A little pearl of wisdom from one of the regular contributors:
"Belief in the threat of climate change is what people think they are supposed to support, so they do, to pollsters. Belief in business as usual is what people depend on, so they vote accordingly."
Dennis Frank – Daily Review, 20th May, 2019.
He was talking about the Oz election, but the problem is universal. I'm afraid the man in the street, Joe Bloggs, will not take climate change seriously until it bites him on the bum.
"That's where leadership is meant to step in, but they're too scared of corporate ire"
Hold it right there WtB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
There'll need to be several "pieces of work" and a number of consultative "conversations" with "officials" before anything can proceed "going forward". When those "conversations" are complete and "resonations" reached, we can probably proceed on a path of transformation and compassion
Na you’re wrong . This government has in very short time got most people excepting climate change as fact . And is progressing in the right direction . Move to fast and the push back will mean failure.
Of course if we had started in 1958 it would have been better . But today is the next best time.
"This government has in very short time got most people excepting climate change as fact "
So that's an achievement is it? I 'spose it is (in a really miniscule sort of way – even though most of them knew in the first place but were just coming to terms with the long term rather than keeping their loifsoyles taday and ta morra)
The bleeding bloody obvious springs to mind. A shame it doesn't extend to other ussues going forwid.
Megan and the sure rinse
Iain and Krus ummigrayshun and the feks of currint polsee
its easy to not understand if your job depends on it.
that is what i lay at the feet of government anywhere.
i don't so much have an issue with joe and jane sixpack but i have an issue with those that have the power to chance (all of them – no matter party affiliation) but do nothing.
I see the purchase price of 'bought-back' kiwibuild houses is not disclosed as 'commercially sensitive'. This is total bollocks – it is public money. What happens when you are locked to the religion of having a private business taking a cut of all things delivered by the state.
@ UncookedSelachimorpha +1 "What happens when you are locked to the religion of having a private business taking a cut of all things delivered by the state."
That religion is called free market liberalism, which just sunk the Australian Labour party and was the reason NZ Labour only scrapped in by the skin of it's teeth after three terms of disgusting and destructive National leadership.
This is part of a critique by Chris Trotter on the Oz Labour win that wasn't. (BEOT Big End of Town)
Simple enough, one might have thought, but one would have been reckoning without the extraordinary tone-deafness of the post-Hawke/Keating Labor Party. Instead of interpreting the poll data as evidence that, if they played their cards right, a win might just be possible, Shorten et al regarded it as proof that, since a loss was impossible, they could play their cards any damn way they pleased.
“We’ll never get a better chance to do all the things we’ve been promising ourselves for the past decade than this”, Labor told itself. “So, come on Comrades, this time we can quite safely bet the whole farm!” Which is pretty much what they did: promising to raise taxes and increase spending like it was going out of style. (Which, of course, it has been for the best part of three decades.)
Not only did they ignore the fact that the BEOT has untold billions invested in the farm, but they also thought it would be good politics to construct their campaign narrative around the idea of putting the inhabitants of the BEOT in their place. Unsurprisingly, the BEOT had a better idea.
I don't agree with Trotters analysis or his 'three objectives to winning an election..
"Winning a general election requires a political party to achieve three critical objectives: 1) Convince the voters that, economically-speaking, your team has got the right solutions. 2) Convince the voters that your opponents haven’t got a clue what the right answers even look like. 3) Convince the voters that, unless they do something to stop them, your opponents have a better-than-even chance of winning the election. In just three words: Reassure. Undermine. Terrify."
I will offer my opinion on winning elections a bit later, but must get off and do some work now.
Bloody hell Sam! How I wish you and others would quit using the word 'woke' in any other way than as the past participle of the verb 'to wake'.
What you are trying to show is that 1) you are hip 2) you are up with the terminology 3) you understand neocon rubbish words, and that they are useful, and that they add something to our vocabulary.
Sorry to disabuse you, but they are unintelligible rubbish, akin to those who use them.
I think Chris Trotter paints himself into unfortunate corners sometimes.
You absolutely have to rein in the BEOT if you want a society that works OK for everyone. But if you can't defeat the BEOT electorally, because they can outspend and out-message you, plus you face a populace where the psychological hegemony of neoliberal ideas runs very deep after 40 years of propaganda – what then? Despair?
It is much easier to gloomily describe this predicament than suggest ways of painting out of the corner. (I plead guilty on this one too.)
the prices the govt paid should be disclosed as LINZ captures all sales data. All realestate agents have access how else would they be able to have data on local sales .
Yes I wondered about that. Why not keep it as a state house and put in tenants who would appreciate it and look after it and be part of a community that was probably working and functional. Good house, good possibilities for lifting oneself out of the doldrums. Go for it Twyford, but choose your tenants right.
The bullying in parliament report comes out today. Hang on to your hats, I predict this will be damning for both the major parties. Very pleased it's happening, it's long overdue, thanks to Trev and the government for initiating it.
Thanks for bringing it up Cinny. I think it is going to be a shock to most people just how toxic the place is.
I would love to see a commission of inquiry into bullying in the Public Service generally and that it include retrospective cases. That would enable me to come forward and tell my story. It is something I've wanted – indeed needed – to do for a very long time but have been unable to due to the lack of a safe and secure environment.
“Just because it’s politics and people are passionate doesn’t mean any of us can behave like arseholes around this place. It’s a privilege to serve here, and the people who put us here expect us to lead and want to respect us as leaders.”
Apparently parliament is a toxic environment awash in bullying, harassment, entitled behaviour, verbal abuse and positively teeming with massive, unrestrained egos.
Well I never!
Also, the Press Gallery behave in 'unacceptable' ways.
Stuff has 4 – FOUR articles on Game of Thrones ending this morning, as if it was important. It's good TV, but important? As part of a picture it is.
Bread and Circuses aka violence conditioning for the masses. Producers/writers seem to delight in trying to outshine each other in their propensity to dream up horrors.
"a way to kill compassion to ensure the brutalization of Roman civilians and thus their compliance (or at least their complacency) vis-à-vis Imperial expansion and domestic policing"
Have we learned to not give a fuck yet? Are we entertained by all these stabbings?
There'll be awards, red carpet, gushing interviews, tears…
You ask whether "Have we learned to not give a fuck yet? Are we entertained by all these stabbings".
From the fact that the series appears to have been very popular I suppose the answer to the questions has to be yes. If nobody watched it they certainly wouldn't have bothered spending a fortune on making it. One must simply suggest that everyone who watched it was in fact entertained.
So says he who, immodestly, says that he had never heard of the series until recently and has never seen a single episode. The most I have seen was snippets in the news in the last few days.
So, if you don't approve of what they are showing the only thing to do is don't watch it. It is like the people who claim that "I never vote. It just encourages the bastards". If you watch the program, and the ads, you are just encouraging the people who make it to go even further next time.
What political statement will the Crusaders make next? First they offend religion, now sexuality. Not bad for a non-political group who just play a game.
Sure there is always at least two sides to every story, and often one involves lies to protect reputations, especially when it comes to the national sport.
How many of us here have seen drunk rugby players act like arseholes? Heaps I'd say.
Listening to the interviews this morning I believe the other fellows who complained and not the Crusaders denial and great innocence. It's a reflection I think of the brutal way that things get splattered on Facebook, the no-respect for others, the arrogant 'I'll do it my way, you lowlife (applies to whoever is chosen for disdain). This type of abuse has been going on for years and so many sportspeople give themselves an edge by harassing others in opposing teams, or the public. That's our society these days folks, authority is prepared to allow shit to happen to others, bystanders even, as externalities to the really important goal, whatever that is.
If it wasn't already obvious to everybody in the world, the US have completely lost any interest in disguising the fact that they are prepared to attack or bully any country that stands in the way of their hegemony out in the open.
Their hostile and dangerous actions against Venezuela and Iran.
Their attackon Huawei.
The US war on whistle blowers and persecution of Assange.
The US compliance and support of apartheid in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel.
Their compliance and support of the humanitarian tragedy in Yemen.
The US arming and legitimizing the despotic terrorist state of Saudi Arabia.
The list could go on, and on.
Lets just hope that Bernie Sanders gets the nomination, takes out Trump in the rust belt, and restores at lest a semblance of sanity to US foreign policy.
I think most people would consider the US governments relentless actions against Huawei over the last while including today's announcement, only in order to protect US private corporate interests as an attack, so in a word yes.
We assure you while we are complying with all US gov't requirements, services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device," Google said on Twitter.
I see there is another teens fleeing from police crash in Te Atatu on the Stuff web site this morning. When are these idiots going to learn when police signal you to stop…..you stop! At least they only injured themselves so that's all good. they will be off the roads for a while which makes it safer for everyone.
Many (maybe even most) teens do. Pushing too hard, failing to do risk assessment, not seeing warning signs, getting carried away, not realising how drunk they are…
Google told me there was an OIA request on police chase statistics last year: seems that a little over half of pursuits are abandoned (probably includes "called off for safety" as well as "lost 'em"). So some of these kids' peer group probably have escaped pursuit before.
All fun and games until someone gets hurt. But if there's nothing else to do, or no real hope for advancement, teens gonna do stupid shit.
Went flying off a 50cc a couple of years back. Straight over the handle bars, instinctive forward roll, worst problem was a tear in my pants from where I hit the key in the ignition with my thigh. God bless lower speeds.
Rear end panel damage to the car cost more than my scooter did new (which had a jiggle at the garage but was otherwise fine).
That was me worrying about what guy on the left was going to do, to the detriment of forward observation. #imadickhead
So you think that stealing cars, driving dangerously and endangering the public is all ok and just a bit of youthful silliness? These idiots put innocent people on the roads in danger.
Yes I did some stupid things as a teen but I never once stole a car, and never once ran from police.
Jimmy you good little lord fauntleroy, you sound a bit preachy there. You are probably too old and was always in the wrong class to appreciate the great attraction of stealing cars and joy riding. If you can be so proud of not having stolen a car, what is it that you did when you were being naughty? You seem to take pride in not having had to run from police in a stolen car. So what did you do?
The joyriders might be from a background that would understand and enjoy 'Boy'. Have a look at the trailer, and I bet it will show a different way of looking at the dynamics of life Jimmy than you have experienced.
So you still don't give a shit that kids actually got injured, but there was a chance that you could have been. Oh the humanity!
Keep up the middle class moral outrage, one day you might come down from the ivory tower and figure out why Remuera kids aren't doing this stuff or tagging from dusk till dawn.
No I don't give a shit that these kids got injured. They made the choice and got injured due to their own actions. However, I am greatly concerned (and give a shit) that while they are on the road hooning around they are putting my kids and other innocent people in danger.
How would you feel if they drove in to your wife / daughter /son trying to evade the police?
I'd feel like I seriously screwed up my responsibilities as a parent.
There's plenty of ways to have loads of fun scaring yourself shitless with speed, heights, freefalls, explosions etc that don't involve putting strangers at risk. Anything to do with public roads and vehicles are particularly important to take responsibly and seriously, not something to get your jollies with. Because the consequences to strangers can be so severe.
That's the attitude I think I've successfully just given my eldest (easy, he's that way inclined anyway) and I'm about to start trying to get my twins to take on board (hmm, gonna be more of a challenge, they're somewhat more neurotypical teenage boys).
I was more on Jimmy's idea that we needed to imagine a personal relationship to give a damn.
To me, hooning is one of those things where the negligence is there, but they're still kids. Kids make mistakes.
Contrast that with a court news thing I saw a while back where the hoon was basically in his late thirties – donuts, excess speed, failing to stop, ISTR it was the full trifecta. That dude, I'm totally with the "lock him up" crowd. Teens, even early twenties? I'm more ambivalent.
You mean my kids driving and running from police? I would be seriously disappointed with my parenting skills, and seriously disappointed with them. I hate to think what my old man would have done to me if I had ever not stopped for police when told to.
I don't know the statistics, but I am seriously wondering if there would be less of these terrible instances if it was advertised that the police will chase you as these young people with the nothing to lose mentality are simply putting their foot down knowing police will pull out of the chase.
You'd also be sad they got injured, no? Don't forget that bit.
Here are the stats. The trouble with your plan is that sometimes the offenders get away – lose the cops in back roads, get enough distance to bail, whatever. You just change the rules into more of an "all or nothing" situation. Same with stiffer penalties – that just increases the panic from an initial poor reaction.
The psychology and practicality of vehicle pursuits for both offender and police officer is interesting – did some reading on it about ten years ago. ISTR that if aerial unit was involved it basically doubled the chances of a successful stop. But then of course that gets limited by finance and controlled air spaces.
Maybe I'm too old to think like them, but if I knew the police would relentlessly pursue me I would be less likely to run as even if I initially got away they would eventually catch up to me. At the moment they know they have probably a 50% chance? of getting away and unfortunately they take the chance often with tragic results.
As the mother of three, and the child of a veritable gaggle of parents and step parents…let me assure you that children can be very very disappointing. It doesn't necessarily make them bad people, and sometimes they grow up to be even better than you, as a parent, deserve.
You clearly lack the imagination to understand that the whole point of the chase, the adrenaline rush, is from being chased..being caught is no more of a factor in the decision to flee, than the idea the cops will stop chasing. In fact its probably slightly disappointing when the cops do pull back. The whole point is these kids are not thinking, they are simply reacting to stimuli.
If the adrenaline rush is what they are after, then I have even less sympathy for them when they "roll the dice" and lose. They put countless innocent people at risk simply for a "high" ….very selfish.
I do feel sorry for the police as they are often in a no win situation.
If that did happen I'd probably feel a lot better about it knowing a sane policy was in place that didn't involve risky police chases and naughty teens that endangered more lives.
When they are 'young,dumb and full of cum', combined with whatever the fuck else has shaped their usually totally dysfunctional and violent lives, I don't think these young guys are really in a psychological space of mind to 'learn when police signal you to stop…..you stop!'
The problems for most of these 'idiots' are far more systemic and complicated than that, that much I do know, how to fix it, that question is probably well above my pay level.
For an informative view on how a good place turns shitty and youth go to the pack watch all series of The Wire.
It starts in the street but moves on to the working class supplying the street and then a larger focus with the dodgy dealing political and business class all in on their various games.
It is startlingly profound in retrospect.
It touched briefly upon further meddling from on high. Were the focus to enlarge further there'd be the 'philanthropic' (the PR face of the billionaire class) types behind the scenes encouraging class warfare via deals to influence money-centric law.
Just thinking this morning about how money is just a set of formalised, legalised promises. We talk about it as if it is real and substantial, Donald Duck's Grandpa had gold coins in a pile that he used to jump into. But gold is just a token within the money system that is carefully managed as to its daily value for buying some real thing – hamburgers have been used as a standard for instance.
