, after Tynan Kelly was made to sign a fixed-term agreement to stay in the boarding house on Aurora Tce, Kelburn.
Boarding houses cannot be covered by fixed terms.
There was “no argument” that it was unlawful, the judge wrote.
“The inference that it did so intentionally is irresistible, both in the sense that its insertion of a fixed term was deliberate and that it knew from its experience that to do so was unlawful”.
If any Left winger wonders why Right wingers can be so virulently opposed to leftist politics when supposedly the aims are just to help the poor and disadvantaged in society take a look at Venezuela and especially what has been happening just recently in relation to the elections. Hard left movements like the Chavista regime in Venezuela are all fine with Democracy when it serves their purposes but quickly ditch any pretence when people turn against them.
Saudi Arabia is not a country I support. Quite the contrary I would prefer that the West (including NZ) imposes the harshest sanctions against that abominable nation.
No offense , Gosman but every time I see endorsers of the neo liberal ‘righteousness ‘,… they always seem to have a penchant for bringing up extreme examples of ‘socialism ‘ like Venezuela,.. yet always strangely silent about super prosperous examples like the Scandinavian country’s…
It almost seems more of an Americanophile thing,… someone brought up in that country who seems almost willfully ignorant of anything outside of their narrow sphere of experience that challenges their mindsets…
And we can ascribe countless failures to former capitalist country’s in decades past.
The USA for one, – the 1929 Wall Street crash and the ensuing Great Depression.
There you go – Laizzez Faire economics.
The ancestor of modern neo liberalism. And guess what pulled the USA out of the Great Depression , – Keynesianism ( to which places like Scandinavia still practice as more or less ‘socialist ‘ country’s ) . In 6 short months like it did every other country that adopted it. Which meant most of west Europe and Japan as well.
So if you’re going to cite failures to shore up your ideological stance , please at least be honest and mention its ( neo liberalisms ) failures as well. Of which there are many.
What has happened in Venezuela is what happens when the right are blinded by their greed and fail to realise that if they dont acknowledge society they will lose what they have appropriated……that is the lesson of Venezuela…and history.
the party of destruction arrives when the electorate has nothing left to lose….its up to the current parties (and electorate) to ensure that dosnt happen
Does that excuse the gross abuse of the democratic process then?
I wonder how many moderate left wingers will continue to back the Chavista regime. Previously they were used as an example of how Socialist policies were incredibly popular and how Socialism could be implemented in a democratic manner.
The democratic process doesn’t function particularly well in warfare, which is why the Romans were wont to elect limited term dictators to resolve such matters.
So, there’s been insurgent warfare and corporate intrigue on a large scale. You should watch Pilger’s War on Democracy if you’re not acquainted with the facts.
What we have is large state belligerence coupled with a murderous moneyed elite. The government has been a model of restraint, but if things escalate that elite will probably be punished. They certainly have it coming.
C’mon Gosman, give the Venezuela line a rest. There’s a long history of interference in the politics of and aggression against Venezuela by other countries (Mainly the USA) and the IMF, etc which have caused most of the harm. Economic warfare is (and has been) destroying Venezuela, not socialism.
If you look at the countries of the West, the more socially democratic ones are doing much better than the less socialist (such as the USA) in all areas of wellbeing (both economic and otherwise). If New Zealand wasn’t a social democracy I doubt very much it would be a better place to live.
Stop propagating these lies.
Twyford has been hard at work. He has brought in controls on rents and started the building of thousands of housing units for rental. In addition KiwiBuild goes from strength to strength.
Or not.
Thinking further, I find it hard to take in that chap Adolf Hitler Campbell or whatever who wants custody of his children.
The image of him just makes me think of Michael Palin, putting on an act. It wasn’t a bit of satire was it?
An exercises in media analysis, or how the modern media do such a good job in sweeping an argument under the carpet. This is about the Dagenham Tesco strike. If you believe the local rag it’s just the union being uppity.
The only agreeable thing is that hi parents don’t need it. The idea that they, Winston et al will be automatically getting it (and somehow I doubt he, and many of those who don’t need it will voluntarily opt out) is not very palatable.
Note Simon’s tax cuts will provide an increase to the pension but no mention of an increase to core benefits because, well, no votes there and who cares if the ones who actually have a home freeze. I doubt the reporter even thought to push him on that. Lab/NZF have no intention of increasing benefit rates, this fuel grant aka temporary increase is the nearest we’ve had in 30 years.
Nice for the students and needed but being a student is at least a finite experience. Incidentally, next time you go anywhere with an entrance fee- concert, exhibition, mini golf even, have a look- nearly always student and pensioner discount. No disabled/beneficiary discount. Same with public transport in a lot of towns. Students are allowed to have a life but we’re not.
“Next time you go anywhere with an entrance fee- concert, exhibition, mini golf even, have a look- nearly always student and pensioner discount. No disabled/beneficiary discount.”
Indeed. You rasie a valid point, Kay. This bias needs rectifying.
Kay, I think that is valid, and so I suggest we all write to Jacinda on Facebook to bring that anomaly to her attention. Also local ministers and members.
Winston did point out that he would like the Gold card and Community services card to be more useful to recipients.
” More than a year after officials agreed to release autistic man Ashley Peacock from institutional care, he remains inside – as bureaucrats continue to quibble over funding.
His parents say their son’s health has deteriorated further, and while they have tried to work with clinicians, little progress has been made.
Since January, Ashley, now 40-years-old, has suffered two black eyes at Porirua’s Tawhirimatea mental health unit, both without explanation.
He was also given the wrong medication and had to go to hospital for monitoring. He still sleeps in the same cell-like room, with just a bed and a few sparse possessions.
Ashley’s parents say he is depressed, and has put on weight. He frequently says his joints hurt.
Some days, he is too lacklustre even to visit his beloved ponies nearby, once the greatest reprieve from his solitary life inside.
“We have done everything possible to get Ashley out of that place,” his father David Peacock said. “There is no stone unturned. And still.”
Ashley – who is not a criminal but has autism as well as an intellectual disability and a severe schizophrenic illness – has now been at Tawhirimatea for seven years.
More than half that time has been spent secluded in a 10m2 room, once for two-and-a-half years straight, with only 30 mins daily outside. In total he has spent 11 years in institutional care.
His living situation was labelled cruel, inhuman or degrading by the Chief Ombudsman. Authorities have been told repeatedly by multiple agencies that his treatment breaches human rights.”
Got that Prime Minister…
“Ashley – who is not a criminal but has autism as well as an intellectual disability and a severe schizophrenic illness – has now been at Tawhirimatea for seven years.
More than half that time has been spent secluded in a 10m2 room, once for two-and-a-half years straight, with only 30 mins daily outside. In total he has spent 11 years in institutional care.
His living situation was labelled cruel, inhuman or degrading by the Chief Ombudsman. Authorities have been told repeatedly by multiple agencies that his treatment breaches human rights.”
Now, if someone can copy and paste that to the Prime Minister’s Facebook page I’d be grateful…and if the Prime Minister should notice it amidst all the adulation
And another man who preyed on vulnerable women and did disgusting things to them in front of their children is living a cushy little life in a cottage attached to a prison. Taken out trout fishing and enjoying his life. Costing taxpayers over a million dollars per annum.
Surely they can arrange somewhere safe for Ashley so he can enjoy what is left of his life. The treatment he has been receiving will have damaged him beyond repair and we (as a nation) should be ashamed that any person lives in this country under such cruel and inhumane conditions.
I am afraid people think the Ashley’s of this world are benign, cuddly people who have an intellectual disability. I know several Ashley’s who are capable of the most incredible violence without provocation or warning, they are responsible for Nursing staff spending long periods on ACC, staff who have had such severe head injuries that they can never work again, their lives shattered. I am talking of trained experienced Nurses, aware of the risks, how to recognise change in behaviour and how to protect themselves. The suggestion that care be devolved to an NGO is foolish, these facilities commonly use High School students as carers, without training or support and working alone. They prove time and again not to be able to cope with high needs clients and always use DHB facilities and staff as a default when things fail. There has to be a reason for Ashley to have spent so much time in a seclusion unit and violence would be it.
So the answer is to lock them up and throw away the key? Preventative detention? To my knowledge Ashley Peacock was charged with no crime…yet he has served a longer sentence than many do for manslaughter.
You speak of the training undergone by psych nurses…hmm…from all reports mental health facilities are chronically understaffed and are often staffed by relievers with little experience. There are similar pressures in the education system with schools struggling to cope with children on the spectrum or with behavioural issues. The answer in a number of schools has also been putting children in seclusion.
This may prevent persons being harmed during violent outbursts or meltdowns, but isolating and restraining are not solutions…they are short term management practices….and used repeatedly often exacerbate the aggression…as it appears has happened in this case.
One day…it may be the case that a government of NZ will see it is an investment to fund early interventions and support…and ooh look!!! It appears that is what this government has done with the increased funding for Special Education…which is to be applauded.
BUT…the Ashleys of NZ who have missed out on these early interventions do not deserve to spend the rest of their lives as prisoners.
Community services cards are for access to community services, not concerts and mini golf. Even though I despise WINZ, etc, I don’t for one minute think I should have got cheap entry to concerts, etc when I was on the unemployment benefit.
When you’re on the unemployment benefit you have to forgo things such as concerts (unless they’re free of course) and mini golf until you’re in a position to afford them.
Regardless, I don’t see how anyone on the unemployment benefit could afford to go to concerts anyway, discounted or not unless they have some additional income from somewhere.
NZ On Air sent a message yesterday on TDB site that seemed to suggest that the $15 million given in the budget to NZ On Air would “give us some commmunity voice”.
But on our request for service then we got nothing.
see the response after we asked for help from NZ On Air; – it is another useless agency doing nothing.
Today we chalenged them again to front up and help see below but we dont hold out much hope here. Time will see now.
Media Enquiries
Allanah Kalafatelis,
Head of Communications allanah@nzonair.govt.nz
DDI +64 4 802 8380
Mobile +64 21 585 538
Dear Allanah,
21st May 2018.
