It's obvious why ratbag employers and other profit-takers are anti-union.
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", such as attaining better wages and benefits (such as vacation, health care, and retirement), improving working conditions, improving safety standards, establishing complaint procedures, developing rules governing status of employees (rules governing promotions, just-cause-conditions for termination) and protecting the integrity of their trade through the increased bargaining power wielded by solidarity among workers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_union
If you lie down with dogs, you’ll get up with fleas, but you still won’t have doggy breath.
Based on the returns received by the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, total union membership as of 1 March 2020 was 380,659. This represents 16.42 percent of employees in the labour force. Total union membership increased by 2.0 percent compared to the previous year.
So 83% choose not to be in a union. Even more so when you take out the around 65% of those 16% who work in education or health etc, ie for the government.
And how does that 16.42% compare with the 1970's by the way?
So, it is clear that union membership in NZ has been very steady since 1996, which is a quarter of a century. Doesn’t quite fit your narrative, does it now?
I guess you don't understand my 'narrative then, because it fits it perfectly.
You see I didn't ask you about 1996, did I. I asked about the 1970's, when people were compelled to join unions.
What your very interesting graph shows, is that when compulsory union membership ended, workers voted with their feet, and membership dropped from a shade under 50% to, well bugger all.
And here's the point you have so beautifully made for me. In the 30+ years since union membership was made voluntary, unions have had plenty of time to prove their worth, and yet an even smaller % of workers (16.42% by your own data) choose to join a union in 2002 than the 20% in 1996. That's some kind of failure.
BTW I was indeed in the 1981 March on Queen Street. Same year I attended campaign rallies for Bill Rowling, including one at the Auckland Town Hall. Workers groups across the centuries have done amazing work for workers, often at great personal cost. The NZ edition by the 1980's had become a corrupt rabble.
Nope, you narrative was “They became corrupt and incompetent. It’s why workers left them in droves.”
Which is not accurate by a long shot and simply a reflection of your one-eyed view of unions, which you’ve so beautifully confirmed for us here, so thank you for that.
Over the last quarter of a century unions have proven their worth and even grown their membership over the last few years to just under 400,000 members. Not bad for an incompetent and “corrupt rabble”, IMHO, and nowhere “some kind of failure”, which is just your wishful thinking and biased view again clouding your thinking.
I’d say that it doesn’t confirm either your narrative of “Unions outlived their place decades ago.”
"Not bad for an incompetent and “corrupt rabble”, IMHO, and nowhere “some kind of failure”, which is just your wishful thinking and biased view again clouding your thinking."</em
When a movements membership drops from close to 50% to 20% and then 30 years later to 16%, that’s a failure by any measure.
EDIT – Apparently 60% of all union members are in the public sector. And 62% of public sector workers are in unions. No wonder you’re showing an increase in gross numbers in the past year or so.
All three inaccurate parts of your silly narrative were in my previous comment, i.e., your full narrative. I split it into two parts, clearly labelling as “your narrative” both times, because they were so disjointed and unhinged from reality anyway. If you say them backwards they almost start to make some sense.
Truth hurts sometimes, doesn’t it? Nearly 400,000 union members in NZ and consistent membership over a quarter of a century is just too hard for you to accept. You sound desperate when you have to dig for stats from the 1970s and before the introduction of the Employment Contracts Act in 1991 to find something that may possibly suit your twisted narrative.
"Truth hurts sometimes, doesn’t it? Nearly 400,000 union members in NZ and consistent membership over a quarter of a century is just too hard for you to accept. "
When you're desperately clinging on to gross numbers when the % of the workforce has declined from around 50% to 16%, it's not me the truth is hurting.
The workers have spoken and they've said 'piss off'.
Unions had no special status in the process because the ECA [Employment Contracts Act 1991] promoted direct bargaining between employer and employee. If they could not agree, the dispute went to an Employment Tribunal and, if necessary, to an Employment Court. By 1999 the Tribunal had a backlog of over 3,000 cases, so it took up to a year to deliver a ruling.
Nearly 400,000 workers in NZ still decide each year that (their) union membership is worth having and apparently oblivious of incompetence and corruption as alleged by you without a shred of evidence to support this.
Ouch, that must hurt you. Now, who’s the desperate one here?
Of course you are, because you cannot stand (for) incompetence and corruption and you wave your fist and hiss at the nearly 400,000 New Zealanders who voluntarily join a union each year, just as you did in the March march in 1981. I don’t expect you to give up on your long grudge against unions; that would take more than an epiphany of miraculous proportions.
I have a feeling you’re not even in the labour force.