If we thought in our minds when we say money, that we are talking of fairydust we would be closer to understanding the real thing we speak of. And economists have worked out how fairydust is transferred and added value to and relates to real, physical things and real work either physical or mental.
And a Kiwi economist has made it big in his field and is speaking on Radionz about why we don't have to worry about robots and their effect on our degraded society. Get ready for some beautifully delivered fairydust tales for the political nursery school.
10:05 Kinley Salmon : Debunking the "robocalypse"
With all the talk of artificial intelligence and machine learning – does the technological revolution really mean that robots are knocking on the door to take many of our jobs? New Zealand economist Kinley Salmon says there is so much hype, it's hard to think straight. In his new book Jobs, Robots and Us, he argues that more people than ever are in work in New Zealand, technology isn't something that just happens to us, and that the future of work is in our own hands.
We The Beeple
The Wire was set in the time when crack cocaine was flooding the ghettoes of the US courtesy of Reagan;s covert war against the Sandinista govt in Nicaragua.
Gary Webb broke the story, only to be shunned by his fellow journalists (remind you of anyone?)vilified and discredited .Later he was vindicated, too late to save his life . He committed suicide..if shooting yourself twice in the head is a thing.
During the first series the FBI guy talks about how things have changed since the towers fell and heroin being sold on the street is branded WMD and Bin Laden. So it's probably set around 2003.
It's pretty much contemporary with the time of filming. It's not a period piece.
Great characters. Really sophisticated plots. Amazing lines and scenes (my personal favourite was the scene examination conducted purely with the word "fuck"). And Idris.
I imagine that a lot of the people who read and comment on this site will applaud. Ford, after all, make those evil cars and trucks that are, at least in Greenies view, destroying the world. Get them all off the road. Let people go back to the 19th century and take a train or walk
At least I imagine what our resident idiot MP Genter would say. The only cars that should be allowed on the streets of Wellington will be her beloved Beemer Limo's.
The Government will provide almost $40 million in funding for ambulance services in a bid to relieve the pressure some of the providers are under.
But speaking to media this morning, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters gave a strong hint the Government was planning to fully fund St John in the near future.
"I very confident that we can look forward to a day, and not very far from now, where 95 per cent of the needs of St Johns is funded from central Government."
Although he was confident, he said he was not speaking for "the whole Cabinet, at this point in time".
Having taken a ride in a ambulance a few weeks ago and chatting with the paramedic (over the awful clattering of the vehicle as it negotiated the bends of our sealed but twisty rural roads) I am very, very happy about this.
I'll be positively orgasmic if Cabinet agrees to fund at least 95% of the service…Winston might be forgiven a few of his sins if he can pull this off.
No that would be bad Gabby. Is the idea that the funding will be made available from reducing services elsewhere? Rural people need more, not less for sure.
I see why the Winston First Party survives. People like Rosemary, after 40 years of disappointment, still believe Winston's lies.
Actually it would be very easy to provide the full cost of running the New Zealand Ambulance services. All that is needed is to stop the taxpayer funding Winston's hobby of horse-racing. In order to keep the finances of the NZF party healthy, and to keep Winnie happy with his part ownership of racehorses, the taxpayer is throwing ever more money at all weather tracks.
Originally it was just one track in the Waikato, probably at Cambridge. Now he has wound the ante up to 3 tracks, at Cambridge, at Awapuni and in the South Island. The largesse will come out of the Peters/Jones $3 billion slush fund. If we spent the money, which is probably up to $40 million for horses by this time, we could pay the full cost of ambulance services immediately.
Now: " it would be very easy to provide the full cost of running the New Zealand Ambulance services."
Then:
"PM Bill English told The AM Show on Monday ambulance operators are "not asking for full funding, we're not promising full funding … The proportion of funding is fairly high, and as I understand it has been steady over the years. When you visit the ambulance services they have got pretty good gear these days. Their staff are very well-trained."
(May 2017)
It's amazing how many "easy" things National never got around to doing, isn't it?
Full funding is a pretty cheap promise and relatively easy to do. All that is true.
Bill English was right. The Ambulance service in NZ is pretty good. Modern equipment and well staffed with people who are expert at their job. In recent years all the St Johns equipment has gone through a huge level of upgrade.
The main reason why St Johns has not wanted full funding has been to preserve their independence. Total full funding makes that difficult. Even a small amount of donations (relative to the total cost) has helped preserve their independence.
It will be interesting to see if St Johns will be able to continue to be independent as they have historically been.
thanks heavesn for fundraising, volunteer work – aka unpaid work, bake sales and that stuff so that government actually ahs got nothing else to do but pay your wages and perks right?
and i for one am sure you will want that ambulance service the day you keel over and need one. would be too bad if they showed up in a vehicle from the fifties.
I used to work for the AA before i opened my business, the pretty good gear breaks down regularly cause it is not pretty good, just extremely well maintained by the unpaid staff, you arrogant do nothing know nothing.
People don't have as much free time to donate to St John these days it takes more to make ends meet for everyone. We get a professional service we should pay for it.
I recall my old man was attending the rugby every few weekends in season as a St John representative, he never got a dime but it was a windfall for us kids when we went: all the recycle soft drink bottles. Two cents each, two cents was money!
Dad was never into rugby, but as a local St John guy he fulfilled his obligations. On top of helping loads of players he saved a few people after bad accidents in our village too.
He never once appreciated that government took their service for granted, and it's been an awful long time.
From my understanding, if there are St Johns attending Saturday sport – St Johns are being paid by the sporting organisation.
Sacred Heart (Auckland)has St Johns attending Saturday winter sport. The St Johns staff were called on the day 2 boys being knocked out and a broken bone and that was only the 9:00 games !!! – To cover the costs there is a coffee/Hot Chocolate stand and the old boys cover any shortfalls, great idea by the school, and I would recommend any to seek & support the coffee service.
Thanks Herodotus. Back in the day the club might of donated to St Johns, but the actual officer didn't get paid. A free feed occasionally, but not expected. The public however were very supportive of Dad, their gratitude was obvious.
It was even noted by some parents when he was at Te Aroha baths that they felt safer having their kids swim with him present. Then we nearly lost my brother in the same place – translucent water hid him at the bottom Dad's foot hit something and he hauled him out already unconscious.
It must be hard being held in esteem, only to be human.
Good stuff. The ambulance service should be a 100% public funded service, just like police etc. This 'charity' model is bullshit that only exists to allow the wealthy to avoid paying their share.
A fossil Galaxias fish from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Jon Lindqvist.
Fossil leaves from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Jennifer Bannister.
A fossil leaf from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Tammo Reichgelt.
A short section of core from the Foulden Maar deposit, showing annual layers (alternating yellowish and dark layers) along with underwater landslide events (thicker dark layers). Photo credit Bethany Fox.
100x magnification of a 23-million-year-old leaf cuticle (Litsea calicarioides) from Foulden Maar, showing stomata (white) and epidermal cells (purple). Photo credit Tammo Reichgelt.
A fossil flower (Fouldenia staminosa) from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Jennifer Bannister.
Getz Ice Shelf on the Antarctic coast Credit: NASA/Dick Ewers
The overseas mining company seeking to expand its operation next to a fossil rich geological site of international significance in Otago, says it has good motives, and is surprised by the negative reaction. Plaman Resources is 50.9% owned by the Mayasian business Iris Corp, and 49% owned by two Australian businessmen. It has a permit to mine diatomite in Middlemarch at Foulden Maar – a 23-million-year-old crater lake at Middlemarch – and is seeking permission to buy the neighbouring property to expand the mine. The diatomite is brand named "Black Pearl" and sold as stock feed. The plan has run into strong opposition from some locals, concerned scientists and former Prime Minister Helen Clark. Kathryn talks with co-founder and CEO of Plaman Resources, Peter Plakadis.
On later on Radionz. Rod Oram first about tourism goals, which may be related to the next one on m/billionaires coming here for boltholes!
11:30 New Zealand's billionaire doomsday preppers
A new VICE documentary attempts to track down the overseas billionaires building boltholes in New Zealand. "Hunt for the Bunker People" follows freelance journalist Baz Mcdonald as he investigates why the super rich are looking to buy land in Queenstown as "apocalypse insurance."
As Baz comes to terms with the causes of this paranoia, he considers the implication for Queenstown's shrinking middle class. He joins Kathryn to speak about the documentary and what he plans to do next with his investigation.
Hunt for the Bunker People screens on VICE will be on SKY On Demand and SKY GO until May 23rd.
Does earthquake insurance need a fundamental rethink as private insurers trim their books and EQC gets out of contents insurance?
Kathryn Ryan speaks with the minister responsible for the Earthquake Commission, Dr Megan Woods.
Changes to the Earthquake Commission Act come into affect on July 1st.
They include an increase in the cap on EQC residential building cover from $100,000 to 150,000, a withdrawal of contents cover, and more transparency if earthquake claims have been made on a house in the past.
The Lord of the Great Grift is one step closer to getting exposed. A federal judge has ruled his accountants have to turn over his paperwork to Congress.
Best not reveal anything that might undermine the narrative.
Two left wing NGOs, Yesh Din and Emek Shaveh, filed a petition under the Freedom of Information Act to reveal the identities of archaeological sites and archaeologists working in the West Bank. According to Emek Shaveh, the High Court ruled to conceal the identities of the locations and archaeologists.
Supreme Court rejects NGOs petition, arguing that publishing information publicly could expose archaeologists to academic boycott and undermine Israel’s position in future diplomatic negotiations.
Here’s the result of David Seymour’s incitement of violence toward Golriz Ghahraman the other day.
Now she has to have a police escort to protect her from violent white supremacist RWNJs. This clearly proves it is far right creeps like David Seymour who are undermining the decency and safety of New Zealand society.
Don’t respect me but please (!) respect my requests (plural) to cut out the personal shit. Pointless personal shit is just that. You’ve already taken too much of my time.
what the fuck are you on about. This is like the 100th time you've threatened to ban me. Fuck me. You give a dork a little bit of power and it goes straight to there head.
so asides from anything the woke Australian Green Party leader decided he'd lead a caravan up the Australian coast signalling the virtues of thrift and cleanliness. Net result was 4% swing to the liberals and then in NZ, more woke nutters.
[Given my earlier requests here on OM to cut out the pointless personal shit, this looks like a deliberate provocation of Sam who seems unable to control himself when provoked and you know it – Incognito]
I thought that you had received a ban Sam. Your abusive comments deserve abusive description – they are shit. And your abuse isn't even high-class stuff. You are lowering the tone of this blog and you haven't said anything of value except your own lame opinions. We have plenty of those ourselves, in our own rubbish bins, and yours belong in yours.
Depends if you desire to be a super moderator or a super debater because when it's moderated it's actually not debating, wonder if this place is still for robust debate anymore. Where I come from debates can turn into fist fights. Besides that I was under the impression that I had received a permanent ban at one point for breaking some code of behaviour or something rather than the content of what I was saying ie moderated for ideological reasons rather than causing harm to some ones fragile frame of mind.
I don’t want to ban Sam or anybody else for that matter. I would like him (and others) to cut out the pointless personal shit and get on with robust debate. All it takes is a small change in online behaviour that will have large positive effects on the tone on/of this site.
Stockholm’s general shelters are in poor condition.
In the event of a crisis or war, they could not be used, according to the real estate office.
And there is no money to fix them.
Stockholm city is responsible for 22 active shelters. But none of them meet the requirements – and they cannot fulfill their function as shelters in the event of a crisis or war, Mitt i [local free ‘zine] can now reveal.
The protective shelters are used today as, for example, garages. But the city is obliged to be able put them in service within 48 hours, which is currently not possible. It appears from the real estate office’s budget for the years 2020-2022.
What would happen if there was a crisis or war?
– We can’t handle the 48 hour limit. It is a question of how to plan, says Thomas Schillén, property manager at the real estate office.
In order to be able to use the protective shelters, good ventilation, shock wave doors and toilets are required. It would take many millions to be able to fix them, money missing from the budget.
– We have got a tightening of the new majority and have not received any new funds. We are tightening our staff and have other projects that take a lot of money, “says Thomas Schillén
Chaotic scenes in Newcastle city centre as Nigel Farage hit by a milkshake. He’s been whisked away by his security. This is the aftermath. pic.twitter.com/qxz8yay492
The government announced yesterday the appointment of five new Deputy Chairpersons to the Human Rights Review Tribunal. Legislation has been tweaked to allow these Deputy Chairperson to make and write up decisions.
" This Government has acknowledged the unacceptable backlog of cases before the Human Rights Review Tribunal that developed under the previous National Government and we have taken action by establishing the Deputy Chairperson positions to help reduce the growing backlog,” says Aupito William Sio. "
Unfortunately, one of these Deputy Chairpersons has proven herself to be less than impartial and has, over the decade she spent fighting against disabled people and their chosen family carers, chosen to engage in tactics that in my opinion bring the profession of lawyer in (further) disrepute.
I have sat an listened to her deliberately misinform and misrepresent our situation and on more than one occasion has actually made statements that in any other venue would be considered lying.
Martha Coleman markets herself as being a 'human rights specialist'.. and yes she has had much experience in arguing against claims brought under NZBORA and the HRA.
In the case of family carers being paid to provide the disability supports an eligible person has been assessed as needing her tactics failed (in numerous venues) as the lawyers from the Office of Human Rights Proceedings won the case by simply telling the truth and presenting the facts to the Tribunal and the Courts.
Reality will occasionally prevail.
One aspect of Coleman's career that has always intrigued me is the fact that while she was being paid by Crown Law to prepare the case against family carers she was also a member of the National Advisory Council for the Employment Of Women who stated in their March 2008 report…
NACEW supports a framework for family caring that is based on the following principles: •that the unique contribution of family carers is the provision of emotional and associative care and this needs to be recognised and valued as a priority •that formal care packages are comprehensive responses to the intensity of a client’s needs, and do not make assumptions about the family supports available •that a client and their family members can opt for greater family involvement in care arrangements and negotiate the basis of their involvement within the care package provided •that individual family members who are contracted into explicit service roles have similar protections and rights as other workers.
Yes, I get that lawyers have to be able to argue both sides of an issue convincingly…that's probably why so many end up in politics…but to have read the above, and listened to Coleman enthusiastically and with some malice argue against it, to me calls into question her suitability to participate in decision making for a Tribunal dedicated to upholding human rights.
The fact that Coleman leveled some of her invective against me personally most certainly colours my view.