Your suggestion today (quote) “Perhaps you meant this for Radio NZ?” – that we approach RNZ was already coved in our email to you yesterday.
We have tried RNZ for six months already, and they have already refused to cover our story as we explained in our email to you Allanah,
Read our email to you; and review where we said
“We were never supported by ‘public media ‘for years now.”
“Ever since then we appear to had been banned from any criticism on the ‘public media’ about this controversial rail issue.”
I highlight that again below for your review.
We request you give our issue to your Chief executive to deal with this please as she (Jane Wrightson) is quoted as saying (quote)
“Following 10 years of static funding, NZ On Air welcomes any new money for public media which supports a strong democracy and allows New Zealanders to experience quality local content made by and for New Zealanders.”
We request she advise RNZ to offer this service of “public media which supports a strong democracy and allows New Zealanders to experience quality local content made by and for New Zealanders.”
Then we may ask RNZ for that long requested service.
Thank you for your assistance.
We await your acceptance.
From: Allanah Kalafatelis
Sent: Monday, 21 May 2018 7:55 AM
To
Subject: Re: Confirm receipt please; – Dear NZ On Air. We i HB/Gisborne are now requesting you for our democratic assistance to have our loss of our rail six years ago to be finally given with our side of the story to be broadcasted to the NZ community on NZ On…
Dear
Unfortunately we cannot help you – we are not a broadcaster. We are the funding agency. Perhaps you meant this for Radio NZ?
Kind regards,
Allanah Kalafatelis
NZ On Air
Sent from my iPad
On 20/05/2018, at 2:13 PM, – wrote:
Protecting our environment & health.
In association with other Community Groups, NHTCF and all Government Agencies since 2001.
Public COMMUNITY letter;
20thth May, 2018.
Media Enquiries
Allanah Kalafatelis,
Head of Communications allanah@nzonair.govt.nz
DDI +64 4 802 8380
Mobile +64 21 585 538
TO; Allanah Kalafatelis,
Head of Communications
NZ On Air,
Dear Allanah,
Request for service please;
You placed this comment on the social site “The Daily Blog” today that provoked us to write to you personally, requesting you for our democratic assistance to have our loss of our rail six years ago to be finally given with our side of the story to be broadcasted to the NZ community on NZ On Air.
ASAP please for your service to our communities of HB/Gisborne.
We await your acceptance.
Founding members of the Gisborne Rail Action Group since 2009.
Warmest regards,
Sunday May 20th, 2018
NZ On Air encouraged by boost to public media in Budget 2018
By The Daily Blog / May 20, 2018 / No Comments
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Print Email
NZ On Air welcomes the announcement of an extra $15m in Budget 2018 for public media in 2018/19.
The exact allocation between NZ On Air and RNZ has yet to be determined by the Ministerial Advisory Group.
Following 10 years of static funding, NZ On Air welcomes any new money for public media which supports a strong democracy and allows New Zealanders to experience quality local content made by and for New Zealanders.
“We look forward to hearing more about the allocation of the funding, so that we can plan to deliver more quality public media for local audiences in the coming year,” said NZ On Air Chief Executive Jane Wrightson.
Follow us on Twitter & Facebook
Published: 4 hours ago on May 20, 2018
• By: The Daily Blog
• Last Modified: May 20, 2018 @ 8:46 am
• Filed Under: Most Recent Blogs, Raw News feed
• Tagged With: NZ on Air
“NZ On Air welcomes any new money for public media which supports a strong democracy and allows New Zealanders to experience quality local content made by and for New Zealanders.”
We send our NGO response to NZ On Air.
NZ On Air; Well we in HB/Gisborne had lost our rail through National Government’s mismanagement of the stolen rail maintenance funding that caused our rail to be washed out by forestry cuttings blocking our rail track drains in March 2012.
We were never supported by ‘public media ‘for years now.
Ever since then we appear to had been banned from any criticism on the ‘public media’ about this controversial rail issue.
So we hope now that you believe this ‘democracy’ will give us a voice we will reserve our judgement until we are finally allowed to voice our issues of rail fail caused by national who stole our rail funding and sent the funds in 2011 to Auckland for passenger rail.
HB/Gisborne needs a voice to bring this truth out finally of how badly the two provinces were treated by national over those horrible years of john key.
We both produce also 34% of the total NZ exports and need labour/NZF support to reinstate the rail line all the way to Gisborne again to connect Gisborne to the NZ rail network again.
cleangreen
You must win support, you have brought so much to the view of politicians and the public presumably know now. What a lot of work your group has done. Does this all get reported in the news covering your area? The people should be proud of the efforts made. Hope it all starts soon. That 34% of total NZ exports (is that by volume) is stunning.
HB has one of the largest export ports in NZ and 19% export product comes from HB and the rest comes from Gisborne district.
Both regioions are large horticultural areas and timber producers also so we need rail honestly as we have now the largest road truck freight volumes on ur orads now so need to use rail to lower the damages to our environment now.
read this PCE report from 2005 and now our transport of freight is twice as bad as it was then.
Note the PCE recommended to use rail also here but the Government is still not really stepping up but we will meet government next month and hope they will finally get rail moving again.
Thanks @CG.
Firstly, I always wondered what happened to Allanah …… – a name I could never pronounce so I always just thought of as Alan Coloured Potatoes…. so now, parked up as NZoA’s master of spin.
Secondly, although I’m a firm supporter of CBB,but I’ve always thought of them (and Clair Curran for that matter), as being utterly unambitious when it comes to PSB.
But then, I come from a belief that public money should be spent in the interests of the public that funds their existence. (Not too radical an idea really).
It’s good to see Coloured Potatoes PR hack acknowledge that NZoA is a ‘Funding Agency’ only.
The response kind of reminds me of the Funder/Provider model that was so in vogue during past Health reforms.
So we have…..
TVNZ complete with CEO, Board, Chairman and raft of administrators. As an SOE
RNZ ditto but as a COE
NuZull on Ear ditto
Kordia ditto (but who I could suggest are giving better service to their commercial clients than they are to the non-commercial who once used to own the assets they ride on) – ll equipped with similar CEO, Board and all the rest of it.
Then on top of all that, we have TMP and other funders such as MCH, TPK (if that’s still the case),
It’s become a real bugger’s muddle, but not unlike many other bugger’s muddles rorted by neo-liberal ideology.
Within each of the organisations above, we have some good people, but we also have a shitload of dross. In each, we also have a few good ideas who can’t seem to get together to rub them together.
In terms of my initial belief that public money should be directed towards the public interest and its institutions, there is no fucking reason why we should not expect at least 3 radio networks (SUCH AS National, Concert and an on-air The Wireless, AND at least 2 FTA TV networks that provide news and current affairs, the arts and drama – no matter how pathetic – sport, and children’s interests).
AND that’s even BEFORE we consider our committment to Te Tiriti issues (so perhaps a duty to provide facilities for MTS and an iwi network and local studios)
Once was Tim
It is not a good look making a great play of not being able to handle a not too difficult surname. Bit of a put down really telling everyone that Coloured Potatoes was how you
managed the so-difficult ‘Kalafatelis’.
I always encouraged my kids to break down difficult words into syllables even when that wasn’t the done thing at school. It is so practical and I have coped with Varoufakis, the Greek economist and am learning how to say the Turkish President or PMs name which is not said how it looks. We may be an isolated little Brit island but foreigners have been attracted here. There are tonnes of French locally for some reason. We have to try to get our minds around names at least.
actually @ Grey, more to do with misreading/and getting something stuck on the brain rather than mispronunciation.
Never had a problem with Papadopolous or Phil Kafcaloudes whereas some keep saying kaTHcaloudes.
A bit like seeing a van driving around town with ‘A J Smith and Sons Shopfitters’ and repeatedly misreding it as ‘ShopLIFTERS’
In any event, I wondered what had happened to Kalafatelis and now I know PR and spin is obviously more lucrative. IF it’s the same person, was actually not a bad reporter in a previous life.
“Why Ashley Peacock’s appalling treatment makes me oppose euthanasia.
Those on the front line of palliative care have out right rejected this drive for the State to sanction end of life…euthanasia is the perfect mutation of neoliberalism, the individualised choice to die in a system with public services as underfunded as NZ will be used to pressure the most vulnerable to commit suicide.”
Kirsty Johnston won a Canon a year ago with her article about the continued miserable existence of Ashley Peacock. And he languishes while what appears to be a pissing contest between the Misery of Health and the Contracted Provider plays out.
Julie Anne Genter is non committal in her response, which does not surprise me as it is my experience that she is idling under the delusion tat the goto people for information and advice regarding these issues are Miserly of Health bureaucrats.
And who do we in the disability community turn to????
The Opposition….? They pinned their colours to the mast in the 2013 budget.
Labour, David Clark? I suspect he’s going to struggle with other aspects of his portfolio…and besides,
JAG, as Associate Minister has been thrown disability.
She needs to talk personally with all involved parties ( other than the Ministry of Health) and get to the bottom of what is the hold up. Put Ashley out of his misery…so to speak.
Please make a submission supporting this admirable advance to our health and wellbeing as we place more resposiblitity on our local authorities instead of just for bussiness as national had done.
We are to place our NGO before the closing time of friday 5pm
We want to see this change to care for our communities more important than bussiness as usual.
One change should be to include a clause stating that we the community must be actively particapating with local councils in all activities and changes that may affect our health, wealth, environment, cultural wellbeing.
Local Government (Community Wellbeing) Amendment Bill
Friday, 20 April 2018, 1:19 pm
Press Release: Office of the Clerk
Media Release
Organisation: Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives On behalf of: Governance and Administration Committee
For release: 20 April 2018
Submissions open on the Local Government (Community Wellbeing) Amendment Bill
The Governance and Administration Committee is accepting public submissions on the Local Government (Community Well-being) Amendment Bill.