You've really got this bad, haven't you. You're so desperate you've gone from referencing the gross number of union members to now the number of unions! The number of unions is about as relevant as fish in a pond. what % of the workforce are in a union? 16%. How many choose not to be? 84%.
I don’t need to do anything next, as I’m just showing and showing again the holes in your short & shaky narrative that are as big as Steven Joyce’s imaginary budget holes and you haven’t provided one single decent counter-argument or support for your allegation of incompetence and corruption. Couldn’t find it in Te Ara, could you? Hint: the key (time) point is the year 1991.
Anyway, “84%” doesn’t sound quite as impressive as “nearly 400,000”, does it? How is that possible if they’ve outlived their place decades ago, as you allege? Unless you’re wrong, of course.
Now let's see. In the 10 years between 2008 and 2018 , union membership 'changed little', so still around 21%. Yet by your own figures, by 2020 union membership was down to 16%. So between 2018 and 2020, union membership dropped from 'around 21%' to 16% of the workforce.
Now even you have to agree, that's not a good look.
Gypsy, I feel your antipathy towards unions, but it's not for me. Couldn't wait to join my first workplace union in the 80s – was a member for over thirty years and found them helpful (on one occasion very helpful), to the extent that I did a little voluntary committee work for them.
Unions aren't everyone's cup of tea, of course, what with all the corruption and incompetence, but you have to wonder if employee rights today would be better or worse but for union advocacy.
The most common types of domestic corruption cited by respondents included undisclosed conflicts of interest, supplier kickbacks and personal favours. More than a quarter (26%) of the reported incidents were from organisations with more than 5000 employees. And 68% of incidents involved only private/business individuals. No industry was immune with all sectors experiencing at least some reported incidents in the last five years.
Unions are organisations that represent groups of workers with employers. You have total freedom over whether or not you’ll join a union in your workplace. It is illegal for your employer to influence that decision.
If you choose to join a union, you will pay a membership fee, which can be paid directly or taken out of your wages.
More information about unions and which ones cover your occupation is available on the Council of Trade Unions (CTU) website.
My views don't reflect my personal experience with unions (which has been almost entirely positive). They reflect more on my views on the history of the union movement, here and in Australia and the UK. Unions shifted from being genuinely interested in worker safety and conditions of employment to something entirely different.
Unions shifted from being genuinely interested in worker safety and conditions of employment to something entirely different.
Don't know about "something entirely different", but imho the union I belonged to was "genuinely interested in worker safety and conditions of employment" for the duration of my membership.
Individual results may vary
Congratulations about condensing all the right wing BS about Unions into a few paragraphs.
Unions became too competent at looking after their members. Which is why they had to go. Can't have employees keeping over 40% of the money their work earns.
It was not corruption, except for the people who may have accepted money to stop Unions opposing the Employments contract Act.
Some Unions in Oz and the USA were run by criminal elements. Not in NZ.
A few Unions, out of hundreds, got drunk with power and demanded a lot more for their members. Which is actually their job! Incidentally still taking much less from the community than the Union of landlords do now. At least, unlike now, their pay stayed in the community, instead of going to offshore profits.
There was a lot of anti Union bullshit around at the time, which many people bought into, just like now, from a right wing biased media. Like the media ignoring the Seamans Union, while on strike, offering to take passengers and cars, unpaid across Cook Strait. Or the Marsden point Refinery contractor Managers intentionally causing a strike to cover up lack of material deliveries.
Those same shopkeepers who booed the Union marches in Wellington, went out of business in the 1990's when their Union member customers pay disappeared.
Private sector Unions were losing members for the same but apposite reason State sector Unions kept theirs. Private sector Unions power to do anything for workers was deliberately removed, in all but the largest workplaces. People then decided it wasn't worth joining a Union that could do nothing. The RWNJ' s who claim people don't want to join Union's are being dis_ingenious.
Similar to removing buses from a route at the time it is most used, then claiming it is uneconomic and should be closed.
Not to mention the dairy workers, hospitality and others being given the nudge wink that if they even mention a Union, forget about being employed.
In fact in the State sector, and some large industries, where Unions still had some power and influence. The majority of members remained.
Other Unions membership dropped over a long period, not immediately. Giving the lie to your bullshit.
Union membership dropped immediately. The decline is shown in the data.