Waiting in anticipation for the report into National Party culture that was promised us once the report on Parliament culture was out. I can't seem to find it anywhere though. Wonder what's taking so long…
Stuff just reported this: "Speaking during the first reading of the bill, National leader Simon Bridges said his party was supportive of the principles of the bill but National had "real differences" and expected to see change in select committee. The Government's flagship climate change bill – technically an amendment to an earlier law – would force future governments to set a series of "carbon budgets" over the next 30 years, declining until all long-lived emissions reach net zero at 2050. It will pass first reading on Tuesday afternoon." https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/112890233/national-supports-climate-change-bill-through-first-reading
"The proposed law is based on the United Kingdom's Climate Change Act. The bill would also set up an independent Climate Change Commission that would advise the Government on what these targets should be and how exactly governments should meet them. It would not have any independent power on its own. It's understood NZ First was particularly uncomfortable with talk about giving the commission Reserve Bank-like powers to set the emissions targets itself. Governments will also be required to set a plan for how they will respond to the various effects of climate change."
I wonder who the chief judge is in the circuit where all of the fights between Congress and Trump will play out and whether he cares about partisan norm-busting. Oh that's right…it's some guy named Merrick Garland.
Stuff: "MPs were "treated like gods" with a "master servant relationship". What about goddesses? Seems like it could be a case of unconscious sexism. Mistresses are sometimes into dominance too. There was a dominatrix in the headlines a while back, after the guy who had been paying to be dominated actually died.
And if you call them public servants, is it really all that surprising that MPs treat them as such? What part of the residual patriarchy is so hard to grasp?
Can you expand on your criticisms of Martha Coleman a little more for me @ RMcD?
In what way has she spent "fighting against disabled people and their chosen family carers"? (for example).
I'm not suggesting in any way that your assertions are incorrect.
I'm just curious having known both Martha and brother Bruce in her formative years. Having seen how many of my peers have put comfy little lives over principle, nothing will surprise me, but I'm not yet ready to put Martha in that category.
btw @ lprent – not quite sure why this appears as 25, as opposed to 20.1 or 20.2. but it's possible I'm losing it
Actually, assume the worst (I’m losing it) – I’d hate to have you obsessing over a potential bug that isn’t
Often happens to me. I think I hit the reply to comment button, then after I post it shows up at the bottom of the thread. Remedy is highlight what you wrote, ctrl C to copy it, then delete comment. Then hit the reply button to the comment you want to respond to, ctrl V to copy your response into the new window, post it and watch to ensure it does publish in the right place.
As I admitted… The fact that Coleman leveled some of her invective against me personally most certainly colours my view.
I am one of those family carers.
I sat in on many of those hearings and watched her at work.
I was part of the last group to be represented by the OHRP against the Crown and the Ministry, and up until the final straight Martha 'these people have a sense of entitlement' Coleman was the Crown appointed assassin.
And oh, how she seemed to love her work.
Yeah, yeah, lawyers are supposed to use every trick in the book to make the opposition look like shit…but come on…there are limits, surely?
As I said…misinformation, malicious misrepresentation (well it seemed like malice from where I was sitting) and callous disregard for the people with disabilities who would die without appropriate hands- on care and those of us who provided that care…in many cases where the Ministry's own contracted providers refused to because the Ministry would not fund that level of care.
Even after losing in Atkinson and Spencer, Coleman dug in when it came to our case (King). It beggared belief as for all intents and purposes we were the same as the Atkinson and Spencer cases. Arguably the level of complexity in the care required from and by the King plaintiffs was measurably higher than in the previous cases.
In my particular case she argued that I was claiming to be paid for doing what 'every one else does for love'.
The Ministry's own records show that at least 40 other spouses were being paid by the Ministry for providing care for their partner…and we had met some of these couples who couldn't understand why we were not given the same accommodation by the Ministry.
However…Coleman knew this, must have gained at least a smidgen of an inkling what our lives are like…she sat through enough hearings and read enough of our submissions….you'd think, you'd hope, that at some point she'd actually back off and advise the Crown that the right thing to do would be to put the injustice and the discrimination right.
But, no. And this time last year I was girding up my delicate bits to sit in a court room and listen to Coleman yet again argue a case she had already lost on more than one occasion.
Orders came from Higher Up later last year that the Crown were to settle our case.
Coleman et al suddenly disappeared from the opposition benches and new Crown Lawyers brought in to try and make nice.
I occasionally fantasize that Coleman et al perhaps, in a fit of conscience, deliberately threw Atkinson and Spencer…but no. What they did do, and quite successfully, was to manage to stall any resolution for the rest of us so that National had time to concoct the Part 4 amendment to the PHD Act.
Coleman played a significant role in a saga that has left many in the non ACC disability community, especially those with very high support needs who want to live in their own homes, feeling marginalised. And abused. And totally disillusioned with 'the system'.
Such is the nature of the law and a good many in the legal profession (as we all know from the bullying and misogyny that's become public recently).
I've known a few perfectly 'nice' people that turn into complete arseholes in a court room because its all about winning. If it were me, I'd be more pissed off with MoH – though not surprised given the state of much of our public service these days.
But maybe she has turned into a complete bitch. It'd be a hell of a change over a lifetime though
Where do progressives go for comfort these days. In the USA they are almost up to two figures for shaming rape and sex between men and women if not married. Reading a book of Russian theory The Foundations of Geopolitics by Alexander Dugin there is this:
Foundations engages with obscure strains in 20th-century fascism, relying heavily, for example, on theorist Julius Evola, who advised Mussolini and the SS and promoted extreme misogyny as well as racism for use by the Russian elite. All sex for Evola is rape and a woman outside the home “a monkey.” He and Dugin both sneer that modern men—not to mention gays, lesbians, and transsexuals—are “feminized.” In the Evola-Dugin playbook, sexual and racist anxieties lie at the root of today’s Russian fascism. And with but slight qualification, one can see Rob Porter, Steve Bannon (an Evola fan), Roy Moore, and Donald Trump as decadent facsimiles.
seenothing any publisty is good publicity to some .
I say the Skypath project for cycling and walking is awesome good that the project is going to start.
M8 I'm going to pop the balloons of these new partys Tamaki don't you get the big picture you are going to help the people who have been disrespecting tangata whenua FOOL.
I brought some cheap honey it didn't even have a sweet taste. Honey is has been a medicine for thousands of years and Maori tohunga have been healing tangata for thousands of years to.
Tavita wahine is being lead around the mulberry Bush of the justice system if they were wealthy there would have been people paying for his death that's the system Whanau.
I'm not even going to comment on that fool who can't see past his own faith fool in Britain.
All I can say is I feel for the rabbit wahine in Christchurch I love my pets to maybe start a give a little page to help pay for your rabbits vacation
Tamiki is just going to help national float there toilet I have all ready give my view to not impress with him or Naro trying float his christen party to they both have egos that make them think te ra revolvers around them.
The parliament staff problems is going to get sorted as for Tau what insults did he say to Trevor for that to happen
Kia ora to Maori growing kiwifruit there are heaps of places in Te taiwhiti to grow kiwifruit it could easily be grown organically to big bucks.
It's awesome that Ngati Porou are going to get the right we want from the crown
For ower Coast and Tangaroa
The Whana of the Pike river mine will be happy it is all finally coming to past and reveal what went wrong we know that the safety standards were dropped and that could have been the cause.
The students strive is a awesome way to get Neanderthals attention the pollies around the Papatuanuku are pandering to money and not their children future money is the phenomenon that causes policy to be made that is good for the 00.1% that's a fact.
A lot of consumer don't no the consumer laws but now days thanks to social media and Google we can check the laws.
Bridget Davis I tell the mokopuna you are what you eat I think you book Bridgets Healthy Kitchen is awesome I say a healthy gute is a fact .I need to clean up my diet ma te wa
In my view the poor commen tamariki are in a much better position with the Labour lead government if national was still in power poverty will still snowballing they would have a block on the subject and no one would be talking about it.
I agree with Duncan Tamiki won't make the 5% threshold to get into Parliament remember he has had a few brain FARTs.
Eco maori champions wahine equal rights the Women of Influence award is a great way to achieve that goal of more Wahine getting into managing our Papatuanuku .
Nominations are open for the seventh annual Women of Influence awards, a celebration of change makers and inspiring women.
Sponsored by Stuff and Westpac, the awards have previously recognised politicians, philanthropists, businesswomen and artists.
Jackie Clark, of South Auckland social welfare charity The Aunties, won the supreme award last year. In 2017, former prime minister Helen Clark received the lifetime achievement award. Kate kite ano links below
Its is good that the IPCA has stated that the police chaser was at fault now that a problem has been admitted prosess can be put in place to minimize the losses of life.
Bit of drama with the ambulances people wages.
I have had a good flue it was Monday when I got it a week ago .
Those Christians political parties will take us back 100years with their neanderthal views.
Students strike is what is needed to get the common people view out there above the oil barons $$$$$$$$$$ it is there future we are stuffing NOW.
I feel for the people who are in the atrocitie weather that is happening in America at the minute the common people will suffer the most.
The Queen keeping up with technology the shopping kiosk are very good no need to talk to anyone I have a swarm of puppets following me around. Kate kite ano
I have said that the 2 new Christian political party's will drag Aotearoa back 100years.
It's awesome that Ngati Porou is finally getting our mana back to care for Tangaroa and his creation.
Its better to have a Labour lead government helping tangata whenua than a national lead government that takes from the poor and gives to the wealthy FOOL not everyone is going to be happy its quite hard for that phenomenon in Maoridom
Cool Maori art on display at the Auckland airport it gives Eco Maori a sore face to see all the interest in Maori culture and te reo now it was not like that just a few years ago.
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A new defence report has mapped out how New Zealand's soldiers will navigate rising seas, and a year after the Defence Force announced its need to prepare for climate change. In the “Responding to the Climate Crisis” report, the Force restates its operational plan and sets goals to tackle climate ...
Mark Patterson, Spokesperson for Primary Industries New Zealand First spokesperson for Primary Industries, Mark Patterson, has called for awareness to be raised and more stringent biosecurity checks to be put in place for African Swine Fever (ASF), a widespread virus that is uncontrolled in most of Asia and a serious ...
Jenny Marcroft MP, Spokesperson for Human Rights A critical step has been taken to end gender based violence against women and girls in Parliament this evening. New Zealand First Spokesperson for Human Rights Jenny Marcroft MP has welcomed the passing of the first reading of the Crimes (Definition of Female ...
New Zealand First MP Shane Jones says it's time to recognise market forces haven't led to the expected reduction in Māori smoking rates and try a new approach. The Party had recently invoked the agree to disagree clause in their Coalition Agreement with the Labour Party, and will not support ...
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...
The Coalition Government will be banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, ahead of next year’s general elections. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament and passed under urgency – emphasising the need for such restrictions to safeguard our democracy. The bill introduces a new requirement that party secretaries and ...
Associate Transport Minister Shane Jones opened Taipā's $19 million bridge recently, improving transport infrastructure in the Northland region. The two-lane bridge is 107m long with a 2.5m-wide shared walking and cycling path, and will reduce the congestion that the old one-lane bridge was notorious for. The project had also included ...
The Overseas Investment Office have rejected the application of Mercury Agriculture LP, which is 92 per cent controlled by Canadian interests, to purchase more than 2000 hectares of South Canterbury and Otago land. Mercury wanted to buy 2000ha at Rangitata, 1494ha near Ashburton, 816ha near Cromwell and 212ha near Temuka. ...
This weekend was Labour's 103rd Party Conference! We welcomed over 500 of our Labour whānau in red to Whanganui, where we reflected on the last two years in Government, and looked ahead to 2020 and beyond. We know the long-term challenges facing New Zealand won't be tackled overnight, but we're making ...
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced that the Provincial Growth Fund will invest $9.6 million to seal the final unsealed section of State Highway 43 from Stratford to Taumarunui. The Minister said sealing the 12-kilometre gravel section of the highway – also called the “Forgotten World Highway” - through ...
Former Finance Minister and former chair of the Tax Working Group, Sir Michael Cullen, has voiced his support for New Zealand First’s decision to oppose the planned increase in tobacco excise tax. In an interview with The Weekend Collective, he said that increasing the price was no longer effective in ...
Māori are natural storytellers. On the marae we use stories to tell our history, to teach the next generation life lessons and to let people know, in our most creative of ways, who we are and where we have come from. ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, New Zealand First Leader New Zealand First has invoked the ‘Agree to Disagree’ provisions of the Coalition Agreement because it cannot support the announced 11.46 percent increase in the tobacco excise from 1 January 2020. “Studies show that the automatic tobacco excise increases are having less effect ...
Taupō-based company Geo40 has made a breakthrough in extracting near battery-grade lithium from geothermal fluid which its says could be a gamechanger. Its chief executive John Worth said the earth mineral was highly prized, with battery-grade lithium selling for US$10,000 (NZ$15,600) a tonne. Geo40 was founded in 2010 to find ...
Crown research institute AgResearch Ltd, as part of its Future Footprint plan, had intended to relocate top scientists and support staff — particularly those focused on sheep genetics and genomics — from Invermay to Lincoln. However, those plans seem to have been shelved at the request of the Coalition Government. ...
Ten engineering firms in Southland are receiving a total of $2.13 million in Provincial Growth Fund funding to lift productivity and create new jobs. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones announced in Invercargill that the 10 engineering and manufacturing firms would receive funding to assist them with buying equipment that ...
The number of new residents to New Zealand is the lowest it has been in nearly two decades and it has earned the ire of the immigration industry. The industry alleges that 'Trump-style extreme vetting' is being put in place aimed at keeping a lid on immigration numbers. June Ranson, ...
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is one step closer to modernising its fleet after the United States State Department recently approved the sale of five new C-130J Hercules aircraft to New Zealand. Arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin, in Fort Worth, Texas, will provide the aircraft, but as a "foreign military ...
Forestry Minister Shane Jones wants to create a log barging facility at Hicks Bay and turn the area into a Special Economic Zone. The move would be part of protecting New Zealand's forests from being depleted by India and China, he said. It follows his announcement last week to strengthen ...
New Zealand First supports the changes recommended by the Winter Grazing Taskforce to improve animal welfare outcomes through the winter months, and the establishment of a pan-sector action group to implement them. New Zealand First Primary Industries Spokesperson Mark Patterson says the report highlights areas of concern about the animal ...
Former prime ministers Helen Clark and Sir John Key, formerly from the Labour and National parties respectively, have joined forces in support of New Zealand First’s plan to relocate Auckland's port to Whangārei. While Ms Clark and Sir John spent their political careers on opposite sides of the political divide, ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters is in Japan for the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the G20 grouping of countries as one of nine "invited" countries. He has used the opportunity to cast a spotlight on the plight of Pacific countries, calling out countries which still offered subsidies or Government assistance to ...
It's been a great week of progress: we've celebrated Children's Day, we've made communities safer with 1800 new police, and we've seen almost 90% of eligible schools take up Government funding to scrap school donations - taking pressure off the families of more than 416,000 students. ...