This bill aims to:
• restore the purpose of local government to be “to promote the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of communities”
• restore territorial authorities’ power to collect development contributions for any public amenities needed as a consequence of development
• make a minor modification to the development contributions power.
Tell the Governance and Administration Committee what you think Send your submission on the bill by midnight on 25 May 2018.
ttp://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1804/S00235/local-government-community-wellbeing-amendment-bill.htm
Good morning The AM Show the rain was hard last night the sandflys in Tauranga were playing up the ——I had a escort all the way to my Daughter house they were trying to bait me into – – – – but I had figured that I could – – – – – them.
There are place in Atoearoa that are very – – – – – like havelock North whakatane these places have a high population of elderly whom are easily minupulate to vote against Maori the reason we have a big devided is because of this policy that they vote for its 2018.
This cow Virus Bovi is another mess national has left Jacinda and her Coalition Government to clean up I had my say on the subject but I don’t have all the relevant information so my calls could be wrong I’m sure Jacinda will make the right decision to clean up this mess I just gave information that I say the public need to know.
Ka kite ano P.S Some are still spinning to try and damage my – – – – but no te tangata know that ECO MAORI is genuine
KGood evening Newshub Shecu and his family are really talented musicians Ka pai
Some people are trying to undermine ECO MAORI Mana but know it won’t work the people know I’m genuine and my tipuna gave me these gifts my – – – – to use to benefit all being’s.
There are not enough te tangata whenua and brown people who vote in the local elections thats going to change the low hanging fruit. Ka kite ano.P.S Ingrid Its good we are in Auckland at the minute it’s 2 degrees warmer here than Rotorua
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Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
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National leader the clueless Simon Bridges said to Duncan Garner this AM show ” that it is time we stopped the blame game”.
Shit i was blown away since he has been as a rabbid dog since september against every movbe labour/NZF/Greens have said and made so he alongside SS Joyce ‘fathered the harte camopaign against any oppositiion to their Neo-conservative policies and ‘sell & rort’.
We will see if he sticks to his words this time , but I am not confident he has the smarts to finaklly stop his ranting. it’s in his DNA sadly.
The Blame National game, is what he means. Slick doesn’t like that game.
Slick’s probably waking up to the reasons why Shonky, Bingles, Coleman, Ryall, Power, Parata etc are all long gone after playing their roles in effectively strip mining NZ for 3 terms.
Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy, watch your back buddy as you’re job isn’t to act all sorry and sympathetic it’s to maintain the facade of neo liberal BS with nationals media mates.
National never like it when the damage that they cause is pointed out in no uncertain terms.
Interesting article on BS jobs this morning:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12053320
“Online advertising creators aren’t alone in the struggle with meaninglessness among white-collar workers in the marketing, communications and media industry.”
So I did the survey at the end of the article (is your job BS) to find > 1/3 of respondents consider their job BS. This is a staggering number of folks potentially caught in an existential dilemma.
Meaning (in life) might be derived from a number of sources (e.g. community, religion, parenting…) other than work. But doing meaningless s*** day-in day-out has its toll. Humans have an inherent need to contribute and belong (and be praised for it – heap that praise wherever it’s deserved). When we remove folks ability to meaningfully contribute the fallout can be severe…
Mummies boys become school shooters
Reporters become petty little meme graspers
Leaders become disenfranchised and corrupt
Everyone gets shriller, more determined to be heard (significant)
I posit that the majority of social and mainstream media is utterly pointless. That engaging in it causes the viewer the same existential angst as the content creators suffer creating it.
So how do we counter existential angst (life is BS):
Plant some trees. Solve a problem. Clean your house. Grow a garden. Feed someone hungry. Raise children. Teach. Praise good works. Provide emotional support to your fellows. Spend the day in the service of others. Connect.
We’ve got a planet needs saving, so roll your bloody sleeves up!
‘Find a purpose in life worthy of supporting a life’ – Nietzsche.
“I posit that the majority of social and mainstream media is utterly pointless. That engaging in it causes the viewer the same existential angst as the content creators suffer creating it.”
Addictive though, isn’t it 🙂
Nice comment though, DB; “existential angst” is going to be/is the big challenge – we can’t save our souls/the neighbourhood if we have despaired.
Existential Angst. No doubt there’s a team from Price Waterhouse working on a ‘risk management’ strategy (going forward).
Mummies boys become shooters?
Again, no dad was involved in the making of the shooter?
Certainly not my intention to point at maternal influence as the issue. Though an established phrase – it is also a trite (and somewhat sexist) phrase so thanks for highlighting that.
I was thinking of those youths who are mollycoddled to the point they do nothing for themselves (and/or others) and so feel insignificant.
I think we really need to look at this differently.
You have a certain part of the population in the US – where most of the school shooting occur – that believes might makes right.
So its very easy for me to see how children who grow up with this mindset in their families and communities would equally believe that they too can use might to right any slight that they may have suffered.
as the herald shouted today the last shooter – a 17 year old – had to grab a gun and defend his manhood cause some young girl did not want to be his date’girlfriend or what ever and refused him his ‘right’ to sex.
Men are afraid that women laugh at them
women are afraid that men kill them, even the young men.
As for the youth being mollycoddled, that is again not their fault, its the fault of our society.
In our society, we the adults in the room, have literally taken away any rights and freedoms we had when we were children and replaced it with sugary drinks, sugary food, electronic gadgets and uppers or downers if we can’t manage our hyped up, over entertained and under challenged children.
Adults really need to stop complaining about the Youth. The Youth neither makes the rules nor do they get asked.
I liked your comment about people having lost sense of belonging, sense of self, sense of value and replaced their lost identity with gadgets of no importance. But it is us who are teaching these values as a community to our young ones.
As for feeling insignificant, why not. Why not admit that in the large scheme of things we are insignificant, no more important that one single grain of sand on a beach. There is freedom in knowing that. 🙂
These children are in some way reflections (feedback) of broader society. Some of the blame might be heaped upon so called leadership, in many roles (Govt, Caregivers, Church, Community) – but…
We possess the ability to discern things for ourselves too. These shooters are indeed responsible for their actions. Just not entirely so as they’re youths.
I see social media playing a large role in all of this. School shooters (as a common occurrence) are modern phenomenon and on the increase. The correlation between mental illness and too much social media has already been suggested – but ‘controversy’ remains – (read, largest corporates in the world sell phones and computers).
And guns.
Meanwhile, they’re looking for an ‘elusive common element’ in school shootings.
I agree the understanding of one’s own insignificance in ‘the grand scheme of things’ can be liberating. We’re not there yet.
Much of mankind is insane with their own egos. Media magnify it all.
Significance is not about being a pop star. It is about being there for yourself, your family, and your community.
the children of today are the sum of our society. Full stop. they are birthed by adults (and children), they are educated by adults, they are surrounded by adults, and choices are made for them by adults. it is adults that run this world and its about time that adults own up to this.
Once we are of a certain age we are indeed able to discern things for ourself.
Most seventeen years olds are judged by society to not be able to do this hence why they are considered children who have no right to vote, to drink, to drive a car (obviously NZ is different ), and can only have sex with people of their age ( again depending on age of consent), can only enter into limited contracts etc etc etc . Unless of course we want to reduce the age to seventeen or earlier where one gets full autonomy of ones life and is legally considered an adult.
The ‘elusive common element’ in school shooting is generally the very easy access to weapons (even if the shooter do not have the legal age to legally posses a weapon in their own name), toxic masculinity that stipulates that men have to be of a certain type in order to be considered a real man, a society that puts power above all else, and a population brainwashed into believing that putting the bible and prayer into school will bring god to people and thus everyone will go back to singing kumbaya.
The media is a tool, it has as much power over you as you give it. Literally the only reason Hoskins still has a bullhorn is because people discuss him and his regular turds that he lays out for shits n giggles. The media is neither fake nor true, depending if they are left or right leaning they will report on the same shit with their inherent biases.
We either are able to discern things for us or not.
this is not about being a celebrity or stuff, this is simply about us admitting first our own shortcomings before we expect others to change.
And its time for adults to admit that we fucked things up royally. And we are continuing to fuck things up royally by wanting to preserve what we have rather then starting to share what we have so that our limited resource last longer. And the kids know this. They know that they are fucked. They know they will most likely never have what their parents and grandparents had, a job for life (or at least a full time contract), an affordable house, affordable healthcare, affordable dental care, nature that is healhty and abundant, lakes and rivers to swim in etc etc etc.
Significance is simply there to stroke our ego. We are not significant. We are just passing through, passengers on a ride to nowhere. And it is time that us adults admit this too. Lest some seventeen year old with access to weapons and weapon making abilities will blow you and me to smithereens simply because they can, and because other then thoughts and prayers nothing else is offered by the adults in the room.
I wasn’t actually disagreeing with you and tried hard to be respectful of what you were trying to say.
Now you sound ready to go on a weapons rampage. Cos ‘we’ (thanks for including me) fucked things up royally. And if we don’t ‘admit it’, some 17 year old with a weapon…
Take a deep breath. Maybe try that meditation you allude to.
“the children of today are the sum of our society”.
Very true, but it’s an increasingly ‘mediated’ society.
And I agree it’s time for adults to admit we fucked things up royally ….etc.
Sad thing is, we continue to do so, as you say.
Is it arrogance? or complacency? or laziness” or what?
Actually, much of that increasingly ‘mediated society’ is technologically and ‘virtually’ driven rather than by human metaphysics
This bit…. “I liked your comment about people having lost sense of belonging, sense of self, sense of value and replaced their lost identity with gadgets of no importance. But it is us who are teaching these values as a community to our young ones. ”
Strongly agree with you and it’s up to all of us to try and change that and make a difference, doesn’t matter if you have children or not, everyone can help.
For example, am currently working on the school production, this year have asked for an assistant, I asked for a student who was not doing that great in ‘core’ subject areas, I wanted someone who fidgets in class (fidgeting is a sign of creative interests) that might not have the best home life.