“When the government passed the Employment Contracts Act 1991 (ECA) it ended nearly a century in which New Zealand’s labour law had strongly supported unions. Compulsory unionism and national wage agreements ended. Union membership dropped by about 50% in the first year after the act was passed. Many unions either collapsed or amalgamated.” https://teara.govt.nz/en/womens-labour-organisations/page-6
The number of registered unions peaked at 499 in 1937, after the first Labour government made union membership compulsory. The number then dropped to around 200. After 1991, when membership became voluntary under the Employment Contracts Act, it fell even further, to the lowest total in more than a century. When a new Labour government repealed the act, the number of unions rebounded to around 180.
Gypsy, Unions were damaged by The Contracts Act. They have strong Unions in Australia leading to better pay and conditions, as they did not join the spiral to the bottom we did. Some Unions were too dogmatic, but many Employers have been stung in Court for poor behaviour corrupt practice and failure to pay their employees properly. So neither group is covered in glory.
Thanks. Yes there are ratbag employers all right. The real damage done to unions by the Employment Contracts Act was removing compulsion. By the '80's many kiwi's were sick of them
I wonder why Amazon sweatshop workers have just celebrated their first Union and the company went to such efforts to bust their organisation. Must be because Jeff Bezos is such a great guy and paying workers a living wage is a sin against Capitalism.
No, it isn't. In NZ people are free to join unions or not, and that should have made unions do what any business would have had to do – become relevant again. I look at this logically and say if a declining % of workers (now only 16%) choose to join a union, (and the vast majority of those are not private sector workers), then they're really struggling.
The real damage; Was the removal of the larger industries and employers that had Unionised workforces. The 80’s and 90’s destruction. Shop assistants and others were never effectively Unionised. The employment contracts Act removal of most Unions ability to do much for their members, by the removal of rights, such as the rights to strike. Concerted efforts by employers to threaten and divide Union membership. And some decided they were getting the wages and conditions the Union members fought for, without paying Union dues. So they decided to bludge. No doubt to the later regret of many, as they saw their pay and conditions eroded.
I was there. I saw all this happening.
As I said. The same thing as changing a bus route so they can't run at times and to the stops people use. Then saying it "is a waste of time due to lack of patronage”.
In contrast to private sector Unions, in the State sector, where Unions in larger workplaces still retained power, the majority stayed in Unions.
"by the '80's many kiwi's were sick of them". Many of all three of your mates?
The decrease in wages and employees share of earnings since then, and indeed the current problems with safety, show that Unions are needed more than ever. ETU's success in Unionising and fighting against zero hour contracts and low wages, for fast food workers, is just one example.
If you are an employee, you have rights and working conditions won by Union militancy in the past. I'm sure you are not going to stick to your anti-Union "principles" and refuse them?
"If you are an employee, you have rights and working conditions won by Union militancy in the past. I'm sure you are not going to stick to your anti-Union "principles" and refuse them?"
Here's where you're confused. The rights and conditions secured by unions are decades old. I'll give up any benefits unions have achieved in, say, the past 30 years, if you give up any benefit the evil market economy you so dislike has delieverd to you.
Over 30 years since Unions had any power. Funny that.
You have just confirmed what I'm saying.
The need for Unions is greater than ever.
That people were taken in by the pervasive right wing media is not surprising. It is still fooling people like you, even long after the ill effects are obvious.
I bet you many of those, including Tania Harris, regretted that moment, of "Turkeys voting for Christmas" when the effects of the employment contracts act impoverished communities and put many if them out of work.
As for a recent success of Unions. I already mentioned ETU success with zero hours and fast food workers.
"If the need for unions is greater than ever, more than a small minority of workers would join".
It should be obvious. If you thought about it instead of endlessly repeating the same BS.
The power of Unions to do much for workers in the isolated and fragmented workplaces, that is most of the private sector, was deliberately removed. Striking to support workers in other workplaces, in the same Union, is nowadays, illegal. As is striking at all, except in very limited circumstances.
Union successes have been restricted to large national employers, Government departments or nationwide franchises. Funnily enough the same workplaces that still have the majority of employees Unionised. And where Unions such as ETU are gaining new members.
Employers actively restricting the employment of anyone who may join a Union. Part of the enthusiusism for compliant and ignorant immigrant labour. Many youngsters are terrified of challenging their employers in any way. Because they know that they will be dismissed and blacklisted for even mentioning a Union.
Access to Union won conditions without paying dues.
The rise of pretend contractor arrangements over a large number of workers, like the ones in the film industry, forestry, couriers and telecoms. Contractors are legally barred from "price fixing type behaviours". Conveniently barred from clubbing together to set conditions.
Propaganda, like yours, mis informing about what Unions do.
As is obvious, although the need for effective Unions is greater than ever, the laws in place are designed to make them as ineffective as possible, and discourage membership.