Hon Shane Jones, Minister of Forestry The Government will further strengthen New Zealand’s wood processing sector as part of our focus on ‘value over volume’ in our forestry industry, Forestry Minister Shane Jones says. Minister Jones will today meet with forestry representatives in Northland to signal new measures to help the ...
New Zealand First are celebrating the announcement of an investment of $3.5 million into five new trapping devices. These are a range of bait and trap devices, all designed to be left unattended for long periods of time. NZ First conservation spokesperson Jenny Marcroft says that this latest development will ...
Darroch Ball, Spokesperson for Police New Zealand First is proud to have delivered on a key Coalition Agreement commitment to adding 1800 new frontline police, with the graduation of Recruit Wing 332 in Porirua today. Law and Order Spokesperson Darroch Ball says increasing police numbers and boosting their resources was one ...
Jenny Marcroft, Spokesperson for Conservation New Zealand First is proud to announce the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) has allocated $3.5 million to develop innovative predator control approaches which will reduce the need for repeated 1080 use. $19.5 million of PGF funding was announced for Predator Free 2050 Limited in February ...
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has welcomed the first reading of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 2021 (APEC 2021) Bill in Parliament today. The temporary bill supports New Zealand’s security preparations for hosting the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum ...
The Government will fund the bulk of the cost of a rural water supply for the Ohakea community affected by PFAS contamination, Environment Minister David Parker announced today at a meeting of local residents. This new water scheme will provide a reliable and clean source of drinking water to the ...
I have had the opportunity to be briefed on the details of the volcanic eruption of Whakaari/White Island, off the coast of Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty. The eruption happened at 2.11pm today. It continues to be an evolving situation. We know that there were a number of tourists ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Civil Defence Peeni Henare have today confirmed initial Government support of $100,000 for communities affected by the severe weather that swept across the South Island and lower North Island over the weekend. The contribution will be made to Mayoral relief funds across the ...
New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, Tessa Temata, died in Palmerston North over the weekend, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said today. Ms Temata, 52, had recently returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. "On behalf of the Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, we extend ...
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today announced construction is underway on Wellington commuter rail upgrades which will mean more frequent services and fewer breakdowns. The upgrades include converting the Trentham to Upper Hutt single track section to a double track, with a new signalling system, upgraded stations and level crossings, and ...
Minister of Defence Ron Mark and Minister for Climate Change James Shaw have announced the release of a Defence Climate Change Implementation Work Plan, titled Responding to the Climate Crisis: An Implementation Plan. The plan sets out a series of recommendations based on the 2018 New Zealand Defence Assessment, The ...
A medium-scale adverse event has been declared for the South Canterbury district, which will see up to $50,000 in funding made available to support farming communities which have been significantly affected by recent heavy rain and flooding in the area, says Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Two weeks of solid rain ...
Thank you Professor Juliet Gerrard and your team for the comprehensive and extremely helpful report and recommendations. Thank you too to all the stakeholders and interested parties who have contributed ideas and thinking to it. “Making best practice, standard practice” is a great framework for change and the action plan ...
The Government will phase out more single-use plastics following the success of its single-use plastic bag ban earlier this year and the release today of a pivotal report for dealing with waste. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has welcomed the Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealandreport, released by her Chief Science Advisor ...
International education continues to thrive as the Government focuses on quality over quantity, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. The tuition revenue from international education increased to $1.16 billion last year with the average tuition fee per student increasing by $960. The total number of international students enrolled in New Zealand ...
Health Minister Dr David Clark says new appointments to DHBs represent a significant changing of the guard, with 13 new chairs including four Māori chairs. Today 76 appointments have been announced to complement elected board members, as well as eight elected members appointed as either chair or deputy chair. Four ...
Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Fletcher Tabuteau, is travelling to Germany, Poland, Austria, and Spain next week to bolster New Zealand’s political and trade relationships in Europe. While in Spain, Mr Tabuteau will represent New Zealand at the 14th Asia-Europe (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Madrid. “New Zealand strongly supports ...
“I’ve spoken to Minister Faafoi, who has apologised for his poor handling of this issue,” Jacinda Ardern said. “I have confidence in Kris as a hardworking and effective Minister, but this should have been dealt with in a much clearer manner, and I’ve made my views on that very clear ...
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters met with Tongan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa in Wellington today. The pair signed a Statement of Partnership setting out joint priorities for cooperation out to 2023. “We welcomed Prime Minister Tu'i'onetoa on his first visit to New Zealand as Prime Minister. Tonga ...
The Minister of Police Stuart Nash says his sympathies are with the family of a man who died after being shot by Police in Kurow. “Initial reports are that Police were called by a family member to help the man who was threatening to harm himself,” Mr Nash says. “However ...
Ethnic communities will be able to plan and deliver more community initiatives thanks to an increase in Government funding, Minister for Ethnic Communities Hon Jenny Salesa said today. “Ensuring Aotearoa New Zealand is a place we can all be proud to call home has been a key priority of our ...
Healthier waterways, better productivity and farmer wellbeing are front and centre in a new project involving more than 1000 Southland farmers and growers. Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor today announced that the Thriving Southland Change and Innovation Project is the first region-wide extension programme supported by the $229 million Sustainable ...
Work to look after nature and restore freshwater quality in Te Hoiere/Pelorus River catchment is getting a significant boost, thanks to new Government funding support Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage announced in Canvastown today. “Every New Zealander should be able to swim in their local river without getting sick, and ...
Eight Queen’s Counsel have been appointed under a process that includes the new criterion of a commitment to improving access to justice, Attorney-General David Parker announced today. “The new criterion was included this year. It emphasises that excellence and leadership in the profession can be seen through a wider, community ...
Onslow College in Wellington will get 20 new classrooms for more than 400 students, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. The much-needed investment will relieve growth pressure the school has been experiencing for some time. Seven existing classrooms which have deteriorated over time will also be replaced, bringing the total ...
More than 250 young New Zealanders will add international experience to their education, thanks to the latest Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA) and Latin America (PMSLA), Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today. This round of scholarships supports 252 recent graduates or current students to undertake study, research or internships ...
Consumers will benefit from a more competitive, transparent retail fuel market as a result of changes the Government will be making in response to the findings of the Commerce Commission’s study of the fuel sector. “We accept the Commission’s findings and, as the Prime Minister has said, we’re ready to ...
Five new cancer medicines have now been funded this year, meaning thousands of people have more treatment options PHARMAC has today announced that it has approved two new medicines for funding – fulvestrant for breast cancer and olaparib for ovarian cancer. This follows earlier decisions on advanced lung cancer treatment alectinib, ...
The Minister of Local Government, Hon Nanaia Mahuta says the Government will consider making changes to local electoral legislation before the 2022 elections to fix the problems that have arisen where elections are settled by a coin toss. The Minister says the recount process in the Murupara- Galatea ward at ...
New Zealand will sign up to new international maritime regulations to reduce ship emissions and lift air quality around ports and harbours, Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter announced today. Subject to completion of the Parliamentary treaty examination process, New Zealand will sign up to Annex VI of MARPOL, an ...
New legislation to transform our urban areas and create sustainable, inclusive and thriving communities will tomorrow be introduced to Parliament, Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford said. “The Urban Development Bill gives Kāinga Ora-Homes and Communities the tools it needs to partner with councils, communities, mana whenua and private developers to ...
Today’s launch of He taonga te Tamaiti: Every child a taonga: The Early Learning Action Plan 2019-2029 provides the foundation for long-lasting changes to early learning, Education Minister Chris Hipkins says. “Early learning will be one of the Government’s top education priorities going into 2020,” Chris Hipkins said. ...
Major decisions made by the Government will now be considered under a climate change lens, Minister for Climate Change James Shaw announced today. “Cabinet routinely considers the effects of its decisions on human rights, the Treaty of Waitangi, rural communities, the disability community, and gender – now climate change will ...
Education Minister Chris Hipkins today announced the appointment of Māori education specialist Dr Wayne Ngata and Business NZ head Kirk Hope to the Board of the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC). Dr Alastair MacCormick has been reappointed for another term. “Wayne Ngata, Kirk Hope and Alastair MacCormick bring a great deal ...
The next phase of the Pike River Re-entry project is underway, Minister Responsible for Pike River Re-entry Andrew Little says. “Fresh air will be pumped into the Pike River Mine drift this week, following acceptance of the plan for re-entry beyond the 170m barrier by New Zealand’s independent health and ...
New Zealand consumers will have greater certainty about their insurance cover when they need to make claims as a result of proposed government changes. “Insurance is vitally important in supporting consumers and businesses to be financially resilient when unexpected events happen,” Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Kris Faafoi said. ...
The Crown is providing an opportunity for the hapu of Ngāpuhi to rebuild its framework from the ground up for collective negotiations to deal with its historical Treaty claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little and Minister for Māori Development Nanaia Mahuta announced today. The Crown is also ...
A Bill enabling referendums to be held with the 2020 General Election has passed its third reading. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the Act is important for upholding the integrity of New Zealand’s electoral process. “The Government has committed to holding a referendum on legalising recreational cannabis at the next ...
The first release of public information on the two referendums to be held at next year’s General Election was made today with an informative new Government website going live. Additionally, the draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill has been released, showing the strict controls on cannabis that will apply if ...
The Government is taking action to protect New Zealand from foreign interference in our elections by banning foreign donations to political parties and candidates, Justice Minister Andrew Little announced today. Legislation will be introduced to Parliament this afternoon and passed under urgency. “There’s no need for anyone other than New ...
Governments and tech companies are holding a two-day workshop, hosted by YouTube/Google in Wellington, to test the Christchurch Call Shared Crisis Response Protocol. The workshop aims to refine and strengthen the response in the event of a terrorist attack with online implications. Companies, governments, civil society experts and NGOs will ...
The new independent Cancer Control Agency has formally opened today, delivering on the Government’s plan to improve cancer care in New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Minister of Health David Clark marked the occasion by announcing the membership of the Advisory Council that will be supporting ...
Small businesses who deal with government departments are set to be paid faster and have improved cash flow as a result, under a new strategy released today. The Government is backing recommendations from the Small Business Council (SBC) and has agreed to implement three initiatives immediately to support business and ...
The Education and Training Bill 2019, introduced in Parliament today, proposes the biggest education changes in decades and is an important step towards improving success for all our learners, Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. “The Bill’s rewrite of education legislation is long overdue. Indeed one Education Act, parts of which ...
Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio will travel to Bali to represent New Zealand at the 12th Bali Democracy Forum that will be held on the 5-6 December. “The Forum is a valuable opportunity for Asia-Pacific countries to share experiences and best practice in building home-grown democracy and fostering ...
Wellbeing may be at the centre of government strategy, but too many children and whānau are remaining on the outer, cautions The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP). In a series of report cards released today, the RACP’s Aotearoa NZ President, ...
"You get this sudden depressurisation, same as sort of taking the top off of a soft drink bottle or pulling the cork out of a bottle of champagne. It depressurises and the materials underneath rise very, very quickly." ...
Looking back on 10 years which saw New Zealand’s media transform from a position of near-limitless power and influence to the deeply humbled reality of today. At the end of 2009 I had resigned from my first good job, convinced that print media was finished. The good job was as editor ...
Sending in armed police is exactly how not to defuse a situation where a person is highly distressed and suicidal, writes someone who has been in a similar situation herself.Last week a man was shot by police. There’d been a call for help – he was suicidal, had a weapon ...
Report into 2017 general election tipped to be published shortly; and higher benefits, more state housing needed to combat child poverty - Children's Commissioner. ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed that her Cabinet is in agreement that it "is not viable" for the North Island's main port to remain in Auckland. ...
Anyone watching the news coverage of the debate over Auckland's port would think a move to Northland is a real prospect. It's not, writes Bernard Hickey, who sees it purely as a political oxygen machine for NZ First. ...
Local party members have today selected Jake Bezzant as National’s candidate in Upper Harbour for the 2020 Election. Mr Bezzant is replacing Paula Bennett, National’s Campaign Chair, who isn’t seeking re-election in Upper Harbour but will stand as ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jean-Philippe Deranty, Professor, Macquarie University Hardly a week goes by without a report announcing the end of work as we know it. In 2013, Oxford University academics Carl Frey and Michael Osborne were the first to capture this anxiety in a paper ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Asha Bowen, Head, Skin Health, Telethon Kids Institute Antibiotic-resistant infections already cause at least 700,000 deaths globally every year. Although the phenomenon is most concerning for serious infections people are admitted to hospital with, antibiotic resistance means common bacterial infections could one ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Holly Thorpe, Professor in Sociology of Sport and Physical Culture, University of Waikato Recently, several elite sportswomen have spoken out about toxic sport culture and the damage it does to their long-term health. Mary Cain went from being the fastest and the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Reid, Professor Emeritus of Education, University of South Australia Since the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) began in 2000, published results have sent commentators and politicians in some countries into meltdown. The release of the 2018 test results last ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Eric Keys, PhD Researcher, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University This is the second article in a series to mark the 50th anniversary of the landmark Melbourne Transportation Plan. Transport models are often singled out as a barrier to providing more sustainable ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa Toohey, Professor of Law, University of Newcastle An important part of the World Trade Organization will cease to function from midnight. December 10 is when the terms of two of the remaining three members of its Appellate Body expire. It is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron Burton, Lecturer in Media Arts, University of Wollongong Fans of Ridley Scott’s 1982 masterpiece Blade Runner returned to cinemas last month for an unusual milestone: history catching up with science fiction. Blade Runner opens in Los Angeles, in November 2019. Furnaces ...
Welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Death toll from Whakaari eruption likely to rise, cabinet agrees Auckland port must move, and expensive Christchurch stadium details released.A tragic death toll from the eruption of Whakaari/White Island is likely to rise. The number of those killed is currently five at the time ...
Aerial reconnaissance missions have flown over Whakaari-White Island since the eruption on Monday afternoon and there are no signs of any survivors, police say. ...
The British people have a chance to stop the new age of hostility and belligerence before it is fully unleashed in the country's most significant election in 40 years, writes Neal Curtis. ...
The world number one in long drive golf, Kiwi Phillis Meti, wants to see equal pay for women, and more Maori and Polynesian girls striking the ball ...
How can we protect our privacy online in the face of increasingly clever marketing and retailing ploys? Victoria University of Wellington's Dr Marcin Betkier has some thoughts. ...
Commercial media, a business that requires public trust and goodwill, is in a tough financial position right now. Gaurav Sharma says that’s in part because of its poor job of reaching immigrant communities, in the first of a new monthly column for The Spinoff.Let’s start with a test, about references ...
We don’t normally see these eruptions coming, no matter how much we would like to. Many systems are already ‘primed’ for such events, but the triggers are poorly understood, writes Shane Cronin of the University of Auckland.As of Monday night five people have been confirmed dead, 18 had been rescued ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Shane Cronin, Professor of Earth Sciences, University of Auckland Five people have been confirmed dead, 23 have been rescued and several remain unaccounted for after a sudden volcanic eruption on Whakaari/White Island off the east coast of New Zealand. The island is ...