Deputy Principal knew exactly where I was coming from and my assistant has been amazing, will get her a gift after the production for her efforts. Have been giving her loads of well deserved praise, my goal with this girl is to build her up and give her something to be proud about.
You can kill initiative with praise Cinny unless it is an acknowledgement for task completed. We have a team of youths working on a 7 day project for us as part of their training. When it is finished I will provide a barbecue and heartfelt thanks for a good job well done and especially an observation on the way in which they cooperate with each other. Otherwise I note that “that is an accurate join” or “must be difficult to measure that,” or that step will be a help to our movement.”
There are many myths about praise and much research, but it is hard to not praise because that is what we have been told is good.
Alfie Kohn, is a good author to read about praise and incentives, particularly in regards to education.
Fundamentally, I think it is about making strong connections, and working with each other honestly. When you are in the company of someone you trust, unearned praise strikes a note of discord, (however sometimes for those unused to positive remarks it can kick start off a sense of pride.)
In the end though, the best form of self-management requires all of us to have a good and accurate measure of self-estimation. We all get to prioritise where our energies are directed as adults, and we get to decide what tasks can be achieved with smaller effort, and which we can immerse ourselves in.
Thanks Ian for that, much appreciated, this young girl has blown me away with her initiative, she was tidying up and organising a items as well as a few stray kids without me having to ask her. When she does such things, I thank her for being helpful by seeing that something needed to be done and taking action.
Thanks for the tips 🙂 Will def take it onboard.
Molly, thanks so much for the link, much appreciated, looking forward to having a read. Yes it’s about trust and honesty, the last thing I want her to do is to think that I’m just giving her praise to help her feel happy.
In the few weeks since I’ve been engaging with her I’ve noticed she is becoming more relaxed, will be spending one on one time with her this week, so am hoping she will open up and share any of her ideas for our project.
I think your enthusiasm is going to be infectious. Break a leg! (Terrible saying, but the only one I can think of that is appropriate).
The shooting culture starts off when they are young. Have an American liberal friend and we were telling her how crazy US gun laws were and she said she didn’t think so and then told us how she was left alone in the house as a 10 yo and her parents gave her a gun to defend herself just in case! Didn’t see anything wrong with it!
Obviously knocking on someones door in the US must have it’s issues if you could be blown away by a nervous kid home alone. This was about 20 years ago when she was 10 so I’m sure much worse now with automatic weapons!
And this women was a liberal minded person who still thought being bought up like that was ok!
It’s not just the republicans that are crazy!
The US has a massive gun violence problem and mass killings at schools are only a small part of the overall problem. To date this year alone 5,482 people have been killed by by guns and 9,996 people injured. That’s around 40 people a day killed by firearms. There have been 102 mass killings so far this year (ie numbers killed > 4 ) . Taking into account the number of young people – 992 teens (12 – 17), and 237 children under the age of 12 have killed or injured.
http://www.gunviolencearchive.org/
The solutions is frankly straight forward – but not one that US legislators are willing or able to grapple with. As Germane Lopez who has been covering gun violence in the US for years explains here https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/21/17028930/gun-violence-us-statistics-charts the simple fact is that there are far too many guns available and next to no restrictions on who has access to them. The rate of gun ownership in the US is almost 1 per person, far outstripping all other countries. The US makes up less than 5% of the world population but has 42% of the privately owned firearms.
It was not so much that the young man felt jilted by a girl which lead him to kill and injure so many others – but the fact that in his home there was easy access to a pistol and shotgun and ammunition. Had the guns not been there this horrible event most likely would not have happened.
From the above link.
It is all too easy to blame these killings on anything and everything other than the fact that there are firearms easy to hand.
From the above link.
I find it difficult to understand how the USA has so many shootings, can it really be just because of the availability of firearms?
Seems strange, that other country’s don’t experience the same level of shootings.
Seems too me it must be gun culture, rather than gun availablity.
My personal rural experience is one of gun availability throughout my life, and I’m sure that’s not uncommon in NZ.
Even Urban NZ has plenty of firearms, pistol clubs for example are well attended in our main cities.
Yet mass shootings thankfully are uncommon.
I suspect part of it is the emphasis on guns for self defense. The idea you need to carry the gun everywhere, all the time, doesn’t come from the issue of sudden visits to a firing range.
So they end up regarding guns as daily tools, and in heightened paranoia all the time. And they’re always close if someone has a bad day and loses impulse control.
Also perhaps the issue with firearms is people who use them for hunting etc, actually see the damage that they are capable of.
I remember being absolutely shocked at the damage the .270 rifle I had used to shoot a Billy goat when I was 16.
It certainly brings a sobriety to firearms, and any other feelings of masculinity and power soon left me for shock.
Perhaps this sort of experience is needed to understand firearms, and give a greater appreciation of what it means to fire one at man or beast.
If you were to look at the links in the comment above you would see just how it is that the the US has such a high carnage from gun violence. There is a direct correlation between the rate of gun ownership and gun fatalities. This is not just studies which look at the US, they look at other countries and what actions they have taken in response to mass shootings. – notably the Port Albert Massacre in Australia where 38 were killed in one episode of violence. The crackdown by the Australian federal Government – even buying back guns in a gun amnesty – led to a dramatic drop in deaths by gun violence.
There is virtually no gun control measures in the states. Where one state may impose restrictions, that is easily circumvented by going out of state and purchasing whatever you want elsewhere. Whilst illegal, it is almost impossible to police until coming to the notice of police through criminal activity.
I suspect there’s also a function to do with the distribution of guns amongst owners – while a certain proportion of owners of multiple firearms would be historical collectors and dealers, if the majority of firearms are in the hands of a small proportion of owners, I’d be interested in any correlation. It might explain Switzerland being an outlier, if I recall correctly.
The US has around 88 guns per hundred people, while Switzerland has around 42 guns per hundred.
Switzerland’s relatively high rate of gun ownership (NZ’s is about 22/100 Australia about 17/100) is of course due to their fierce neutrality and the requirement for a standing “civilian” Army.) Switzerland not only has the highest rate of gun ownership in Europe, it also has the highest rate of gun related deaths in Europe (around 4 per 100,000 people). The US is around 9/100,000. By Comparison NZ’s is around 2.5 /100,000 and Australia with far stricter gun regulations than NZ is around 1 /100,000.
Yeah I was more thinking that I’d read somewhere that half of privately owned guns in the US are owned by something like 3% of the population.
Sort of a gini coefficient for gun ownership, vs a raw per capita rate.
What you say wrt to the 3% owning the majority of the guns is correct. There are estimated to be 300 million guns in the U.S., but 130 million of them are owned by about 3 percent of the adult population. That’s still 170 million spread over the rest of the population of 325 million – still a rate of gun ownership higher than all other countries apart from Yeman.
The other main difference between the US and Switzerland is in background checks and regulations with respect to the storage and carriage of guns. Like NZ guns in Switzerland must be unloaded and securely stored – in many States in the US this is not the case, and little to no background checks.
True.
Great stats thanks Macro. So it really is true, guns do kill people.
Guns do not kill people…Guns can kill people but a gun does not make the decision to kill…
The medical industry kills hundreds of thousands of people every year…
In the US alone…
For Christ’s sake. Did you just completely change the subject in order to push your anti-vax campaign?
Interpretation is important…
The first paragraph should be easy enough for you to have interpreted, and as you’ve not addresed it I would say you understood what I said…
The second paragraph was offering an example of an industry where human decisions also kill, and in far greater numbers than guns…or more poignantly the human beings who decide to use them to kill…
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/study_suggests_medical_errors_now_third_leading_cause_of_death_in_the_us
You edited the first sentence after posting so I hope you will have the decency to admit that. You added that claptrap about a gun not making the decision to kill.
Macro put up some very damning statistics about gun prevalence and regulation versus human loss of life.
You then went off on a bizarre anti-vax tangent.
Yes I added the extra sentence…why do you think it’s ‘decent’ that I should admit to having added the sentence…it didn’t alter the core premise of what I stated…
Guns don’t kill people no matter how much you believe it…they don’t!
As for how you’ve interpreted my comments or link as ‘AV’ is all in your imagination…perhaps read the link and then try again…
Personal anecdotes.
Life was tough, we were poor, Dad ruled by fist. We got by… My brother died in front of me crushed in machinery – a factory accident. I got questioned by police, repeatedly. The detectives were brutal. They made many threats including prison and prison rape to a then seven year old boy. They took me to town and put me in a cell and said I was never getting out. There was no adult supervision for me during any of this and today (> 40 years later) I still struggle with PTSD, trust and authority.
Probably wouldn’t have been so severe except I was meant to be grieving, not defending myself.
My brother saw no mangled bodies, had no interrogations, accusations…
Months later the neighbors boys invaded a hut we were in. I had made a rabbit warren of an existing shed. This thing with layers and trapdoors, three stories, hidden doors, a bolthole, etc. I was a mess, I wanted to feel safe.
I went and found another place to hide. My brother (6) got Dad’s gun and went after them. Luckily, he couldn’t find bullets.
One more. Pete was a state ward who sometimes slept in our dog kennel when on the run from the boys home. He was 14 when he joined me, also 14, at the Hillcrest Tavern for some beers. We walked home through a park to smoke weed and some older males (who we actually knew!) mugged him.
Pete had a stash of guns and a too long and tragic history. About a week later he was passenger in someone’s car and hello – driving past one of the muggers. He opened up both barrels of a sawn-off shotgun at him as they drove by. He missed and hit a crate of beer the guy was standing beside.
Points you illustrated:
1. The mentally ill should not bear the burden of being regarded as the ‘chief’ perpetrators of mass murder.
2. Guns are the smoking gun in (school) shootings.
Agreed. The more access to guns the more gun violence. It’s so blatantly obvious.
But! Facts don’t sell guns.
Thanks for the personal anecdote DB. Your story about the rabbit warren in your shed, hit home because of the similarity to a childhood story of a friend of mine. Both you and she deserved better.
It’s never too late to get support, if you ever feel that it is time to do so. You are providing support just by relating your story. Thanks, again.