Part of a market economy is the right to withdraw your labour, or products, if the price you are getting is too low. The right to withdraw your products still exists. The right to withdraw labour (strike) is, in most circumstances since the ECA was enacted, illegal!
Ok, essentially what you're arguing is that the ECA disempowered unions. I agree, as far as the introduction of freedom of association, but are you seriously arguing that right should be taken from employees?
Your arguments around the disempowerment of unions in other ways are without citation, and in at least one case highly questionable. You claim "The right to withdraw labour (strike) is, in most circumstances since the ECA was enacted, illegal!" Not according to Employment NZ:
"Strikes and lockouts are legitimate actions used by parties to advance their bargaining aims."
"To be a strike the action must be part of a combination, agreement, common understanding, or joint action made or done by the employees. Employees can do this action to try to make their employer give in to their demands. Employers can’t discriminate against employees for taking part in a lawful strike."
The article then goes on to describe "When employees can legally strike or be locked out". What the ECA (and it's subsequent amendments) seems to have done is to codify the requirements for striking, which is a good thing, surely. And something that remains in place through the past 30+ years, approximately half of which have been under Labour Governments.
Thanks for confirming what I said. The right to strike now only exists in limited circumstances. You gave the references yourself.
So limited, that it is impossible to use it to support workers in the same industry but other workplaces. Effectively the right to strike for better conditions, only exists in large workplaces. And the right for employees to Unionise, strike and support each other over a whole industry, preventing employers racing for the bottom is gone.
Destroying the ability of all but large single employer Unions to act for their members. Which was the intention of the ECA all along.
Labour Governments are not guiltless. The rot continued with the destructive 1984 Government that destroyed entire industries. After Muldoon destroyed boat and caravan building, amoungst others, so he could afford social welfare for sheep.
Still carrying on with your bolloocks I see. How many in Unions then, compared with that ill advised and propaganda driven March. Driven by bull, just like the one by the Weta workshops, fools.
I've seen the effects of very limited rights to strike, from both sides of the table I may add.
And seen employers frequently, unilatarily and in bad faith, change conditions many times, knowing full well that employees can do buggerrall about it until the contract expires.
And don't bother telling me employees can sue for breach of contract.. Few employees or Unions have bottomless pockets.
It would be a very brave Union leader today, who would suggest striking outside the very limited occasions a strike is legal.
Even for safety reasons. Having to pay to justify the strike in court while being personally sued for an “illegal strike” has totally disempowered Unions on safety. Which is my point.
The abuse of power by employers since the ECA, makes the Cooks and Stewards look like pussies.
The right to strike is a human right, which like the right to protest shouldn't be removed by law.
"How many in Unions then, compared with that ill advised and propaganda driven March. "
The march was driven by sheer frustration and anger at the exploitative nature of union activity. People had come to see unions as petty and vindictive, and will skilled at abusing the power they held only because people were compelled to join them.
"The right to strike is a human right, which like the right to protest shouldn't be removed by law."
Freedom of association is a human right, that shouldn't be removed by law. Since that freedom was restored, the vast majority of workers have chosen to not join a union. Exercising that right has done more to reduce the power of striking than any reasonable limits imposed by the government.
Maritime NZ is the prosecuting agency in this case but yes it might help do what the 2015 lawchange was intended to – show inescapable accountability from the top.
In Herne Bay, Seddon Fields, there's a group of toy dog owners who turn up early Saturdays and let their dogs shit and piss all over the sports fields. They've done it for so long they're all known to each other.
Within minutes of them leaving the dogs toilet aka sports fields everyone else begins to turn up as their kids play various contact sports there.
As there are clearly 'No Dogs on the Sports Fields' signs on the actual sports fields, one must conclude these are the people for whom the rules do not apply. If some bottom feeders kids get their face smeared in the residue of Pookies shit – such is life.
I posit these folk are also the people who loudly and proudly vote for law and order, and that arresting them would go a long way toward restoring everybody's faith in our fair system.
I'm involved with coaching at that football club (Western Springs) and I agree with you it sounds disgusting. The problem will be worse at the moment too because our artificial 'turf' fields are being replaced, and so all the games on being played on the grass fields.
Can you jut clarify for me, are you referring to Seddon Fields (which is in Western Springs) or our other ground Cox Bay (in Westmere)? I'll talk to the powers that be and see if something can be done.
All good. I’ll talk to the club about it, but it’s also a Council issue. At my favourite dog walking locale (Taipari Strand) if you don’t pick up after your dog you get ‘reminded’ by one of the regulars!