One person is dead, 23 have been rescued and potentially two dozen people are unaccounted for on Whakaari/White Island, after it erupted on Monday. ...
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters are to be commended for their leadership on the Upper North Island port issue, Waterfront 2029 Spokesperson Michael Goldwater said today. The Prime Minister today announced that ...
In partnership with the JR McKenzie Trust and University of Otago, Children’s Commissioner Andrew Becroft has today released the annual Child Poverty Monitor at childpoverty.org.nz which shows more bold and sustainable action is needed. ...
Today’s child poverty figures , revealing that nearly 150,000 children are living in material hardship in New Zealand, show the need for tax relief says the Taxpayers’ Union . ...
Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) welcomes the 2019 Child Poverty Monitor report , and says more can be done to help families who have need of welfare assistance. ...
A rescue operation is under way on Whakaari/White Island in the Bay of Plenty, with reports of up to 20 people injured, some critical.What’s going on?Whakaari/White Island, New Zealand’s most active cone volcano, located 48km off the eastern coast of the Bay of Plenty, is erupting. Large plumes of steam ...
Auckland bus operators are enraged at the inconvenience to passengers affected by continued bus driver strike action. Even those operators not directly affected by strikes are appalled at the behaviour of First Union and Tramways Union and their ...
The publication of the Child Poverty Monitor 2019, released today, is a reminder of the need to accelerate efforts to lift our children / tamariki out of poverty. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniela Kaleva, Associate Head Research and Scholarship, Australian Institute of Music Review: Farnace, composed by Vivaldi, Pinchgut Opera When a performance of Farnace was cancelled at the theatre of Ferrara after the artistic failure of Vivaldi’s opera Siroe re di Persia in ...
OPINION: In the fifth part of the series with our partners at Flick Electric Co to help you make better energy choices, Flick’s Nikki Cockburn breaks down the sources of our electricity.So we know that regardless of which power company we’re with, the electricity we use is at the mercy ...
The recent accident near Kaikoura, where two Malaysian children and their parents were killed in a head-on collision with a truck, was easily preventable, says the car review website dogandlemon.com . ...
Former Auditor-General Martin Matthews is petitioning Parliament to reopen his case, claiming MPs "held a gun to his head" to force his resignation. ...
Auckland Council recently announced a citywide food scrap collection scheme that will be kicking off in 2021. Most of us already know the main gist of composting, but what’s happening to this waste? What will I have to pay? And can I opt out if I don’t need it?New Zealanders ...
Central and local government, including Auckland Council, have been debating the future of the Ports of Auckland but there seems to be something missing in the debate - how much more greenhouse gases will Aotearoa emit if we move the port from the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Humphery-Jenner, Associate Professor of Finance, UNSW Westpac can expect a bumper turnout of shareholders at its annual general meeting in Sydney on Thursday, many of them angry at its alleged role in facilitating child exploitation in the Philippines, its 23 million ...
More than a billion dollars has wiped off the value of New Zealand's biggest company this morning following the surprise resignation of A2 Milk's chief executive. ...
Cindy Baxter is at COP25 – her 17th climate change conference – and for the first time, New Zealand is one of the good guys. But are we?As we head into the second week of the climate talks in Madrid, I’ve been reflecting over the first week, and the strange ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David King, Senior Lecturer, The University of Queensland Growing up, no one ever gave me the rundown on how or what I should do to keep my penis clean […] I’ve never read any reliable answer beyond washing it with water. ...
You’ve probably never heard of him, but an artist called Cavetown is coming to Auckland in January for a show that’s already sold out. We explain where he came from, how this happened, and why you should be listening.What, pray tell, is a Cavetown?Cavetown is the stage name of Robin ...
Three glaze recipes to take your festive feast from ho-hum to ham-azing.In the middle of November, my aunt suggested in our family WhatsApp group that Christmas lunch should go meat-free in acknowledgement of climate change. I froze at my desk where I’d taken a moment to procrastinate. While I support ...
The Climate Change Minister James Shaw says he is hopeful the final hurdles can be cleared for fixing the final rules of Paris Agreement before it kicks in next year. ...
"Youllbefine, Rockmaster, Cossack Warrior and now Valtteri are the four horses who have been killed on New Zealand race tracks in just three weeks" said Frances Baker, Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) spokesperson. ...
Former finance minister Steve Joyce says an NBR journalist told him its columnist Matthew Hooton had ‘gone completely troppo’ in a column about to be published by the business website about the MP. ...
A truly ambitious solution would keep jobs in Southland, delivering on the promise of the Zero Carbon Act to make NZ all but carbon neutral by 2050, writes Nicola Gaston in a post co-authored with Sally Brooker, Justin Hodgkiss and David Williams of The MacDiarmid Institute.Tiwai Point is in the ...
The housing market is heating up ahead of the holidays, with positive signs of growth, according to ASB's latest quarterly housing confidence survey. ...
The New Zealand Maori Council has called the latest childhood poverty statistics released by the Children’s Commissioner as appalling for a first world nation and has called upon the Government to do more. Matthew Tukaki, the Councils Executive ...
The next phase in the Democrats’ plan to impeach US President Donald Trump begins at 9am Monday morning Washington DC when the House judiciary committee meets to consider a report from the intelligence committee – and hear academic argument on the way forward. The judiciary committee is expected to draft ...
It’s been a Sunday morning staple for Kiwi kids for decades, but What Now may be facing new challenges in the era of social media. New Zealand children’s show What Now has utilised many different ways of engaging with its young audience over the past 38 years. Whether it was getting ...
New Zealand Police has taken delivery of three Armoured Special Purpose Vehicles. The vehicles are unmarked and look like standard Toyota Land cruisers. ...
Polystyrene meat trays, cups and takeaway food containers are the next targets in the battle to phase out single-use plastics, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced. ...
All workers contracted by InterGroup to carry out street cleaning and litter control for Hutt City Council are now receiving the living wage as a minimum. ...
Open mike 21/05/2019 
The other big story concerning Leeds Hospital is Boris Johnson's bizzare behaviour at Leeds Hospital, where he was confronted by a journalist and challenged about a four year old boy with suspected pneumonia who was left sleeping on the floor, rather than getting abed like a sick kid would in ...57 mins ago
by Daphna Whitmore Last week France passed a law that equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism. It is based on a definition of anti-Semitism that includes criticism of Israel such as: “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist ...18 hours ago
Over the past year we've seen major bus problems in Hamilton and Wellington, as drivers have sought better wages and an end to the bullshit of split shifts, which basicly see them "married to the job". And now its Auckland's turn. When NZBus's drivers planned low-level strike action of not ...19 hours ago
The state of the United Kingdom is fractured, torn up, shredded. The Empire is gone, it died a long time ago. And yet, the country is still tracking with a lead in favour of the ones who play to the ingrained, class-bound division for political gain. It is a disgrace ...3 days ago
On 27 September, Greta Thunberg addressed a crowd of 500,000 at the School Strike for Climate in Montreal, saying: “You are a nation that is allegedly a climate leader. And Sweden is also a nation that is allegedly a climate leader. And in both cases, it means absolutely nothing. Because ...3 days ago
It should be obvious by now but let’s be clear: The same folk who regularly traffic in disinformation, misinformation and “fake news” are also those who most strongly claim that their freedom of expression rights are being violated when moves are made to curb hate speech (as opposed to protected ...3 days ago
New Zealand's Underarm Banker: It bears recalling that the “independence” of the Reserve Bank Governor was for decades held up by neoliberal capitalists as the most compelling justification for passing the Reserve Bank Act. Interesting, is it not, how the ruling class’s support for the Bank’s independence lasted no longer than ...4 days ago
“Free at last, Free at last, Thank God almighty we are free at last.” ― Martin Luther King Jr. A long and bitter court feud between former Conservative Party leader Colin Craig and Jordan Williams has been settled, with an apology and compensation from Williams. On Tuesday, Craig sent out ...5 days ago
Some people seem to want to close down any critical discussion of the current research into the relationship between water fluoride and child IQ. They appear to argue that claims made by researchers should not be open to critical review and that the claims be accepted without proper consideration ...5 days ago
In an unreliable, strange and confusing world, Public Address is proud to present a measure of comfort and stability by annually asking everyone what words or phrases sum up the year that's been – and then giving some of them consumer goods as prizes for being clever or simply lucky.Well, ...5 days ago
While much of the NZ left has transitioned to postmodern and identity politics in relation to transgender ideology, there are some very good articles about that deploy Marxist methodology in relation to this subject. The one below is from the British marxist group Counterfire and appeared on their site here ...1 week ago
“America the Beautiful!”, staunch defender of democracy, freedom and… a whole lot of despotic tyrants that play nice with what is called “the Washington Consensus.” America is indeed capable of immense good, but like any Nation, and most assuredly any aspirant to the mantle of Empire, great, immense evil. All ...1 week ago
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Foreign Minister Winston Peters said that New Zealand's Cook Islands High Commissioner, Tessa Temata, has died over the weekend. Ms Temata, 52, died in Palmerston North and had returned to New Zealand for medical treatment. She was the first New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cook Islands of Cook Island ...1 hour ago
Live from the Whanganui Opera House, on the final day of the 2019 Labour Party Conference, Jacinda Ardern announced the largest investment in school property in 25 years. ...7 days ago
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Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.
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A legal expert says the situation of the Ministry of Transport's former CEO raises worrying questions even if you believe he’s not blameless, ...1 hour ago
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A little pearl of wisdom from one of the regular contributors:
"Belief in the threat of climate change is what people think they are supposed to support, so they do, to pollsters. Belief in business as usual is what people depend on, so they vote accordingly."
Dennis Frank – Daily Review, 20th May, 2019.
He was talking about the Oz election, but the problem is universal. I'm afraid the man in the street, Joe Bloggs, will not take climate change seriously until it bites him on the bum.
But by then, I fear, it will be far too late.
That's where leadership is meant to step in, but they're too scared of corporate ire.
Shallow from being hollowed out.
Some muddy the waters to appear deep.
They're not.
"That's where leadership is meant to step in, but they're too scared of corporate ire"
Hold it right there WtB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
There'll need to be several "pieces of work" and a number of consultative "conversations" with "officials" before anything can proceed "going forward". When those "conversations" are complete and "resonations" reached, we can probably proceed on a path of transformation and compassion
Na you’re wrong . This government has in very short time got most people excepting climate change as fact . And is progressing in the right direction . Move to fast and the push back will mean failure.
Of course if we had started in 1958 it would have been better . But today is the next best time.
"This government has in very short time got most people excepting climate change as fact "
So that's an achievement is it? I 'spose it is (in a really miniscule sort of way – even though most of them knew in the first place but were just coming to terms with the long term rather than keeping their loifsoyles taday and ta morra)
The bleeding bloody obvious springs to mind. A shame it doesn't extend to other ussues going forwid.
Megan and the sure rinse
Iain and Krus ummigrayshun and the feks of currint polsee
etc.
I'm thinking we need to have a conversation
There’s an element of truth in that but elections are not single-issue polls and a poll is just a poll.
its easy to not understand if your job depends on it.
that is what i lay at the feet of government anywhere.
i don't so much have an issue with joe and jane sixpack but i have an issue with those that have the power to chance (all of them – no matter party affiliation) but do nothing.
If a Kiwibuild house is bought by the government after not selling – will it become a state house? Good if it did.
Unsold kiwibuild houses bought by government
I see the purchase price of 'bought-back' kiwibuild houses is not disclosed as 'commercially sensitive'. This is total bollocks – it is public money. What happens when you are locked to the religion of having a private business taking a cut of all things delivered by the state.
@ UncookedSelachimorpha +1 "What happens when you are locked to the religion of having a private business taking a cut of all things delivered by the state."
That religion is called free market liberalism, which just sunk the Australian Labour party and was the reason NZ Labour only scrapped in by the skin of it's teeth after three terms of disgusting and destructive National leadership.
Turn Labour Left!
This is part of a critique by Chris Trotter on the Oz Labour win that wasn't. (BEOT Big End of Town)
Simple enough, one might have thought, but one would have been reckoning without the extraordinary tone-deafness of the post-Hawke/Keating Labor Party. Instead of interpreting the poll data as evidence that, if they played their cards right, a win might just be possible, Shorten et al regarded it as proof that, since a loss was impossible, they could play their cards any damn way they pleased.
“We’ll never get a better chance to do all the things we’ve been promising ourselves for the past decade than this”, Labor told itself. “So, come on Comrades, this time we can quite safely bet the whole farm!” Which is pretty much what they did: promising to raise taxes and increase spending like it was going out of style. (Which, of course, it has been for the best part of three decades.)
Not only did they ignore the fact that the BEOT has untold billions invested in the farm, but they also thought it would be good politics to construct their campaign narrative around the idea of putting the inhabitants of the BEOT in their place. Unsurprisingly, the BEOT had a better idea.
https://www.interest.co.nz/opinion/99754/chris-trotter-says-bill-shorten-will-go-down-australian-political-history-labor-leader
I don't agree with Trotters analysis or his 'three objectives to winning an election..
"Winning a general election requires a political party to achieve three critical objectives: 1) Convince the voters that, economically-speaking, your team has got the right solutions. 2) Convince the voters that your opponents haven’t got a clue what the right answers even look like. 3) Convince the voters that, unless they do something to stop them, your opponents have a better-than-even chance of winning the election. In just three words: Reassure. Undermine. Terrify."
I will offer my opinion on winning elections a bit later, but must get off and do some work now.
Right AT add your thoughts later and I'll look foir that. You might like to see on the Billionaire post #13 from Dennis F. and Red Logix.
Heuristic: if someone that hasn't learnt anything new in the past 5 years tells you that something new sucks, then their opinion isn't worth dog shit.
Too many woke people get credit for losing years ago.
Bloody hell Sam! How I wish you and others would quit using the word 'woke' in any other way than as the past participle of the verb 'to wake'.
What you are trying to show is that 1) you are hip 2) you are up with the terminology 3) you understand neocon rubbish words, and that they are useful, and that they add something to our vocabulary.
Sorry to disabuse you, but they are unintelligible rubbish, akin to those who use them.
Heh.
Appropriating African-American vernacular to ridicule others is a chan kiddie thing.
https://thetylt.com/culture/do-white-people-need-to-stop
Fuck you joe90
[Cut the personal shit or find a sandpit to play in – Incognito]
And hello to you, bby boi.
[Cut the personal shit or find a sandpit to play in – Incognito]
take your greeting and shove it up your arse.
See my Moderation note @ 12:53 PM.
Edit: Mod notes above.
See my Moderation note @ 12:58 PM.
I think Chris Trotter paints himself into unfortunate corners sometimes.