DB, I spent quite a time thinking about the way the Police treated a shocked wee boy. Sometimes when males in the family have broken laws, all the members of the family are “written off” and treated badly as a consequence.
A cousin had that experience. His adoptive Father got on the wrong side of the law, the Police followed the boy in a small town ’till they “caught him throwing stones”. It spiralled down ’till my Dad sent him to live with another Uncle who discovered Bill was a natural at Maths and building intricate models…it saved him. One loving caring adult can make such a difference.
Our youngest decided to go into Baking. Well with one vehicle between us, son would wake me with a cuppa at 2a.m. I would get into my dressing gown and slippers, pile into the car while he drove 12km to the Bakery to start the weighing and machinery at 2.30a.m. Then I’d return home to sleep ’till 6.30a.m.
Again I would collect him from his work at 12.30 or 3.30p.m. Long days.
This particular night the car lit up. “Police” Son pulled over. We waited. A voice says “Is this your car?” Son said “no, it is my parents” “Do they know you are driving round at this time of night?” “Yes” said son. “Oh yeah..Right! How old are you?’ Son “18” “Oh yeah Right!”
Tone was now really aggressive so I leaned forward and said “What is the problem Officer?” He gasped then said “I didn’t know you were there” “No I didn’t think you did!” He then said “Where are you going at this hour?” I then explained G was going to work in the Bakery as he had the responsibility of starting all the ovens and do the weighing before 5.30 shift started and I would drive home for some sleep before my teaching day.
He then became utterly charming, saying he had stopped us as a tail light was not operating. I hopped out, and sure enough. So as you do, I wanged it and it flickered on. “Oh ” I said “I’ll get N to look into that today.” “Fine you can go then” So we did, but we commented on his change of manner and we wondered what would have happened if I hadn’t been there! Is it Power??
It took me ever so long to understand what happened as it was so outrageous my Mother would leave me alone with them like that. And also, that they could treat me so. I was terrified. Why would they want to talk to me if I hadn’t done something wrong. They certainly instilled a complex or two. I can still remember them initiating terms with her ‘if you or a lawyer are with him you might coach him and we need to get to the truth’ – so they got me alone. And then leaving, most proud of themselves to announce to her ‘he’s definitely innocent, anyone else would of broke after all that’. Of course I did break, as I was just a little kid.
This was a Dairy Company factory. Pre-Fonterra but big business all the same. Safety regulations had to be upgraded to stop kids wandering onto sites after that. Would have been a whole lot cheaper, and sold plenty of papers, to convict a kid of pushing his brother into a machine. I had a friend with me too, an eye-witness. They said we colluded but we’d been kept separate the whole time. They told me he signed a statement saying I did it. They were bloody mongrels. Some detectives from the big smoke.
I must note I’ve also worked alongside/witnessed amazing police folk who are a real credit to the community. One particular community constable in Hamilton stands out, he’d take local ratbags out fishing on his boat. He let me drive a slightly dodgy car to do the run for a food bank. I parked it practically under his office window as that’s where we unloaded. Got the warrant soon as I got the cash he he. He was top notch. Straight up but not a dick about it. Turned a few of those kids around too.
Back to me story. Children have a way of masking stuff that is a bit much for them and I had no idea what I was up against I just took forever to put the pieces back together again. Even with the help of all the kings horses and all the kings men… Hehe. Ya gotta laugh, it’s mandatory!
I found a decade of drinking helped, at least it felt like it did.
So I went a bit wild. I was living in the bush age 17. Me, my girl, our dog, a sack of rice and some fishing lines. It was probably that that saved me. I still hit the piss for ten years when I got out of the bush, but I wasn’t so angry anymore…
I was worse, a bloody amateur ecologist.
Thanks DB. We all have to rationalise things that have scared or hurt us.
When I had polio aged six, and was separated from my parents for six months, I became clingy or belligerent in wild swings. Nightmares about lumbar punctures and iron lungs made going to bed a dreaded ritual where for years after, I knotted my hair with catatonic rocking to shut out the visions. At that age we don’t have the language to express the very strong feelings. They stay ’till we master them. Keep well, ecology sounds good. Mine was reading.
“The solutions is frankly straight forward”
When the right to bear arms is enshrined in the US constitution and has the backing of numerous supreme court decisions, how could the solution (assuming the solution is to restrict or prohibit access to guns) possibly be straight forward?
So 80% (or thereabouts) of mass shooters don’t have a mental illness. What a crock.
For someone to deliberately murder one innocent person, let alone multiple people in cold blood they must have some form of mental illness. People with ‘normal’ functioning mental states don’t go out and murder innocent people on mass.
They may not have shown any form of severe mental illness before becoming mass murderers and without reading the study you mentioned I’d bet that is what it says, but to say they are in a normal mental state when committing mass murder is bollocks. Think about what state of mind you yourself would have to be in to commit mass murder. Would you imagine you could do it in your normal mental state?
“Mummies boys become school shooters” Well Well… Blame women!!
That is sick!! and sexist.
I don’t think that’s what it’s about.
One of the roles of a male parent has been to help children grow their own notions of acceptable behavior through things like roughhouse play.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/growing-friendships/201506/do-boys-need-rough-and-tumble-play
You might compare it to peer pecking in birds – raptor chicks must learn to limit sibling pecking because they could easily kill each other. Dove chicks lack that mechanism and sibling pecking is occasionally fatal in spite of the less impressive armaments.
Boys who roughhouse inappropriately (fight dirty for example) may struggle to make friends or self-isolate. These are risk factors for things like school shooting.
“Boys who roughhouse inappropriately (fight dirty for example) may struggle to make friends or self-isolate. These are risk factors for things like school shooting.”
That’s a bit of a leap of logic there, Stuart.
More of a statistical gap – psych folks have been pointing out the problem of families without good male role models for a long time. The research supports that to some degree – but school shooters are a tiny proportion of even the US population, it’s by no means every sole parent child, or even 1% of them.
Of course sole parent families also are more likely to be financially stressed, which is another risk factor. It’s a bit tricky finding research not prompted by the desire to impose a set of norms on struggling families, but there is some.
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/7a3f/3c6ac4fdf8014ab6ea604ea750e96743d1a0.pdf
I have read some of the literature, but was pointing out your jump in logic in your comment.
Have done a quick skim through the link, which looks very interesting, and saved a copy for when I have the time to sit and ponder. But the table on Page six looks like a good indication of where it is going.
(Didn’t find anything about rough-housing and female parenting though. Interestingly enough, two of my closest male friends who seemed very grounded were brought up in female households. But that could be a reflection of my female perspective to what a grounded human (male or female) acts like).
Good role models are good role models. They aren’t necessarily linked to specific acts ie. male roughhousing. (I know few rough females 😉 )
I think any generalizations are always going to look a bit like a smear. Children will learn appropriate behavior from peers in a healthy community, and it may be that kiwi women are more physical than the parts of the US such studies come from. In less healthy communities it may be more real, but still only a risk factor.
I’m surprised not to see a more recent breakdown though, and it wouldn’t surprise me if a multiple risk factor threshold existed along the lines of Malcolm Gladwell’s argument about air crashes, that they principally occurred in bad weather with tired crews and mechanical issues. Gladwell reckoned seven present risk factors was typical for an air accident.
The multiple-risk factor seems most likely. Which makes the predictive nature of individual risk factors very inaccurate.
I’m more inclined to look for studies that seem to reflect a loss of social connections within families, neighbourhoods, and communities that produce not only a ‘sense’ of isolation, but an reality of isolation that is not hampered by the awareness and adept handling by others around you. Sounds a bit simplistic in “a village raises a child” way, but more like the social net has smaller holes so less people fall through.
(The case studies at the end of your link make a good read too, as does the conclusion. )
There’s an abundance of data which shows clearly that children raised in single parent families are massively more likely to commit serious crimes when they get older. This is a fact. For example, 85% of prison inmates in the USA come from fatherless homes.
Currently most single parent families are a mother raising children by herself. This doesn’t mean necessarily that these stats would be any different for single parent families where the father is the parent there just doesn’t seem to be much data on single father families.
Yes good role models are good role models but the stats clearly show that having 2 good role models ( a mother and a father) massively decreases the chances of negative consequences for the child as they grow up.
Might also be linked to the poverty of many single parent homes as well. As stuart mentioned, the issue is multi faceted, and linking outcomes to one factor is too simplistic.
Hi Patricia.
I appreciate the feedback. You are right, that old saying ‘mummies boy’ is well past its used by date. It was pointed out to me and addressed above as well. It’s a saying embedded in language, and I’ve not given it a second thought till now.
I was alluding to mollycoddling children and their subsequent lack of personal responsibility and feelings of insignificance. It’s a recipe for trouble.
Yep… explanation accepted . I often use phrases, and have to re think!!
It would be good if women who regard themselves as feminists weren’t so sensitive yet aggressive, responding like this.
Women want to be treated as equals and be able to mix with others in a relaxed way which means not defensive, not hysterical, not aggressive and retaliatory.
Are you trolling? “not hysterical”
I’d be offended but I’m laughing too loud.
DB
Are you trolling? I have been commenting here for years and people who know me would not consider that I go in for that. I guess you are someone who can’t cope with a different view than whatever is the meme amongst the in group.
I have no issue with different views. I was having a laugh.
But for the record: Men who express themselves may be ‘strong’ or ‘passionate’. Yet women are ‘hysterical’ or ‘defensive’. It’s BS.
And… I did not make a personal attack, I laughed at your wording. In the context of the conversation, it is hilarious (my humor is dark).
You do not see your gaffe?
greywarshark that is harsh. So I point up a fallacy which is sexist and evoke your response with four damming adjectives. LOL
Should I have said “Stupid fathers buying guns as toys cause school shootings?”
A field day of adjectives might have followed that!! LOL.