They'll pick up after themselves, but the area they're using is clearly earmarked for sports. And if doggie wees or has wee runs… aww pookies!
Generalising here but: Actual walkers of dogs have dogs that have normally 'worked it out' before their owners hit the park. The ones turning up in cars to sling balls across the sports grounds with a plastic arm extension have the dogs that race out to relieve themselves, through no fault of the dog.
Again, the ‘No dogs on sports fields’ signage is clear.
There are a lot of those about. We walk around Western Springs Park about 4 times a week and we regularly see people with dogs that are not on a leash. If you point out that it is not an off leash area you get abused or told that "I walk this dog here every day and we have no problems" as their little darling chases a nesting Pukeko into the lake.
Whangarei. " Owners are legally responsible for cleaning up after their dogs on any property that’s not their own. This means carrying a plastic bag whenever you’re in public with your dog. Dog waste bags are available at Council offices or the Pound in Kioreroa Road. Failure to clean up after your dog could result in a $300 fine".
Under the Dog Management Bylaw 2019, you must immediately remove your dog's faeces from a public place and dispose of it adequately.
If you do not pick up after your dog, you may get a $300 fine.
Penalty included under Problems with dogs and not mentioned under Dog owners' obligations. Feel it'd be useful to have there as well. Very few people consider their dog a problem.
"The public’s attitude to death, taxes and Climate Change is remarkably consistent. Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die, pay more, or give up their SUV.
The trick of successful democratic government in times of global warming, pestilence, war – and rampant inflation – is to convey the impression of doing something while actually doing very little at all. The job of the politician, when you boil it right down, is to keep the lights on and the ATMs working. If not forever, then until well past the next election."
Politicians don’t make promises and they don’t promise anything.
At best, they’re Party spokespeople or figureheads speaking on behalf (or out of tune) of the Party from the Party Manifest or Policy, but never ever in a personal capacity from their own list. They are not representatives of the people or voters but carefully controlled speaking tubes for their Parties. Which is why so many 'promises' are empty & hollow and get so easily broken (and forgotten, except as troll fodder and as gotcha bait).
I had no desire to read BR, but I did. I couldn’t see any mention of political parties
There sure is high demand today for mindreading by online osmosis and talking in riddles – clarity is not just a state of mind but also a skill and virtue.
In Oz rampant poverty, or fear of other voters (sometimes causation is difficult to identify) is causing millions to vote early, or by mail, rather than admit they cannot afford a sausage.
Once upon a time, there were brothers called Arvirigas (of the green spear) and Caratacus (of the orange spear).
Today they are called Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party.
In the Easter Agreement back in 1998 it was decided that the number 1 and number 2 parties would determine a government in Ulster – if not there would be direct rule from London. Normally DUP have been No 1 and someone more moderate than Sinn Fein has been No 2. Now Sinn Fein is No 1 and DUP is No 2.
Sinn Fein are Irish nationalists and want things like a referendum – which is why their deputy has gone to Edinburgh to talk to the SN leader in Scotland.
And they highlighted the "close bonds" between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The DUP would rather have direct rule from London than have such a referendum (and not wanting to legitimise Sinn Fein with a role in Ulster administration is just a bonus.
However both the EU and the USA have a few concerns about what is going on.
Irish PM says DUP cannot be allowed to block NI Assembly
Some American Bishops have made their intentions clear – those who publicly support abortion rights will be denied communion.
The Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone, the Catholic archbishop of San Francisco, said Friday that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will be denied the sacrament of Holy Communion because of her vocal support for abortion rights.
Cordileone last year called for Communion to be withheld from public figures who support abortion rights but did not mention Pelosi by name at the time.
“After numerous attempts to speak with her to help her understand the grave evil she is perpetrating, the scandal she is causing, and the danger to her own soul she is risking, I have determined that the point has come in which I must make a public declaration that she is not to be admitted to Holy Communion unless and until she publicly repudiate her support for abortion ‘rights’ and confess and receive absolution for her cooperation in this evil in the sacrament of Penance,” Cordileone said Friday in a letter to members of his archdiocese.
Catholic archbishops have vast power within their diocese, and a reversal of Cordileone’s decision would require the intervention of the Vatican, which is unlikely.The order to deny Communion to Pelosi applies only to Catholic churches within the San Francisco archdiocese under Cordileone’s purview, including the speaker’s home church.
Last September, Pope Francis said the decision about granting Communion to politicians who support abortion rights should be made from a pastoral point of view, not a political one. He told reporters: “I have never refused the Eucharist to anyone,” while adding that he has never knowingly encountered during Communion a politician who backs abortion rights.