You absolutely have to rein in the BEOT if you want a society that works OK for everyone. But if you can't defeat the BEOT electorally, because they can outspend and out-message you, plus you face a populace where the psychological hegemony of neoliberal ideas runs very deep after 40 years of propaganda – what then? Despair?
It is much easier to gloomily describe this predicament than suggest ways of painting out of the corner. (I plead guilty on this one too.)
the prices the govt paid should be disclosed as LINZ captures all sales data. All realestate agents have access how else would they be able to have data on local sales .
Good point! You wouldn't normally be able to get around LINZ / valuation records.
Yes I wondered about that. Why not keep it as a state house and put in tenants who would appreciate it and look after it and be part of a community that was probably working and functional. Good house, good possibilities for lifting oneself out of the doldrums. Go for it Twyford, but choose your tenants right.
Don't hold your breath waiting for a reporter to ask for an explanation of the commercial sensitivity.
Gabby Yes. I think that we hear understand a lot of the sensitivities though.
The bullying in parliament report comes out today. Hang on to your hats, I predict this will be damning for both the major parties. Very pleased it's happening, it's long overdue, thanks to Trev and the government for initiating it.
Thanks for bringing it up Cinny. I think it is going to be a shock to most people just how toxic the place is.
I would love to see a commission of inquiry into bullying in the Public Service generally and that it include retrospective cases. That would enable me to come forward and tell my story. It is something I've wanted – indeed needed – to do for a very long time but have been unable to due to the lack of a safe and secure environment.
Hugs Anne. I so understand what you are saying. May the day come, when you will feel safe and secure enough to share your story. Much love to you.
Thank-you Cinny. You are a lovely person.
Will we ever see the names of the MPs etc accused of bulling?
The full Report is available here…
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/389696/serious-bullying-rife-at-parliament-report
A seriously Grim Read which flatters our Halls of Power not at all.
Shame.
“Just because it’s politics and people are passionate doesn’t mean any of us can behave like arseholes around this place. It’s a privilege to serve here, and the people who put us here expect us to lead and want to respect us as leaders.”
Thanks for the link Rosemary, it can be a rather vile environment for some who work there. It's the self entitlement of some MP's that's the worst.
Apparently parliament is a toxic environment awash in bullying, harassment, entitled behaviour, verbal abuse and positively teeming with massive, unrestrained egos.
Well I never!
Also, the Press Gallery behave in 'unacceptable' ways.
Stuff has 4 – FOUR articles on Game of Thrones ending this morning, as if it was important. It's good TV, but important? As part of a picture it is.
Bread and Circuses aka violence conditioning for the masses. Producers/writers seem to delight in trying to outshine each other in their propensity to dream up horrors.
"a way to kill compassion to ensure the brutalization of Roman civilians and thus their compliance (or at least their complacency) vis-à-vis Imperial expansion and domestic policing"
Have we learned to not give a fuck yet? Are we entertained by all these stabbings?
There'll be awards, red carpet, gushing interviews, tears…
Game of what? Never ‘eard of it.
You ask whether "Have we learned to not give a fuck yet? Are we entertained by all these stabbings".
From the fact that the series appears to have been very popular I suppose the answer to the questions has to be yes. If nobody watched it they certainly wouldn't have bothered spending a fortune on making it. One must simply suggest that everyone who watched it was in fact entertained.
So says he who, immodestly, says that he had never heard of the series until recently and has never seen a single episode. The most I have seen was snippets in the news in the last few days.
So, if you don't approve of what they are showing the only thing to do is don't watch it. It is like the people who claim that "I never vote. It just encourages the bastards". If you watch the program, and the ads, you are just encouraging the people who make it to go even further next time.
Re the Crusaders…. who would think that a bunch of drunk rugby heads playing away from home would hassle and abuse gay people?
Far out, how they are playing it down is shocking, that kind of behaviour by rugbyheads has been going on since year dot.
Abuse and booze, that's NZ rugby culture, tell me I'm wrong.
What political statement will the Crusaders make next? First they offend religion, now sexuality. Not bad for a non-political group who just play a game.
Do you have proof it happened.?
Hi wags, on RNZ this morn a local woman claimed a player spat beer at her and pinched her bum.
She 'found pig's it was Richie Mounga, 'social mediad' him with her allegations. His response was part apology, part denial. Didn't sound good.
let's ban booze, its a gate way to shitty manners and violence.
Plenty of people can drink without getting abusive. Better to ban thugby.
sorry i forgot the sarcasm tag
/s
Booze and abuse is ingrained in many codes fans. Scottish football is back to it's bad old ways because it never left.
Society's ugly side comes out after a few beersies
Sounds like you've already decided they are guilty then. There is two sides to every story you know.
One story is coherent and detailed, the other is evasive and defensive.
Usually a good indication, that…
Sure there is always at least two sides to every story, and often one involves lies to protect reputations, especially when it comes to the national sport.
How many of us here have seen drunk rugby players act like arseholes? Heaps I'd say.
Update, there is to be an investigation….
https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/112870592/crusaders-coach-scott-robertson-says-trios-alleged-homophobic-slurs-were-misconstrued
Will be interesting to see what the security footage shows but it sounds bad.
George Bridge named as one of the players
struggling with their sexualityinvolved in alleged homophobic incident.https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12232758
Listening to the interviews this morning I believe the other fellows who complained and not the Crusaders denial and great innocence. It's a reflection I think of the brutal way that things get splattered on Facebook, the no-respect for others, the arrogant 'I'll do it my way, you lowlife (applies to whoever is chosen for disdain). This type of abuse has been going on for years and so many sportspeople give themselves an edge by harassing others in opposing teams, or the public. That's our society these days folks, authority is prepared to allow shit to happen to others, bystanders even, as externalities to the really important goal, whatever that is.
no presumption of innocence at cinny? ESP as independent witnesses have backed their side of events ?
If it wasn't already obvious to everybody in the world, the US have completely lost any interest in disguising the fact that they are prepared to attack or bully any country that stands in the way of their hegemony out in the open.
Their hostile and dangerous actions against Venezuela and Iran.
Their attack on Huawei.
The US war on whistle blowers and persecution of Assange.
The US compliance and support of apartheid in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel.
Their compliance and support of the humanitarian tragedy in Yemen.
The US arming and legitimizing the despotic terrorist state of Saudi Arabia.
The list could go on, and on.
Lets just hope that Bernie Sanders gets the nomination, takes out Trump in the rust belt, and restores at lest a semblance of sanity to US foreign policy.
By attack I guess you mean the unprecedented announcement by the US that Huawei will no longer be able to access Google's operating system and apps?
https://www.news.com.au/technology/gadgets/mobile-phones/huawei-apps-banned-china-hits-back-at-google-united-states/news-story/cfb7fa8cf0a164e28799eb236457a505
“Panicked Huawei owners are already selling their smartphones amid fears they’ll stop working properly, a top trade-in site has warned.
MusicMagpie — which lets you swap your old phones for cash — says it’s seen a huge spike in the number of people selling their Huawei smartphones.”
I think most people would consider the US governments relentless actions against Huawei over the last while including today's announcement, only in order to protect US private corporate interests as an attack, so in a word yes.
This was in stuff
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/world/112868643/google-says-google-play-and-other-services-will-still-work-on-huawei-phones
I see there is another teens fleeing from police crash in Te Atatu on the Stuff web site this morning. When are these idiots going to learn when police signal you to stop…..you stop! At least they only injured themselves so that's all good. they will be off the roads for a while which makes it safer for everyone.
You never did anything stupid as a youth?
You enjoy seeing people injured… nice one.
I never did something stupid that got me killed weewee. You only get to do that once.
I came close once or twice.
Many (maybe even most) teens do. Pushing too hard, failing to do risk assessment, not seeing warning signs, getting carried away, not realising how drunk they are…
Google told me there was an OIA request on police chase statistics last year: seems that a little over half of pursuits are abandoned (probably includes "called off for safety" as well as "lost 'em"). So some of these kids' peer group probably have escaped pursuit before.
All fun and games until someone gets hurt. But if there's nothing else to do, or no real hope for advancement, teens gonna do stupid shit.
I once went 100kph through a massive puddle in a Honda City.
That didn't end well.
Must have taken you a couple of days to get up to that speed lol
Heh. Yeah. And a couple of seconds to stop.
Always wear your seatbelt, kids. And don't drive your Dad's Honda City through puddles at excessive speed. It's a terrible idea.
Went flying off a 50cc a couple of years back. Straight over the handle bars, instinctive forward roll, worst problem was a tear in my pants from where I hit the key in the ignition with my thigh. God bless lower speeds.
Rear end panel damage to the car cost more than my scooter did new (which had a jiggle at the garage but was otherwise fine).
That was me worrying about what guy on the left was going to do, to the detriment of forward observation. #imadickhead
So you think that stealing cars, driving dangerously and endangering the public is all ok and just a bit of youthful silliness? These idiots put innocent people on the roads in danger.
Yes I did some stupid things as a teen but I never once stole a car, and never once ran from police.
Jimmy you good little lord fauntleroy, you sound a bit preachy there. You are probably too old and was always in the wrong class to appreciate the great attraction of stealing cars and joy riding. If you can be so proud of not having stolen a car, what is it that you did when you were being naughty? You seem to take pride in not having had to run from police in a stolen car. So what did you do?
The joyriders might be from a background that would understand and enjoy 'Boy'. Have a look at the trailer, and I bet it will show a different way of looking at the dynamics of life Jimmy than you have experienced.
So you still don't give a shit that kids actually got injured, but there was a chance that you could have been. Oh the humanity!
Keep up the middle class moral outrage, one day you might come down from the ivory tower and figure out why Remuera kids aren't doing this stuff or tagging from dusk till dawn.
No I don't give a shit that these kids got injured. They made the choice and got injured due to their own actions. However, I am greatly concerned (and give a shit) that while they are on the road hooning around they are putting my kids and other innocent people in danger.
How would you feel if they drove in to your wife / daughter /son trying to evade the police?
How would you feel if they were your kids?
I'd feel like I seriously screwed up my responsibilities as a parent.
There's plenty of ways to have loads of fun scaring yourself shitless with speed, heights, freefalls, explosions etc that don't involve putting strangers at risk. Anything to do with public roads and vehicles are particularly important to take responsibly and seriously, not something to get your jollies with. Because the consequences to strangers can be so severe.
That's the attitude I think I've successfully just given my eldest (easy, he's that way inclined anyway) and I'm about to start trying to get my twins to take on board (hmm, gonna be more of a challenge, they're somewhat more neurotypical teenage boys).
I was more on Jimmy's idea that we needed to imagine a personal relationship to give a damn.
To me, hooning is one of those things where the negligence is there, but they're still kids. Kids make mistakes.
Contrast that with a court news thing I saw a while back where the hoon was basically in his late thirties – donuts, excess speed, failing to stop, ISTR it was the full trifecta. That dude, I'm totally with the "lock him up" crowd. Teens, even early twenties? I'm more ambivalent.
You mean my kids driving and running from police? I would be seriously disappointed with my parenting skills, and seriously disappointed with them. I hate to think what my old man would have done to me if I had ever not stopped for police when told to.
I don't know the statistics, but I am seriously wondering if there would be less of these terrible instances if it was advertised that the police will chase you as these young people with the nothing to lose mentality are simply putting their foot down knowing police will pull out of the chase.
You'd also be sad they got injured, no? Don't forget that bit.
Here are the stats. The trouble with your plan is that sometimes the offenders get away – lose the cops in back roads, get enough distance to bail, whatever. You just change the rules into more of an "all or nothing" situation. Same with stiffer penalties – that just increases the panic from an initial poor reaction.
The psychology and practicality of vehicle pursuits for both offender and police officer is interesting – did some reading on it about ten years ago. ISTR that if aerial unit was involved it basically doubled the chances of a successful stop. But then of course that gets limited by finance and controlled air spaces.
Maybe I'm too old to think like them, but if I knew the police would relentlessly pursue me I would be less likely to run as even if I initially got away they would eventually catch up to me. At the moment they know they have probably a 50% chance? of getting away and unfortunately they take the chance often with tragic results.
The 50% includes legitimate escapes and bails.
And it's not a cost-benefit analysis. Kids get carried away.
As the mother of three, and the child of a veritable gaggle of parents and step parents…let me assure you that children can be very very disappointing. It doesn't necessarily make them bad people, and sometimes they grow up to be even better than you, as a parent, deserve.
You clearly lack the imagination to understand that the whole point of the chase, the adrenaline rush, is from being chased..being caught is no more of a factor in the decision to flee, than the idea the cops will stop chasing. In fact its probably slightly disappointing when the cops do pull back. The whole point is these kids are not thinking, they are simply reacting to stimuli.
If the adrenaline rush is what they are after, then I have even less sympathy for them when they "roll the dice" and lose. They put countless innocent people at risk simply for a "high" ….very selfish.
I do feel sorry for the police as they are often in a no win situation.
If that did happen I'd probably feel a lot better about it knowing a sane policy was in place that didn't involve risky police chases and naughty teens that endangered more lives.
When they are 'young,dumb and full of cum', combined with whatever the fuck else has shaped their usually totally dysfunctional and violent lives, I don't think these young guys are really in a psychological space of mind to 'learn when police signal you to stop…..you stop!'
The problems for most of these 'idiots' are far more systemic and complicated than that, that much I do know, how to fix it, that question is probably well above my pay level.
For an informative view on how a good place turns shitty and youth go to the pack watch all series of The Wire.
It starts in the street but moves on to the working class supplying the street and then a larger focus with the dodgy dealing political and business class all in on their various games.
It is startlingly profound in retrospect.
It touched briefly upon further meddling from on high. Were the focus to enlarge further there'd be the 'philanthropic' (the PR face of the billionaire class) types behind the scenes encouraging class warfare via deals to influence money-centric law.
Just thinking this morning about how money is just a set of formalised, legalised promises. We talk about it as if it is real and substantial, Donald Duck's Grandpa had gold coins in a pile that he used to jump into. But gold is just a token within the money system that is carefully managed as to its daily value for buying some real thing – hamburgers have been used as a standard for instance.
If we thought in our minds when we say money, that we are talking of fairydust we would be closer to understanding the real thing we speak of. And economists have worked out how fairydust is transferred and added value to and relates to real, physical things and real work either physical or mental.
And a Kiwi economist has made it big in his field and is speaking on Radionz about why we don't have to worry about robots and their effect on our degraded society. Get ready for some beautifully delivered fairydust tales for the political nursery school.
10:05 Kinley Salmon : Debunking the "robocalypse"
With all the talk of artificial intelligence and machine learning – does the technological revolution really mean that robots are knocking on the door to take many of our jobs? New Zealand economist Kinley Salmon says there is so much hype, it's hard to think straight. In his new book Jobs, Robots and Us, he argues that more people than ever are in work in New Zealand, technology isn't something that just happens to us, and that the future of work is in our own hands.