I thought this was about the term ‘mummie’s boy’? This is not a fallacy, it is an opinion which may be appropriate in some cases. Daddie’s girl also. And I think the possible remark about stupid fathers and guns would be justified from what I have read. Honesty and room for reasoned opinion will help understanding I think. Otherwise it’s authoritarian and unnecessary censorship. Incidentally a Texas leader or governor has given his opinion about the mass of shootings there that the causes are abortion, broken homes and video games. That’s outspoken but not reasoned, so is an example of what isn’t helpful!
This discussion on what is ‘proper’ language takes me back to 1988 and the delightful Ronald Searle’s Non-Sexist Dictionary. He had a look at words that could have a change of gender, or perhaps two depending on who used them.
He drew his fine illustrations to Mango – Womango, Mandolin – Womandolin, Hedonist- Shedonist, Historian – Hertorian. The words finishing in ment – Instrument, Implement, Improvement, were easily amended. In 2018 and this 1988 publication still is current.
By the way there are 6 women activists locked up in Saudi Arabia for advocating women have the right to drive a car and go out in public on their own. Perhaps writing protests to the relevant Saudi authority, Amnesty International would probably have the address, would help them. And perhaps write rather than go through the internet seeing we are so friendly with one Saudi sheik and they might be close allies. Your email address might end up with the GCSB.
greywarshark
This comment of yours, is your interpretation of women’s behaviour.
It demonstrates your attitude to and opinion of the behaviour of such women and says rather a lot about you.
Considering the topic in this thread I would also regard it as trolling
“Spend the day in the service of others” Yes… This heals the soul.
The new threat of disease to our entire cattle stock is a case of point as we have now allowed the unchecked transport of cows all around NZ on trucks and the Mycoplasma_bovis dsease which may destroy our second largest export earner and biggest company.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycoplasma_bovis
Prevention[edit]
There are many ways by which cattle can be prevented from catching Mycoplasma bovis and other pathogenic bacteria.[7]
Transport of animals[edit]
When transporting the animals from one farm to another, It would be appropriate if the transport vehicle could be cleaned with disinfectants before and after use. For better care, environmental swabbing should be taken place and samples sent to a microbiology lab if any harmful bacteria will be detected, further actions should be taken place.[8]
Visitors[edit]
Only authorized people should be allow to visit a farm. Visitors shall arrive with clean clothing and footwear and disinfectant on arrival and departure can be used to stop getting the introduction of bacteria’s. For example, a water mat with disinfectant can be used in the entrance of the farm, water bath, company can provide sanitized clothes for people.
Weekly inspection and maintenance[edit]
In the end of the week, cleaning of all the areas and equipment reduces the chances of animals getting sick. Also, it is important to clean the feedlot container and keep the feed dry. Doubling the boundary fence with a 6-inch gap prevents the animals contacting neighbouring animals.
History and taxonomy[edit]
It wasn’t allowed per sé. It was the farmers and truckers who ignored the requirements for proper recording and lack of enforcement of the rules.
This just proves the necessary requirement of regulations and the need for them to be properly enforced.
Yes draco,
Also the on board containment of stock affluent and discharge of it into government controlled iraddication of those toxins has not been enforced nor funded under nine years of national Government either so national made it all worse but we need to contain the spread now so need to stop movement of tock now to stop the spread or we are all done stuffed and fucked.
National= disaster.
Hopefully the farmers that have been transporting infected livestock around the country are being held to account ?
imagine their friends will be going to great lengths to disappear any evidence.
A nice thought-provoking article:
Do we care about the future? Why New Zealand needs an agreed framework for how we value future lives
https://sciblogs.co.nz/guestwork/2018/05/15/new-zealand-framework-for-future-lives/
https://i.stuff.co.nz/business/property/104051320/posthumous-court-win-against-major-wellington-landlord
Clear patterns emerging of tenant exploitation – biggest wgtn ll charging key money ffs.
That’s Craig Relph, Portfolio Property Management.
Judge Tuohy awarded Kelly’s estate the maximum it could – $1000 – and said it would have been “several times more” if possible, after Tynan Kelly was made to sign a fixed-term agreement to stay in the boarding house on Aurora Tce, Kelburn.
Boarding houses cannot be covered by fixed terms.
There was “no argument” that it was unlawful, the judge wrote.
“The inference that it did so intentionally is irresistible, both in the sense that its insertion of a fixed term was deliberate and that it knew from its experience that to do so was unlawful”.
Stop wasting ratepayers money !
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12055397
We already have far too many stadia in Auckland.
… and far too many people who promote them, despite all evidence that they are not required, not beneficial, and definitely not economically viable.
If any Left winger wonders why Right wingers can be so virulently opposed to leftist politics when supposedly the aims are just to help the poor and disadvantaged in society take a look at Venezuela and especially what has been happening just recently in relation to the elections. Hard left movements like the Chavista regime in Venezuela are all fine with Democracy when it serves their purposes but quickly ditch any pretence when people turn against them.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/05/18/hostages-hunger-venezuela
Trip-trap, trip-trap, trip-trap!
Chuckle. +1
Re Gozzzz …. Whooosh! Venuzuela was once a fixation with him from what I remember, but even then….
So if the exit polls and the vote go with the government, your already preempting it by saying that it is an illegal vote because people are hungry.
Sheesh Gosman, desperate much.
I’d also like to point out that your mates, created the toilet paper crisis, how much of them buying up other commodities has caused this crisis…
But then again, Tory tards never look at their mates bad behaviour, like your head chopping mates in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia is not a country I support. Quite the contrary I would prefer that the West (including NZ) imposes the harshest sanctions against that abominable nation.
Really, first I heard of it.
And how about your lot creating crisis after crisis in countries it opposes. Venezuela is just the latest in a very long list.
Are you laying the blame for the death of democracy in Venezuela on the right???
No offense , Gosman but every time I see endorsers of the neo liberal ‘righteousness ‘,… they always seem to have a penchant for bringing up extreme examples of ‘socialism ‘ like Venezuela,.. yet always strangely silent about super prosperous examples like the Scandinavian country’s…
It almost seems more of an Americanophile thing,… someone brought up in that country who seems almost willfully ignorant of anything outside of their narrow sphere of experience that challenges their mindsets…
And we can ascribe countless failures to former capitalist country’s in decades past.
The USA for one, – the 1929 Wall Street crash and the ensuing Great Depression.
There you go – Laizzez Faire economics.
The ancestor of modern neo liberalism. And guess what pulled the USA out of the Great Depression , – Keynesianism ( to which places like Scandinavia still practice as more or less ‘socialist ‘ country’s ) . In 6 short months like it did every other country that adopted it. Which meant most of west Europe and Japan as well.
So if you’re going to cite failures to shore up your ideological stance , please at least be honest and mention its ( neo liberalisms ) failures as well. Of which there are many.
What has happened in Venezuela is what happens when the right are blinded by their greed and fail to realise that if they dont acknowledge society they will lose what they have appropriated……that is the lesson of Venezuela…and history.
You mean everyone loses as the State becomes a Socialist basket case?
I mean what i wrote…..and would suggest NZ aint as far away from Venezuela as many may think…..how close is only visible in hindsight.
Which political party plays the role of the destructive Socialists in New Zealand?
which party plays the role of enabling greed to the detriment of society?
I suspect that you would think that would be National and/or ACT. So which party/s play the part of destructive Socialists in NZ?
the party of destruction arrives when the electorate has nothing left to lose….its up to the current parties (and electorate) to ensure that dosnt happen
Gosman.
“everyone loses” = 1% rich I guess you mean.
It is everyone who is losing in Venezuela at the moment. Not just the top 1%
Far-right insurgency. Never helps.
Does that excuse the gross abuse of the democratic process then?
I wonder how many moderate left wingers will continue to back the Chavista regime. Previously they were used as an example of how Socialist policies were incredibly popular and how Socialism could be implemented in a democratic manner.
The democratic process doesn’t function particularly well in warfare, which is why the Romans were wont to elect limited term dictators to resolve such matters.
So, there’s been insurgent warfare and corporate intrigue on a large scale. You should watch Pilger’s War on Democracy if you’re not acquainted with the facts.
What we have is large state belligerence coupled with a murderous moneyed elite. The government has been a model of restraint, but if things escalate that elite will probably be punished. They certainly have it coming.
C’mon Gosman, give the Venezuela line a rest. There’s a long history of interference in the politics of and aggression against Venezuela by other countries (Mainly the USA) and the IMF, etc which have caused most of the harm. Economic warfare is (and has been) destroying Venezuela, not socialism.
If you look at the countries of the West, the more socially democratic ones are doing much better than the less socialist (such as the USA) in all areas of wellbeing (both economic and otherwise). If New Zealand wasn’t a social democracy I doubt very much it would be a better place to live.
Rents reach all time high (but are going higher)
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12055437
Stop propagating these lies.
Twyford has been hard at work. He has brought in controls on rents and started the building of thousands of housing units for rental. In addition KiwiBuild goes from strength to strength.
Or not.
troll much?
If you need a laugh…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-IkiMyDJ9c&ab_channel=1989NickiD
Thanks Adam.
Thinking further, I find it hard to take in that chap Adolf Hitler Campbell or whatever who wants custody of his children.
The image of him just makes me think of Michael Palin, putting on an act. It wasn’t a bit of satire was it?
I think it was real https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heath_Hitler
An exercises in media analysis, or how the modern media do such a good job in sweeping an argument under the carpet. This is about the Dagenham Tesco strike. If you believe the local rag it’s just the union being uppity.
http://www.barkinganddagenhampost.co.uk/news/business/tesco-workers-at-dagenham-distribution-centre-set-to-strike-for-24-hours-over-pay-dispute-1-5522252
But if you want the truth, you have to dig a bit deeper. Here is more in depth analysis and the reason why this strike is important.
https://libcom.org/news/tesco-workers-strike-dagenham-distribution-centre-20052018
Funny how the two just don’t match up. Have you ever wondered how often you lied to by omission and a quick brush over by the media?