The SCOTUS leak has led states to reveal their post Roe v Wade plans.
Oklahoma
From fertilisation – thus allows the so called post sex MAP/contraception that prevents fertilisation.
Oklahoma lawmakers on Thursday passed a bill that would ban abortions from the moment of “fertilization,” effectively prohibitingalmost all abortions in the state.
Under the bill, those who could be sued include anyone who “performs or induces” an abortion; anyone who “knowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets the performance or inducement of an abortion,” including paying for one; and anyone who even “intends to engage” in either of the two actions above.
The pregnant woman is not the legal target of the law. Those who help facilitate one for her, as well as those performing the action are liable.
The bill states a lawsuit cannot be brought against a woman who had or seeks to have an abortion.
The bill defines “fertilization” as the moment a sperm meets the egg. It explicitly allows for the use of the Plan B pill, a widely used form of emergency contraception, but would prohibit medical abortions using pills.
Medical intervention on health grounds is allowed
The bill exempts from its definition of abortion any procedure to “save the life or preserve the health of the unborn child,” to “remove a dead unborn child caused by spontaneous abortion” or to remove an ectopic pregnancy, in which the fetus grows outside the uterus.
The bill makes exceptions for abortion if it is “necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency”
It allows abortion in the case of pregnancy resulting from reported sexual crime
or if the pregnancy is the result of rape, sexual assault or incest that has been reported to law enforcement.
It does not determine, or otherwise, a position on in vitro
“Looking at the language, it’s hard to see how it wouldn’t affect in vitro fertilization because it talks about as soon as the ovum and the sperm meet, and the egg is fertilized, that means that’s a person,” Rep. Emily Virgin (D) said, according to KOKH News. “That’s what happens with in vitro fertilization, you create embryos.”
The bill's sponsor said IVF was not included in the bill, as it “would be tough” to prove that an abortion had occurred in that situation.
Ele Ludemann writes – The Reserve Bank is advertising for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisor. The Bank has one mandate – to keep inflation between one and three percent. It has failed in that and is only slowly getting inflation back down to the upper limit. Will it ...
Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency Waka KotahiThe fact that a ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Last week former National Party leader Simon Bridges was appointed by the Government as the new chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA). You can read about the appointment in Thomas Coughlan’s article, Simon Bridges to become chair of NZ Transport Agency ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read: Gavin Jacobson talks to Thomas Piketty 10 years on from Capital in the 21st CenturyThe SalvoLocal scoop: Green MP’s business being investigated over migrant exploitation claims StuffSteve KilgallonLocal deep-dive: The commercial contractors making money from School ...
It’s a home - but Kāinga Ora tenants accused of “abusing the privilege” may lose it. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Government announced a crackdown on Kāinga Ora tenants who were unruly and/or behind on their rent, with Housing Minister Chris Bishop saying a place in a state ...
This is a guest post by Connor Sharp of Surface Light Rail Light rail in Auckland: A way forward sooner than you think With the coup de grâce of Auckland Light Rail (ALR) earlier this year, and the shift of the government’s priorities to roads, roads, and more roads, it ...
Note: As a paid-up Webworm member, I’ve recorded this Webworm as a mini-podcast for you as well. Some of you said you liked this option - so I aim to provide it when I get a chance to record! Read more ...
TL;DR: In my ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Monday, March 18:IKEA is accused of planting big forests in New Zealand to green-wash; REDD-MonitorA City for People takes a well-deserved victory lap over Wellington’s pro-YIMBY District Plan votes; A City for PeopleSteven Anastasiou takes a close look at the sticky ...
Buzz from the Beehive Here’s hoping for a lively post-cabinet press conference when the PM and – perhaps – some of his ministers tell us what was discussed at their meeting today. Until then, Point of Order has precious little Beehive news to report after its latest monitoring of the ...
David Farrar writes – We now have almost all 2023 data in, which has allowed me to update my annual table of how labour went against its promises. This is basically their final report card. The promiseThe result Build 100,000 affordable homes over 10 ...
I’m a bit worried that I’ve started a previous newsletter with the words “just when you think they couldn’t get any worse…” Seems lately that I could begin pretty much every issue with that opening. Such is the nature of our coalition government that they seem to be outdoing each ...
Geoffrey Miller writes – Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. ...
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture ...
Last week Transport Minster Simeon Brown and Mayor Wayne Brown opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre. The new train control centre will see teams from KiwiRail, Auckland Transport and Auckland One Rail working more closely together to improve train services across the city. The Auckland Rail Operations Centre in ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson said in an exit interview with Q+A yesterday the Government can and should sustain more debt to invest in infrastructure for future generations. Elsewhere in the news in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy at 6:36am: Read more ...
Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are important to Beijing. It is more than just a happy ...
TL;DR: The key events to watch in Aotearoa-NZ’s political economy in the week to March 18 include:China’s Foreign Minister visiting Wellington today;A post-cabinet news conference this afternoon; the resumption of Parliament on Tuesday for two weeks before Easter;retiring former Labour Finance Minister Grant Robertson gives his valedictory speech in Parliament; ...
New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters’s state-of-the-nation speech on Sunday was really a state-of-Winston-First speech. He barely mentioned any of the Government’s key policies and could not even wholly endorse its signature income tax cuts. Instead, he rehearsed all of his complaints about the Ardern Government, including an extraordinary claim ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
A listing of 35 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, March 10, 2024 thru Sat, March 16, 2024. Story of the week This week we'll give you a little glimpse into how we collect links to share and ...
“I’ve been internalising a really complicated situation in my head.”When they kept telling us we should wait until we get to know him, were they taking the piss? Was it a case of, if you think this is bad, wait till you get to know the real Christopher, after the ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
Happy fourth anniversary, Pandemic That Upended Bloody Everything. I have been observing it by enjoying my second bout of COVID. It’s 5.30 on Sunday morning and only now are lights turning back on for me.Allow me to copy and paste what I told reader Sara yesterday:Depleted, fogged and crappy. Resting, ...
.“$10 and a target that bleeds” - Bleeding Targets for Under $10!.Thanks for reading Frankly Speaking ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This government appears hell-bent on either scrapping life-saving legislation or reintroducing things that - frustrated critics insist - will be dangerous and likely ...
“It hardly strikes me as fair to criticise a government for doing exactly what it said it was going to do. For actually keeping its promises.”THUNDER WAS PLAYING TAG with lightning flashes amongst the distant peaks. Its rolling cadences interrupted by the here-I-come-here-I-go Doppler effect of the occasional passing car. ...
Subversive & Disruptive Technologies: Just as happened with that other great regulator of the masses, the Medieval Church, the advent of a new and hard-to-control technology – the Internet – is weakening the ties that bind. Then, and now, those who enjoy a monopoly on the dissemination of lies, cannot and will ...
Been Here Before: To find the precedents for what this Coalition Government is proposing, it is necessary to return to the “glory days” of Muldoonism.THE COALITION GOVERNMENT has celebrated its first 100 days in office by checking-off the last of its listed commitments. It remains, however, an angry government. It ...
Bob Edlin writes – And what is the world watching today…? The email newsletter from Associated Press which landed in our mailbox early this morning advised: In the news today: The father of a school shooter has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter; prosecutors in Trump’s hush-money case ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is another Green MP on their way out? And are the Greens severely tarnished by another integrity scandal? For the second time in three months, the Green Party has secretly suspended an MP over integrity issues. Mystery is surrounding the party’s decision to ...
For the last few years, the Green Party has been the party that has managed to avoid the plague of multiple scandals that have beleaguered other political parties. It appears that their luck has run out with a second scandal which, unfortunately for them, coincided with Golraz Ghahraman, the focus ...
TL;DR: The six newsey things that stood out to me as of 6:46am on Saturday, March 16.Andy Foster has accidentally allowed a Labour/Green amendment to cut road user chargers for plug-in hybrid vehicles, which the Government might accept; NZ HeraldThomas CoughlanSimeon Brown has rejected a plea from Westport ...
What seemed a booming success a couple of years ago has collapsed into fraud convictions.I looked at the crash of FTX (short for ‘Futures Exchange’) in November 2022 to see whether it would impact on the financial system as a whole. Fortunately there was barely a ripple, probably because it ...
Anybody following the situation in Ukraine and Russia would probably have been amused by a recent Tweet on X NATO seems to be putting in an awful lot of effort to influence what is, at least according to them, a sham election in an autocracy.When do the Ukrainians go to ...
TL;DR:Shaun Baker on Wynyard Quarter's transformation. Magdalene Taylor on the problem with smart phones. How private equity are now all over reinsurance. Dylan Cleaver on rugby and CTE. Emily Atkin on ‘Big Meat’ looking like ‘Big Oil’.Bernard’s six-stack of substacks at 6pm on March 15Photo by Jeppe Hove Jensen ...
Buzz from the Beehive Finance Minister Nicola Willis had plenty to say when addressing the Auckland Business Chamber on the economic growth that (she tells us) is flagging more than we thought. But the government intends to put new life into it: We want our country to be a ...