Audio later
Audio: Link supplied by a human!
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018695990/kinley-salmon-debunking-the-robocalypse
We The Beeple
The Wire was set in the time when crack cocaine was flooding the ghettoes of the US courtesy of Reagan;s covert war against the Sandinista govt in Nicaragua.
Gary Webb broke the story, only to be shunned by his fellow journalists (remind you of anyone?)vilified and discredited .Later he was vindicated, too late to save his life . He committed suicide..if shooting yourself twice in the head is a thing.
https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu//NSAEBB/NSAEBB2/index.html
During the first series the FBI guy talks about how things have changed since the towers fell and heroin being sold on the street is branded WMD and Bin Laden. So it's probably set around 2003.
It's pretty much contemporary with the time of filming. It's not a period piece.
Great characters. Really sophisticated plots. Amazing lines and scenes (my personal favourite was the scene examination conducted purely with the word "fuck"). And Idris.
Ford has announced it will lay off 7,000 workers worldwide. Pretty shocking. That's a small town out of work.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12232788
I imagine that a lot of the people who read and comment on this site will applaud. Ford, after all, make those evil cars and trucks that are, at least in Greenies view, destroying the world. Get them all off the road. Let people go back to the 19th century and take a train or walk
At least I imagine what our resident idiot MP Genter would say. The only cars that should be allowed on the streets of Wellington will be her beloved Beemer Limo's.
Sometimes infantile hyperbole doesn't work.
Agree, AB. Alwyn usually tries to seem literate and intelligent, but that one was just plain silly.
"We are stting in a leaky boat without an oar"
Why? – as Jacinda's policy to tackle climate change has evaporated sady for her generation and her offspring's..
So arresting journalists and handing down prison terms is the new norm. Thanks censorship crowd.
https://www.thecanary.co/feature/2019/05/15/today-a-nato-country-sentenced-this-woman-to-nearly-two-years-in-jail-for-journalism/
There's nothing new about Turkey imprisoning journalists.
https://cpj.org/imprisoned/2016.php
*slow hand clap*
Way to miss the point joe90…
WTF was your point?
Ring the bells! Sound the trumpets!
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12232792
The Government will provide almost $40 million in funding for ambulance services in a bid to relieve the pressure some of the providers are under.
But speaking to media this morning, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters gave a strong hint the Government was planning to fully fund St John in the near future.
"I very confident that we can look forward to a day, and not very far from now, where 95 per cent of the needs of St Johns is funded from central Government."
Although he was confident, he said he was not speaking for "the whole Cabinet, at this point in time".
Having taken a ride in a ambulance a few weeks ago and chatting with the paramedic (over the awful clattering of the vehicle as it negotiated the bends of our sealed but twisty rural roads) I am very, very happy about this.
I'll be positively orgasmic if Cabinet agrees to fund at least 95% of the service…Winston might be forgiven a few of his sins if he can pull this off.
Well done.
Sounds great Rosemary.
As long as it doesn't end in further cuts to rural services greysie.
No that would be bad Gabby. Is the idea that the funding will be made available from reducing services elsewhere? Rural people need more, not less for sure.
The idea would be that once central government controls the finances it'll decide where it gets the biggest bang for its buck.
I see why the Winston First Party survives. People like Rosemary, after 40 years of disappointment, still believe Winston's lies.
Actually it would be very easy to provide the full cost of running the New Zealand Ambulance services. All that is needed is to stop the taxpayer funding Winston's hobby of horse-racing. In order to keep the finances of the NZF party healthy, and to keep Winnie happy with his part ownership of racehorses, the taxpayer is throwing ever more money at all weather tracks.
Originally it was just one track in the Waikato, probably at Cambridge. Now he has wound the ante up to 3 tracks, at Cambridge, at Awapuni and in the South Island. The largesse will come out of the Peters/Jones $3 billion slush fund. If we spent the money, which is probably up to $40 million for horses by this time, we could pay the full cost of ambulance services immediately.
Let's do it.
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/sport/other/ardern-says-new-10m-all-weather-horse-racing-track-protect-significant-losses
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12091937
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12231683
Hmmm …
Now: " it would be very easy to provide the full cost of running the New Zealand Ambulance services."
Then:
"PM Bill English told The AM Show on Monday ambulance operators are "not asking for full funding, we're not promising full funding … The proportion of funding is fairly high, and as I understand it has been steady over the years. When you visit the ambulance services they have got pretty good gear these days. Their staff are very well-trained."
(May 2017)
It's amazing how many "easy" things National never got around to doing, isn't it?
Full funding is a pretty cheap promise and relatively easy to do. All that is true.
Bill English was right. The Ambulance service in NZ is pretty good. Modern equipment and well staffed with people who are expert at their job. In recent years all the St Johns equipment has gone through a huge level of upgrade.
The main reason why St Johns has not wanted full funding has been to preserve their independence. Total full funding makes that difficult. Even a small amount of donations (relative to the total cost) has helped preserve their independence.
It will be interesting to see if St Johns will be able to continue to be independent as they have historically been.
The Ambulance service in NZ is pretty good
thanks heavesn for fundraising, volunteer work – aka unpaid work, bake sales and that stuff so that government actually ahs got nothing else to do but pay your wages and perks right?
and i for one am sure you will want that ambulance service the day you keel over and need one. would be too bad if they showed up in a vehicle from the fifties.
I used to work for the AA before i opened my business, the pretty good gear breaks down regularly cause it is not pretty good, just extremely well maintained by the unpaid staff, you arrogant do nothing know nothing.
People don't have as much free time to donate to St John these days it takes more to make ends meet for everyone. We get a professional service we should pay for it.
I recall my old man was attending the rugby every few weekends in season as a St John representative, he never got a dime but it was a windfall for us kids when we went: all the recycle soft drink bottles. Two cents each, two cents was money!
Dad was never into rugby, but as a local St John guy he fulfilled his obligations. On top of helping loads of players he saved a few people after bad accidents in our village too.
He never once appreciated that government took their service for granted, and it's been an awful long time.
From my understanding, if there are St Johns attending Saturday sport – St Johns are being paid by the sporting organisation.
Sacred Heart (Auckland)has St Johns attending Saturday winter sport. The St Johns staff were called on the day 2 boys being knocked out and a broken bone and that was only the 9:00 games !!! – To cover the costs there is a coffee/Hot Chocolate stand and the old boys cover any shortfalls, great idea by the school, and I would recommend any to seek & support the coffee service.
Thanks Herodotus. Back in the day the club might of donated to St Johns, but the actual officer didn't get paid. A free feed occasionally, but not expected. The public however were very supportive of Dad, their gratitude was obvious.
It was even noted by some parents when he was at Te Aroha baths that they felt safer having their kids swim with him present. Then we nearly lost my brother in the same place – translucent water hid him at the bottom Dad's foot hit something and he hauled him out already unconscious.
It must be hard being held in esteem, only to be human.
What was their reasoning for wanting to be 'independent'?
People like Rosemary, after 40 years of disappointment, still believe Winston's lies.
I do?
What lies is Winston telling that you are assuming I believe?
Peters does nothing without a political motive and most of the time it is his privileged mates and supporters who benefit.
This time, if his machinations pay off, we all benefit.
Potentially.
Good stuff. The ambulance service should be a 100% public funded service, just like police etc. This 'charity' model is bullshit that only exists to allow the wealthy to avoid paying their share.
Mining our vanished past for fertiliser. Isn't that a great analogy of what is happening to us every day.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018695982/mining-company-we-have-good-motives-here
A fossil Galaxias fish from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Jon Lindqvist.
Fossil leaves from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Jennifer Bannister.
A fossil leaf from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Tammo Reichgelt.
A short section of core from the Foulden Maar deposit, showing annual layers (alternating yellowish and dark layers) along with underwater landslide events (thicker dark layers). Photo credit Bethany Fox.
100x magnification of a 23-million-year-old leaf cuticle (Litsea calicarioides) from Foulden Maar, showing stomata (white) and epidermal cells (purple). Photo credit Tammo Reichgelt.
A fossil flower (Fouldenia staminosa) from Foulden Maar. Photo credit Jennifer Bannister.
Getz Ice Shelf on the Antarctic coast Credit: NASA/Dick Ewers
The overseas mining company seeking to expand its operation next to a fossil rich geological site of international significance in Otago, says it has good motives, and is surprised by the negative reaction. Plaman Resources is 50.9% owned by the Mayasian business Iris Corp, and 49% owned by two Australian businessmen. It has a permit to mine diatomite in Middlemarch at Foulden Maar – a 23-million-year-old crater lake at Middlemarch – and is seeking permission to buy the neighbouring property to expand the mine. The diatomite is brand named "Black Pearl" and sold as stock feed. The plan has run into strong opposition from some locals, concerned scientists and former Prime Minister Helen Clark. Kathryn talks with co-founder and CEO of Plaman Resources, Peter Plakadis.
Thanks Grey – good analogy, and nice photos.
https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2019/05/17/588070/fossil-dirt-nutrition-claims-under-doubt
On later on Radionz. Rod Oram first about tourism goals, which may be related to the next one on m/billionaires coming here for boltholes!
11:30 New Zealand's billionaire doomsday preppers
A new VICE documentary attempts to track down the overseas billionaires building boltholes in New Zealand. "Hunt for the Bunker People" follows freelance journalist Baz Mcdonald as he investigates why the super rich are looking to buy land in Queenstown as "apocalypse insurance."
As Baz comes to terms with the causes of this paranoia, he considers the implication for Queenstown's shrinking middle class. He joins Kathryn to speak about the documentary and what he plans to do next with his investigation.
Hunt for the Bunker People screens on VICE will be on SKY On Demand and SKY GO until May 23rd.
Insurance love it or hate it – need it.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018695812/earthquake-damage-insurance-dr-megan-woods
Does earthquake insurance need a fundamental rethink as private insurers trim their books and EQC gets out of contents insurance?
Kathryn Ryan speaks with the minister responsible for the Earthquake Commission, Dr Megan Woods.
Changes to the Earthquake Commission Act come into affect on July 1st.
They include an increase in the cap on EQC residential building cover from $100,000 to 150,000, a withdrawal of contents cover, and more transparency if earthquake claims have been made on a house in the past.
The Lord of the Great Grift is one step closer to getting exposed. A federal judge has ruled his accountants have to turn over his paperwork to Congress.
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/20/politics/mazars-trump-records/index.html
Best not reveal anything that might undermine the narrative.
Two left wing NGOs, Yesh Din and Emek Shaveh, filed a petition under the Freedom of Information Act to reveal the identities of archaeological sites and archaeologists working in the West Bank. According to Emek Shaveh, the High Court ruled to conceal the identities of the locations and archaeologists.
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/High-Court-rules-archaeologists-identities-and-digs-in-West-Bank-remain-undisclosed-590167
Supreme Court rejects NGOs petition, arguing that publishing information publicly could expose archaeologists to academic boycott and undermine Israel’s position in future diplomatic negotiations.
https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/.premium-west-bank-archaeological-digs-must-not-be-made-public-israel-s-top-court-rules-1.7255369
Here’s the result of David Seymour’s incitement of violence toward Golriz Ghahraman the other day.
Now she has to have a police escort to protect her from violent white supremacist RWNJs. This clearly proves it is far right creeps like David Seymour who are undermining the decency and safety of New Zealand society.
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/05/golriz-ghahraman-gets-police-security-escort-following-seymour-menace-comments.html
Happy now, David?
Rubbish. That's got zip nothing to do with counter terrorism operations. Fuck all to do with it, except to demonstrate how woke you are.
Aww. Did joe90 get under your skin, sweetheart?
Your concern for Golriz lasted as long as your woke delusions.
You're angry. Go for a walk to clear your head.
My emotions have zip fuck all to do with your knowledge and skills of counter terrorism.
Please don’t go down this path, you two.
Being a good moderator you'll be able to see that Sam needs a break.
as the woke nutter whispers sweet nothings into people's ears.
Hmmm, holidays for singles are becoming more popular it seems …
I’m a lousy moderator but I do like gifting holidays for couples …
Don't drag me into it. You'll notice I've not responded to Sam after your suggestion. Sam? Not so much.
Why should I respect you, Incognito or anyone else's?
Don’t respect me but please (!) respect my requests (plural) to cut out the personal shit. Pointless personal shit is just that. You’ve already taken too much of my time.
Appreciated.
what the fuck are you on about. This is like the 100th time you've threatened to ban me. Fuck me. You give a dork a little bit of power and it goes straight to there head.
I quite happily let you ban yourself, if you like. You think you can handle the power, Sam? The only question might be: for how long?
* their
i genuinely snorted my drink when I read that – very funny.
Look at the people around you, incognito. Some times it's best to just focus on the people who give a dam.
so asides from anything the woke Australian Green Party leader decided he'd lead a caravan up the Australian coast signalling the virtues of thrift and cleanliness. Net result was 4% swing to the liberals and then in NZ, more woke nutters.
Who's wokey cuckysambam?
[Given my earlier requests here on OM to cut out the pointless personal shit, this looks like a deliberate provocation of Sam who seems unable to control himself when provoked and you know it – Incognito]
fuck off time waster
See my Moderation note @ 5:17 PM.
I thought that you had received a ban Sam. Your abusive comments deserve abusive description – they are shit. And your abuse isn't even high-class stuff. You are lowering the tone of this blog and you haven't said anything of value except your own lame opinions. We have plenty of those ourselves, in our own rubbish bins, and yours belong in yours.
Depends if you desire to be a super moderator or a super debater because when it's moderated it's actually not debating, wonder if this place is still for robust debate anymore. Where I come from debates can turn into fist fights. Besides that I was under the impression that I had received a permanent ban at one point for breaking some code of behaviour or something rather than the content of what I was saying ie moderated for ideological reasons rather than causing harm to some ones fragile frame of mind.
I don’t want to ban Sam or anybody else for that matter. I would like him (and others) to cut out the pointless personal shit and get on with robust debate. All it takes is a small change in online behaviour that will have large positive effects on the tone on/of this site.
Charming.
(google translation)
Stockholm’s general shelters are in poor condition.
In the event of a crisis or war, they could not be used, according to the real estate office.
And there is no money to fix them.
Stockholm city is responsible for 22 active shelters. But none of them meet the requirements – and they cannot fulfill their function as shelters in the event of a crisis or war, Mitt i [local free ‘zine] can now reveal.
The protective shelters are used today as, for example, garages. But the city is obliged to be able put them in service within 48 hours, which is currently not possible. It appears from the real estate office’s budget for the years 2020-2022.
What would happen if there was a crisis or war?