Well of course he does.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/104066629/national-would-scrap-winter-energy-payment-for-pensioners-and-beneficiaries
The only agreeable thing is that hi parents don’t need it. The idea that they, Winston et al will be automatically getting it (and somehow I doubt he, and many of those who don’t need it will voluntarily opt out) is not very palatable.
Note Simon’s tax cuts will provide an increase to the pension but no mention of an increase to core benefits because, well, no votes there and who cares if the ones who actually have a home freeze. I doubt the reporter even thought to push him on that. Lab/NZF have no intention of increasing benefit rates, this fuel grant aka temporary increase is the nearest we’ve had in 30 years.
But they did increase students weekly allowance.
Nice for the students and needed but being a student is at least a finite experience. Incidentally, next time you go anywhere with an entrance fee- concert, exhibition, mini golf even, have a look- nearly always student and pensioner discount. No disabled/beneficiary discount. Same with public transport in a lot of towns. Students are allowed to have a life but we’re not.
“Next time you go anywhere with an entrance fee- concert, exhibition, mini golf even, have a look- nearly always student and pensioner discount. No disabled/beneficiary discount.”
Indeed. You rasie a valid point, Kay. This bias needs rectifying.
Kay, I think that is valid, and so I suggest we all write to Jacinda on Facebook to bring that anomaly to her attention. Also local ministers and members.
Winston did point out that he would like the Gold card and Community services card to be more useful to recipients.
” I suggest we all write to Jacinda on Facebook to bring that anomaly to her attention.”
What? Excuse me? Facebook is the way we bring anomalies to the attention of the Prime Minister?
Well, bugger me. You should have said sooner.
I don’t use Facebook, so perhaps you could bring this anomaly to the Prime Minisetr’s attention patricia bremner…
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12054812
” More than a year after officials agreed to release autistic man Ashley Peacock from institutional care, he remains inside – as bureaucrats continue to quibble over funding.
His parents say their son’s health has deteriorated further, and while they have tried to work with clinicians, little progress has been made.
Since January, Ashley, now 40-years-old, has suffered two black eyes at Porirua’s Tawhirimatea mental health unit, both without explanation.
He was also given the wrong medication and had to go to hospital for monitoring. He still sleeps in the same cell-like room, with just a bed and a few sparse possessions.
Ashley’s parents say he is depressed, and has put on weight. He frequently says his joints hurt.
Some days, he is too lacklustre even to visit his beloved ponies nearby, once the greatest reprieve from his solitary life inside.
“We have done everything possible to get Ashley out of that place,” his father David Peacock said. “There is no stone unturned. And still.”
Ashley – who is not a criminal but has autism as well as an intellectual disability and a severe schizophrenic illness – has now been at Tawhirimatea for seven years.
More than half that time has been spent secluded in a 10m2 room, once for two-and-a-half years straight, with only 30 mins daily outside. In total he has spent 11 years in institutional care.
His living situation was labelled cruel, inhuman or degrading by the Chief Ombudsman. Authorities have been told repeatedly by multiple agencies that his treatment breaches human rights.”
Got that Prime Minister…
“Ashley – who is not a criminal but has autism as well as an intellectual disability and a severe schizophrenic illness – has now been at Tawhirimatea for seven years.
More than half that time has been spent secluded in a 10m2 room, once for two-and-a-half years straight, with only 30 mins daily outside. In total he has spent 11 years in institutional care.
His living situation was labelled cruel, inhuman or degrading by the Chief Ombudsman. Authorities have been told repeatedly by multiple agencies that his treatment breaches human rights.”
Now, if someone can copy and paste that to the Prime Minister’s Facebook page I’d be grateful…and if the Prime Minister should notice it amidst all the adulation
sigh
SSDD.
And another man who preyed on vulnerable women and did disgusting things to them in front of their children is living a cushy little life in a cottage attached to a prison. Taken out trout fishing and enjoying his life. Costing taxpayers over a million dollars per annum.
Surely they can arrange somewhere safe for Ashley so he can enjoy what is left of his life. The treatment he has been receiving will have damaged him beyond repair and we (as a nation) should be ashamed that any person lives in this country under such cruel and inhumane conditions.
I am afraid people think the Ashley’s of this world are benign, cuddly people who have an intellectual disability. I know several Ashley’s who are capable of the most incredible violence without provocation or warning, they are responsible for Nursing staff spending long periods on ACC, staff who have had such severe head injuries that they can never work again, their lives shattered. I am talking of trained experienced Nurses, aware of the risks, how to recognise change in behaviour and how to protect themselves. The suggestion that care be devolved to an NGO is foolish, these facilities commonly use High School students as carers, without training or support and working alone. They prove time and again not to be able to cope with high needs clients and always use DHB facilities and staff as a default when things fail. There has to be a reason for Ashley to have spent so much time in a seclusion unit and violence would be it.
So the answer is to lock them up and throw away the key? Preventative detention? To my knowledge Ashley Peacock was charged with no crime…yet he has served a longer sentence than many do for manslaughter.
You speak of the training undergone by psych nurses…hmm…from all reports mental health facilities are chronically understaffed and are often staffed by relievers with little experience. There are similar pressures in the education system with schools struggling to cope with children on the spectrum or with behavioural issues. The answer in a number of schools has also been putting children in seclusion.
This may prevent persons being harmed during violent outbursts or meltdowns, but isolating and restraining are not solutions…they are short term management practices….and used repeatedly often exacerbate the aggression…as it appears has happened in this case.
One day…it may be the case that a government of NZ will see it is an investment to fund early interventions and support…and ooh look!!! It appears that is what this government has done with the increased funding for Special Education…which is to be applauded.
BUT…the Ashleys of NZ who have missed out on these early interventions do not deserve to spend the rest of their lives as prisoners.
We can do better.
Community services cards are for access to community services, not concerts and mini golf. Even though I despise WINZ, etc, I don’t for one minute think I should have got cheap entry to concerts, etc when I was on the unemployment benefit.
When you’re on the unemployment benefit you have to forgo things such as concerts (unless they’re free of course) and mini golf until you’re in a position to afford them.
Regardless, I don’t see how anyone on the unemployment benefit could afford to go to concerts anyway, discounted or not unless they have some additional income from somewhere.
NZ On Air sent a message yesterday on TDB site that seemed to suggest that the $15 million given in the budget to NZ On Air would “give us some commmunity voice”.
But on our request for service then we got nothing.
see the response after we asked for help from NZ On Air; – it is another useless agency doing nothing.
Today we chalenged them again to front up and help see below but we dont hold out much hope here. Time will see now.
Media Enquiries
Allanah Kalafatelis,
Head of Communications
allanah@nzonair.govt.nz
DDI +64 4 802 8380
Mobile +64 21 585 538
Dear Allanah,
21st May 2018.
Your suggestion today (quote) “Perhaps you meant this for Radio NZ?” – that we approach RNZ was already coved in our email to you yesterday.
We have tried RNZ for six months already, and they have already refused to cover our story as we explained in our email to you Allanah,
Read our email to you; and review where we said
“We were never supported by ‘public media ‘for years now.”
“Ever since then we appear to had been banned from any criticism on the ‘public media’ about this controversial rail issue.”
I highlight that again below for your review.
We request you give our issue to your Chief executive to deal with this please as she (Jane Wrightson) is quoted as saying (quote)
“Following 10 years of static funding, NZ On Air welcomes any new money for public media which supports a strong democracy and allows New Zealanders to experience quality local content made by and for New Zealanders.”
We request she advise RNZ to offer this service of “public media which supports a strong democracy and allows New Zealanders to experience quality local content made by and for New Zealanders.”
Then we may ask RNZ for that long requested service.
Thank you for your assistance.
We await your acceptance.
Warmest regards,
======================================================================================================================
From: Allanah Kalafatelis
Sent: Monday, 21 May 2018 7:55 AM
To
Subject: Re: Confirm receipt please; – Dear NZ On Air. We i HB/Gisborne are now requesting you for our democratic assistance to have our loss of our rail six years ago to be finally given with our side of the story to be broadcasted to the NZ community on NZ On…
Dear
Unfortunately we cannot help you – we are not a broadcaster. We are the funding agency. Perhaps you meant this for Radio NZ?
Kind regards,
Allanah Kalafatelis
NZ On Air
Sent from my iPad
On 20/05/2018, at 2:13 PM, – wrote:
Protecting our environment & health.
In association with other Community Groups, NHTCF and all Government Agencies since 2001.
Public COMMUNITY letter;
20thth May, 2018.
Media Enquiries
Allanah Kalafatelis,
Head of Communications
allanah@nzonair.govt.nz
DDI +64 4 802 8380
Mobile +64 21 585 538
TO; Allanah Kalafatelis,
Head of Communications
NZ On Air,
Dear Allanah,
Request for service please;
You placed this comment on the social site “The Daily Blog” today that provoked us to write to you personally, requesting you for our democratic assistance to have our loss of our rail six years ago to be finally given with our side of the story to be broadcasted to the NZ community on NZ On Air.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1302/S00183/kiwirail-admits-lack-of-maintenance-led-to-wash-out.htm
See below our comment please and respond to our email at;
clean.air@xtra.co.nz
ASAP please for your service to our communities of HB/Gisborne.
We await your acceptance.
Founding members of the Gisborne Rail Action Group since 2009.
Warmest regards,
Sunday May 20th, 2018
NZ On Air encouraged by boost to public media in Budget 2018
By The Daily Blog / May 20, 2018 / No Comments
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Print Email
NZ On Air welcomes the announcement of an extra $15m in Budget 2018 for public media in 2018/19.
The exact allocation between NZ On Air and RNZ has yet to be determined by the Ministerial Advisory Group.
Following 10 years of static funding, NZ On Air welcomes any new money for public media which supports a strong democracy and allows New Zealanders to experience quality local content made by and for New Zealanders.
“We look forward to hearing more about the allocation of the funding, so that we can plan to deliver more quality public media for local audiences in the coming year,” said NZ On Air Chief Executive Jane Wrightson.