– We can’t handle the 48 hour limit. It is a question of how to plan, says Thomas Schillén, property manager at the real estate office.
In order to be able to use the protective shelters, good ventilation, shock wave doors and toilets are required. It would take many millions to be able to fix them, money missing from the budget.
– We have got a tightening of the new majority and have not received any new funds. We are tightening our staff and have other projects that take a lot of money, “says Thomas Schillén
https://mitti.se/nyheter/skyddsrum-oanvandbara-renovering/?omrade=hela-stockholm
Aww..
#milkshake
300 million quid a week, one milkshake at a time.
milkshakes – the new rotten eggs and tomatoes.
The government announced yesterday the appointment of five new Deputy Chairpersons to the Human Rights Review Tribunal. Legislation has been tweaked to allow these Deputy Chairperson to make and write up decisions.
" This Government has acknowledged the unacceptable backlog of cases before the Human Rights Review Tribunal that developed under the previous National Government and we have taken action by establishing the Deputy Chairperson positions to help reduce the growing backlog,” says Aupito William Sio. "
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/new-support-human-rights-review-tribunal
Unfortunately, one of these Deputy Chairpersons has proven herself to be less than impartial and has, over the decade she spent fighting against disabled people and their chosen family carers, chosen to engage in tactics that in my opinion bring the profession of lawyer in (further) disrepute.
I have sat an listened to her deliberately misinform and misrepresent our situation and on more than one occasion has actually made statements that in any other venue would be considered lying.
Martha Coleman markets herself as being a 'human rights specialist'.. and yes she has had much experience in arguing against claims brought under NZBORA and the HRA.
In the case of family carers being paid to provide the disability supports an eligible person has been assessed as needing her tactics failed (in numerous venues) as the lawyers from the Office of Human Rights Proceedings won the case by simply telling the truth and presenting the facts to the Tribunal and the Courts.
Reality will occasionally prevail.
One aspect of Coleman's career that has always intrigued me is the fact that while she was being paid by Crown Law to prepare the case against family carers she was also a member of the National Advisory Council for the Employment Of Women who stated in their March 2008 report…
NACEW supports a framework for family caring that is based on the following principles: •that the unique contribution of family carers is the provision of emotional and associative care and this needs to be recognised and valued as a priority •that formal care packages are comprehensive responses to the intensity of a client’s needs, and do not make assumptions about the family supports available •that a client and their family members can opt for greater family involvement in care arrangements and negotiate the basis of their involvement within the care package provided •that individual family members who are contracted into explicit service roles have similar protections and rights as other workers.
https://women.govt.nz/sites/public_files/NACEW-Financial-support-for-family-carers-2008.pdf
Yes, I get that lawyers have to be able to argue both sides of an issue convincingly…that's probably why so many end up in politics…but to have read the above, and listened to Coleman enthusiastically and with some malice argue against it, to me calls into question her suitability to participate in decision making for a Tribunal dedicated to upholding human rights.
The fact that Coleman leveled some of her invective against me personally most certainly colours my view.
Waiting in anticipation for the report into National Party culture that was promised us once the report on Parliament culture was out. I can't seem to find it anywhere though. Wonder what's taking so long…
Too true, didn't simon say it would be released after the parliament report?
So that would be tomorrow then, should have been this afternoon.
Stuff just reported this: "Speaking during the first reading of the bill, National leader Simon Bridges said his party was supportive of the principles of the bill but National had "real differences" and expected to see change in select committee. The Government's flagship climate change bill – technically an amendment to an earlier law – would force future governments to set a series of "carbon budgets" over the next 30 years, declining until all long-lived emissions reach net zero at 2050. It will pass first reading on Tuesday afternoon." https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/112890233/national-supports-climate-change-bill-through-first-reading
"The proposed law is based on the United Kingdom's Climate Change Act. The bill would also set up an independent Climate Change Commission that would advise the Government on what these targets should be and how exactly governments should meet them. It would not have any independent power on its own. It's understood NZ First was particularly uncomfortable with talk about giving the commission Reserve Bank-like powers to set the emissions targets itself. Governments will also be required to set a plan for how they will respond to the various effects of climate change."
Karma's a wonderful thing.
Stuff: "MPs were "treated like gods" with a "master servant relationship". What about goddesses? Seems like it could be a case of unconscious sexism. Mistresses are sometimes into dominance too. There was a dominatrix in the headlines a while back, after the guy who had been paying to be dominated actually died.
And if you call them public servants, is it really all that surprising that MPs treat them as such? What part of the residual patriarchy is so hard to grasp?
Anyway, psychology aside, we will now have everyone carefully avoiding the implication that democracy creates toxic workplaces: "Parliament is a toxic workplace with a systemic bullying problem – Francis Review" – Andrea Vance https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/112865411/parliament-a-toxic-workplace-with-systematic-bullying-problem–francis-review
Good to see National supporting Shaw's climate bill into Parliament through its first reading.
They will protest the methane level proposed on behalf of stock farmers, so this is the limits of Shaw's persuasion.
Not a bad result.
How politics is supposed to be done. Need more of this.
Can you expand on your criticisms of Martha Coleman a little more for me @ RMcD?
In what way has she spent "fighting against disabled people and their chosen family carers"? (for example).
I'm not suggesting in any way that your assertions are incorrect.
I'm just curious having known both Martha and brother Bruce in her formative years. Having seen how many of my peers have put comfy little lives over principle, nothing will surprise me, but I'm not yet ready to put Martha in that category.
btw @ lprent – not quite sure why this appears as 25, as opposed to 20.1 or 20.2. but it's possible I'm losing it
Actually, assume the worst (I’m losing it) – I’d hate to have you obsessing over a potential bug that isn’t
Often happens to me. I think I hit the reply to comment button, then after I post it shows up at the bottom of the thread. Remedy is highlight what you wrote, ctrl C to copy it, then delete comment. Then hit the reply button to the comment you want to respond to, ctrl V to copy your response into the new window, post it and watch to ensure it does publish in the right place.
Coleman, working for Crown Law, was the lead in the defense for the Ministry of Health in 'Atkinson".
One of the better precis of the case here…https://www.hrc.co.nz/enquiries-and-complaints/faqs/caring-disabled-adult-family-members/
….and over on Public Address here….https://publicaddress.net/access/paying-family-carers-what-was-all-the-fuss/
As I admitted… The fact that Coleman leveled some of her invective against me personally most certainly colours my view.
I am one of those family carers.
I sat in on many of those hearings and watched her at work.
I was part of the last group to be represented by the OHRP against the Crown and the Ministry, and up until the final straight Martha 'these people have a sense of entitlement' Coleman was the Crown appointed assassin.
And oh, how she seemed to love her work.
Yeah, yeah, lawyers are supposed to use every trick in the book to make the opposition look like shit…but come on…there are limits, surely?
As I said…misinformation, malicious misrepresentation (well it seemed like malice from where I was sitting) and callous disregard for the people with disabilities who would die without appropriate hands- on care and those of us who provided that care…in many cases where the Ministry's own contracted providers refused to because the Ministry would not fund that level of care.
Even after losing in Atkinson and Spencer, Coleman dug in when it came to our case (King). It beggared belief as for all intents and purposes we were the same as the Atkinson and Spencer cases. Arguably the level of complexity in the care required from and by the King plaintiffs was measurably higher than in the previous cases.
In my particular case she argued that I was claiming to be paid for doing what 'every one else does for love'.
The Ministry's own records show that at least 40 other spouses were being paid by the Ministry for providing care for their partner…and we had met some of these couples who couldn't understand why we were not given the same accommodation by the Ministry.
However…Coleman knew this, must have gained at least a smidgen of an inkling what our lives are like…she sat through enough hearings and read enough of our submissions….you'd think, you'd hope, that at some point she'd actually back off and advise the Crown that the right thing to do would be to put the injustice and the discrimination right.
But, no. And this time last year I was girding up my delicate bits to sit in a court room and listen to Coleman yet again argue a case she had already lost on more than one occasion.
Orders came from Higher Up later last year that the Crown were to settle our case.
Coleman et al suddenly disappeared from the opposition benches and new Crown Lawyers brought in to try and make nice.
I occasionally fantasize that Coleman et al perhaps, in a fit of conscience, deliberately threw Atkinson and Spencer…but no. What they did do, and quite successfully, was to manage to stall any resolution for the rest of us so that National had time to concoct the Part 4 amendment to the PHD Act.
http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2013/0022/latest/whole.html
Bastards.
Coleman played a significant role in a saga that has left many in the non ACC disability community, especially those with very high support needs who want to live in their own homes, feeling marginalised. And abused. And totally disillusioned with 'the system'.
I'm sure she'll look back in pride at her work.
Such is the nature of the law and a good many in the legal profession (as we all know from the bullying and misogyny that's become public recently).
I've known a few perfectly 'nice' people that turn into complete arseholes in a court room because its all about winning. If it were me, I'd be more pissed off with MoH – though not surprised given the state of much of our public service these days.
But maybe she has turned into a complete bitch. It'd be a hell of a change over a lifetime though
I'd be more pissed off with MoH –
Heh. I am pretty sure that Coleman's style perfectly complimented the Misery of Health's intent.
Where do progressives go for comfort these days. In the USA they are almost up to two figures for shaming rape and sex between men and women if not married. Reading a book of Russian theory The Foundations of Geopolitics by Alexander Dugin there is this:
Foundations engages with obscure strains in 20th-century fascism, relying heavily, for example, on theorist Julius Evola, who advised Mussolini and the SS and promoted extreme misogyny as well as racism for use by the Russian elite. All sex for Evola is rape and a woman outside the home “a monkey.” He and Dugin both sneer that modern men—not to mention gays, lesbians, and transsexuals—are “feminized.” In the Evola-Dugin playbook, sexual and racist anxieties lie at the root of today’s Russian fascism. And with but slight qualification, one can see Rob Porter, Steve Bannon (an Evola fan), Roy Moore, and Donald Trump as decadent facsimiles.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-far-right-book-every-russian-general-reads
The Christchurch shooter has been charged with terrorism.
What are the implications for all other white supremacists in New Zealand?
Will they now, (finally), be put on the official terror watch list?
Will their organisations now be ruled 'terrorist organisations' under the Suppression Of Terrorism Act?
Will members and organisers of white supremacist and fascist groups face arrest if they try to hold triumphalist public parades and rallies?
Will publicly displaying fascist regalia and flags become a crime, as it is in Germany?
And if not, why not?
Should specific amendments be made to Suppression of Terrorism Act to suppress and disrupt White Supremacist organisations?
<a href="https://apnews.com/703d6b9cdd0d4da78e6ad0fc14f0ffa8" rel="nofollow">https://apnews.com/703d6b9cdd0d4da78e6ad0fc14f0ffa8</a>
Kia ora Newshub.
seenothing any publisty is good publicity to some .
I say the Skypath project for cycling and walking is awesome good that the project is going to start.
M8 I'm going to pop the balloons of these new partys Tamaki don't you get the big picture you are going to help the people who have been disrespecting tangata whenua FOOL.
I brought some cheap honey it didn't even have a sweet taste. Honey is has been a medicine for thousands of years and Maori tohunga have been healing tangata for thousands of years to.
Tavita wahine is being lead around the mulberry Bush of the justice system if they were wealthy there would have been people paying for his death that's the system Whanau.
I'm not even going to comment on that fool who can't see past his own faith fool in Britain.
All I can say is I feel for the rabbit wahine in Christchurch I love my pets to maybe start a give a little page to help pay for your rabbits vacation
Ka kite ano
Kia ora team ao Maori News.
Tamiki is just going to help national float there toilet I have all ready give my view to not impress with him or Naro trying float his christen party to they both have egos that make them think te ra revolvers around them.
The parliament staff problems is going to get sorted as for Tau what insults did he say to Trevor for that to happen
Kia ora to Maori growing kiwifruit there are heaps of places in Te taiwhiti to grow kiwifruit it could easily be grown organically to big bucks.
It's awesome that Ngati Porou are going to get the right we want from the crown
For ower Coast and Tangaroa
The Whana of the Pike river mine will be happy it is all finally coming to past and reveal what went wrong we know that the safety standards were dropped and that could have been the cause.
Ka kite ano
Kia ora The Am Show .
The students strive is a awesome way to get Neanderthals attention the pollies around the Papatuanuku are pandering to money and not their children future money is the phenomenon that causes policy to be made that is good for the 00.1% that's a fact.
A lot of consumer don't no the consumer laws but now days thanks to social media and Google we can check the laws.
Bridget Davis I tell the mokopuna you are what you eat I think you book Bridgets Healthy Kitchen is awesome I say a healthy gute is a fact .I need to clean up my diet ma te wa
In my view the poor commen tamariki are in a much better position with the Labour lead government if national was still in power poverty will still snowballing they would have a block on the subject and no one would be talking about it.
I agree with Duncan Tamiki won't make the 5% threshold to get into Parliament remember he has had a few brain FARTs.
Ka kite ano
Some Eco maori music for the minute
my devices are playing up
Some Eco Maori music for the minute
Eco maori champions wahine equal rights the Women of Influence award is a great way to achieve that goal of more Wahine getting into managing our Papatuanuku .
Nominations are open for the seventh annual Women of Influence awards, a celebration of change makers and inspiring women.
Sponsored by Stuff and Westpac, the awards have previously recognised politicians, philanthropists, businesswomen and artists.
Jackie Clark, of South Auckland social welfare charity The Aunties, won the supreme award last year. In 2017, former prime minister Helen Clark received the lifetime achievement award. Kate kite ano links below
https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/women-of-influence/112888859/know-any-women-of-influence-awards-look-to-honour-change-makers
Kia ora Newshub.
Its is good that the IPCA has stated that the police chaser was at fault now that a problem has been admitted prosess can be put in place to minimize the losses of life.
Bit of drama with the ambulances people wages.
I have had a good flue it was Monday when I got it a week ago .
Those Christians political parties will take us back 100years with their neanderthal views.
Students strike is what is needed to get the common people view out there above the oil barons $$$$$$$$$$ it is there future we are stuffing NOW.
I feel for the people who are in the atrocitie weather that is happening in America at the minute the common people will suffer the most.
The Queen keeping up with technology the shopping kiosk are very good no need to talk to anyone I have a swarm of puppets following me around. Kate kite ano
Kia ora te ao Maori news
I have said that the 2 new Christian political party's will drag Aotearoa back 100years.
It's awesome that Ngati Porou is finally getting our mana back to care for Tangaroa and his creation.
Its better to have a Labour lead government helping tangata whenua than a national lead government that takes from the poor and gives to the wealthy FOOL not everyone is going to be happy its quite hard for that phenomenon in Maoridom
Cool Maori art on display at the Auckland airport it gives Eco Maori a sore face to see all the interest in Maori culture and te reo now it was not like that just a few years ago.
Ka kite ano