Follow us on Twitter & Facebook
Published: 4 hours ago on May 20, 2018
• By: The Daily Blog
• Last Modified: May 20, 2018 @ 8:46 am
• Filed Under: Most Recent Blogs, Raw News feed
• Tagged With: NZ on Air
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
NZ On Air stated today; Quote;
“NZ On Air welcomes any new money for public media which supports a strong democracy and allows New Zealanders to experience quality local content made by and for New Zealanders.”
We send our NGO response to NZ On Air.
NZ On Air; Well we in HB/Gisborne had lost our rail through National Government’s mismanagement of the stolen rail maintenance funding that caused our rail to be washed out by forestry cuttings blocking our rail track drains in March 2012.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1302/S00183/kiwirail-admits-lack-of-maintenance-led-to-wash-out.htm
We were never supported by ‘public media ‘for years now.
Ever since then we appear to had been banned from any criticism on the ‘public media’ about this controversial rail issue.
So we hope now that you believe this ‘democracy’ will give us a voice we will reserve our judgement until we are finally allowed to voice our issues of rail fail caused by national who stole our rail funding and sent the funds in 2011 to Auckland for passenger rail.
HB/Gisborne needs a voice to bring this truth out finally of how badly the two provinces were treated by national over those horrible years of john key.
We both produce also 34% of the total NZ exports and need labour/NZF support to reinstate the rail line all the way to Gisborne again to connect Gisborne to the NZ rail network again.
cleangreen
You must win support, you have brought so much to the view of politicians and the public presumably know now. What a lot of work your group has done. Does this all get reported in the news covering your area? The people should be proud of the efforts made. Hope it all starts soon. That 34% of total NZ exports (is that by volume) is stunning.
Yes greywarshark,
HB has one of the largest export ports in NZ and 19% export product comes from HB and the rest comes from Gisborne district.
Both regioions are large horticultural areas and timber producers also so we need rail honestly as we have now the largest road truck freight volumes on ur orads now so need to use rail to lower the damages to our environment now.
read this PCE report from 2005 and now our transport of freight is twice as bad as it was then.
http://www.pce.parliament.nz/media/pdfs/Hawkes-Bay-Expressway-Noise-and-air-quality-issues-June-2005.pdf
Note the PCE recommended to use rail also here but the Government is still not really stepping up but we will meet government next month and hope they will finally get rail moving again.
Thanks @CG.
Firstly, I always wondered what happened to Allanah …… – a name I could never pronounce so I always just thought of as Alan Coloured Potatoes…. so now, parked up as NZoA’s master of spin.
Secondly, although I’m a firm supporter of CBB,but I’ve always thought of them (and Clair Curran for that matter), as being utterly unambitious when it comes to PSB.
But then, I come from a belief that public money should be spent in the interests of the public that funds their existence. (Not too radical an idea really).
It’s good to see Coloured Potatoes PR hack acknowledge that NZoA is a ‘Funding Agency’ only.
The response kind of reminds me of the Funder/Provider model that was so in vogue during past Health reforms.
So we have…..
TVNZ complete with CEO, Board, Chairman and raft of administrators. As an SOE
RNZ ditto but as a COE
NuZull on Ear ditto
Kordia ditto (but who I could suggest are giving better service to their commercial clients than they are to the non-commercial who once used to own the assets they ride on) – ll equipped with similar CEO, Board and all the rest of it.
Then on top of all that, we have TMP and other funders such as MCH, TPK (if that’s still the case),
It’s become a real bugger’s muddle, but not unlike many other bugger’s muddles rorted by neo-liberal ideology.
Within each of the organisations above, we have some good people, but we also have a shitload of dross. In each, we also have a few good ideas who can’t seem to get together to rub them together.
In terms of my initial belief that public money should be directed towards the public interest and its institutions, there is no fucking reason why we should not expect at least 3 radio networks (SUCH AS National, Concert and an on-air The Wireless, AND at least 2 FTA TV networks that provide news and current affairs, the arts and drama – no matter how pathetic – sport, and children’s interests).
AND that’s even BEFORE we consider our committment to Te Tiriti issues (so perhaps a duty to provide facilities for MTS and an iwi network and local studios)
Oh fuck, I forgot ‘Freeview’ in amongst all that trying to be fair and balanced but who are only surviving on the basis of a Shopping Channel and like
Once was Tim
It is not a good look making a great play of not being able to handle a not too difficult surname. Bit of a put down really telling everyone that Coloured Potatoes was how you
managed the so-difficult ‘Kalafatelis’.
I always encouraged my kids to break down difficult words into syllables even when that wasn’t the done thing at school. It is so practical and I have coped with Varoufakis, the Greek economist and am learning how to say the Turkish President or PMs name which is not said how it looks. We may be an isolated little Brit island but foreigners have been attracted here. There are tonnes of French locally for some reason. We have to try to get our minds around names at least.
actually @ Grey, more to do with misreading/and getting something stuck on the brain rather than mispronunciation.
Never had a problem with Papadopolous or Phil Kafcaloudes whereas some keep saying kaTHcaloudes.
A bit like seeing a van driving around town with ‘A J Smith and Sons Shopfitters’ and repeatedly misreding it as ‘ShopLIFTERS’
In any event, I wondered what had happened to Kalafatelis and now I know PR and spin is obviously more lucrative. IF it’s the same person, was actually not a bad reporter in a previous life.
Yes Minister – the European Union didn’t have a chance against Britain. They decide they can’t take Greeks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVYqB0uTKlE
Yanis Varoufakis on Britain!
Question Time: Yanis Varoufakis delivers a devastating indictment of Britain’s governments 2017
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThXuNTiAark
Bomber gets it…https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2018/05/21/why-ashley-peacocks-appalling-treatment-makes-me-oppose-euthanasia/
“Why Ashley Peacock’s appalling treatment makes me oppose euthanasia.
Those on the front line of palliative care have out right rejected this drive for the State to sanction end of life…euthanasia is the perfect mutation of neoliberalism, the individualised choice to die in a system with public services as underfunded as NZ will be used to pressure the most vulnerable to commit suicide.”
Kirsty Johnston won a Canon a year ago with her article about the continued miserable existence of Ashley Peacock. And he languishes while what appears to be a pissing contest between the Misery of Health and the Contracted Provider plays out.
Julie Anne Genter is non committal in her response, which does not surprise me as it is my experience that she is idling under the delusion tat the goto people for information and advice regarding these issues are Miserly of Health bureaucrats.
And who do we in the disability community turn to????
The Opposition….? They pinned their colours to the mast in the 2013 budget.
Labour, David Clark? I suspect he’s going to struggle with other aspects of his portfolio…and besides,
JAG, as Associate Minister has been thrown disability.
She needs to talk personally with all involved parties ( other than the Ministry of Health) and get to the bottom of what is the hold up. Put Ashley out of his misery…so to speak.
Like, seriously….
Its STILL dragging on?!
Unbelievable. Only CCDHB could produce nothing over several years.
Put a strong Maori woman in there and it will be sorted by this evening.
Brothers and sisters;
Please make a submission supporting this admirable advance to our health and wellbeing as we place more resposiblitity on our local authorities instead of just for bussiness as national had done.
We are to place our NGO before the closing time of friday 5pm
We want to see this change to care for our communities more important than bussiness as usual.
One change should be to include a clause stating that we the community must be actively particapating with local councils in all activities and changes that may affect our health, wealth, environment, cultural wellbeing.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1804/S00235/local-government-community-wellbeing-amendment-bill.htm
Local Government (Community Wellbeing) Amendment Bill
Friday, 20 April 2018, 1:19 pm
Press Release: Office of the Clerk
Media Release
Organisation: Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives On behalf of: Governance and Administration Committee
For release: 20 April 2018
Submissions open on the Local Government (Community Wellbeing) Amendment Bill
The Governance and Administration Committee is accepting public submissions on the Local Government (Community Well-being) Amendment Bill.
This bill aims to:
• restore the purpose of local government to be “to promote the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of communities”
• restore territorial authorities’ power to collect development contributions for any public amenities needed as a consequence of development
• make a minor modification to the development contributions power.
Tell the Governance and Administration Committee what you think Send your submission on the bill by midnight on 25 May 2018.
ttp://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1804/S00235/local-government-community-wellbeing-amendment-bill.htm
Fixed the link added the h missing.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1804/S00235/local-government-community-wellbeing-amendment-bill.htm
The utterly repugnant Franks on the Panel.
The utterly repugnant Franks on the Panel.
Good morning The AM Show the rain was hard last night the sandflys in Tauranga were playing up the ——I had a escort all the way to my Daughter house they were trying to bait me into – – – – but I had figured that I could – – – – – them.
There are place in Atoearoa that are very – – – – – like havelock North whakatane these places have a high population of elderly whom are easily minupulate to vote against Maori the reason we have a big devided is because of this policy that they vote for its 2018.
This cow Virus Bovi is another mess national has left Jacinda and her Coalition Government to clean up I had my say on the subject but I don’t have all the relevant information so my calls could be wrong I’m sure Jacinda will make the right decision to clean up this mess I just gave information that I say the public need to know.
Ka kite ano P.S Some are still spinning to try and damage my – – – – but no te tangata know that ECO MAORI is genuine
This is how title change so fast from father to grandfather Papa in just 20 years we have to plan for a better future for the Mokopuna link bellow.
https://youtu.be/LHCob76kigA
Ka kite ano
KGood evening Newshub Shecu and his family are really talented musicians Ka pai
Some people are trying to undermine ECO MAORI Mana but know it won’t work the people know I’m genuine and my tipuna gave me these gifts my – – – – to use to benefit all being’s.
There are not enough te tangata whenua and brown people who vote in the local elections thats going to change the low hanging fruit. Ka kite ano.P.S Ingrid Its good we are in Auckland at the minute it’s 2 degrees warmer here than Rotorua
This is a awesome inspiration for Maori culture people 600 who attended a free
Te reo lesson the link is Below
https://i.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/104115332/massive-crowd-gather-for-free-christchurch-te-reo-class Ka kite ano