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has reported back on the Road User Charges (Light Electric RUC Vehicles) Amendment Bill, basicly rubberstamping it. While there was widespread support among submitters for the principle that EV and PHEV drivers should pay their fair share for the roads, they also overwhelmingly disagreed with ...
Peter Dunne writes – This week’s government bailout – the fifth in the last eighteen months – of the financially troubled Ruapehu Alpine Lifts company would have pleased many in the central North Island ski industry. The government’s stated rationale for the $7 million funding was that it ...
See if you can spot the difference. An Iranian born female MP from a progressive party is accused of serial shoplifting. Her name is leaked to the media, which goes into a pack frenzy even before the Police launch an … Continue reading → ...
Ele Ludemann writes – The government is omitting general Treaty references from legislation : The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last Government in a bid to get greater coherence in the public service on Treaty ...
What was that judge thinking?Peter Williams writes – That Golriz Ghahraman and District Court Judge Maria Pecotic were once lawyer colleagues is incontrovertible. There is published evidence that they took at least one case to the Court of Appeal together. There was a report on ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Climate Scorpion – the sting is in the tail. Introducing planetary solvency. A paper via the University of Exeter’s Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.Local scoop:Kāinga Ora starts pulling out of its Auckland projects and selling land RNZ ...
Wellington’s massively upzoned District Plan adds the opportunity for tens of thousands of new homes not just in the central city (such as these Webb St new builds) but also close to the CBD and public transport links. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: Wellington gave itself the chance of ...
It’s Friday and we’re halfway through March Madness. Here’s some of the things that caught our attention this week. This Week in Greater Auckland On Monday Matt asked how we can get better event trains and an option for grade separating Morningside Dr. On Tuesday Matt looked into ...
Something you might not know about me is that I’m quite a stubborn person. No, really. I don’t much care for criticism I think’s unfair or that I disagree with. Few of us do I suppose.Back when I was a drinker I’d sometimes respond defensively, even angrily. There are things ...
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The five things that mattered in Aotearoa’s political economy that we wrote and spoke about via The Kākā and elsewhere for paying subscribers in the last week included:PM Christopher Luxon said the reversal of interest deductibility for landlords was done to help renters, who ...
It was not so much the Labour Party but really the Chris Hipkins party yesterday at Labour’s caucus retreat in Martinborough. The former Prime Minister was more or less consistent on wealth tax, which he was at best equivocal about, and social insurance, which he was not willing to revisit. ...
Buzz from the BeehiveThe text reproduced above appears on a page which records all the media statements and speeches posted on the government’s official website by Melissa Lee as Minister of Media and Communications and/or by Jenny Marcroft, her Parliamentary Under-secretary. It can be quickly analysed ...
For forty years, Robert Muldoon has been a dirty word in our politics. His style of government was so repulsive and authoritarian that the backlash to it helped set and entrench our constitutional norms. His pig-headedness over forcing through Think Big eventually gave us the RMA, with its participation and ...
Bryce Edwards writes – Is the new government reducing tax on rental properties to benefit landlords or to cut the cost of rents? That’s the big question this week, after Associate Finance Minister David Seymour announced on Sunday that the Government would be reversing the Labour Government’s removal ...
Saudi Arabia is rarely far from the international spotlight. The war in Gaza has brought new scrutiny to Saudi plans to normalise relations with Israel, while the fifth anniversary of the controversial killing of Jamal Khashoggi was marked shortly before the war began on October 7. And as the home ...
Questions need to be asked on both sides of the worldPeter Williams writes – The NRL Judiciary hands down an eight week suspension to Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu , an Auckland-born Samoan, after he calls Ezra Mam, Sydney-orn but of Aboriginal and Torres Strait ...
Ele Ludemann writes – Contrary to what many headlines and news stories are saying, residential landlords are not getting a tax break. The government is simply restoring to them the tax deductibility of interest they had until the previous government removed it. There is no logical reason ...
I can't remember when it was goodMoments of happiness in bloomMaybe I just misunderstoodAll of the love we left behindWatching our flashbacks intertwineMemories I will never findIn spite of whatever you becomeForget that reckless thing turned onI think our lives have just begunI think our lives have just begunDoes anyone ...
Michael Bassett writes – At first reading, a front-page story in the New Zealand Herald on 13 March was bizarre. A group of severely intellectually limited teenagers, with little understanding of the law, have been pleading to the Justice Select Committee not to pass a bill dealing with ram ...
How much political capital is Christopher Luxon willing to burn through in order to deliver his $2.9 billion gift to landlords? Evidently, Luxon is: (a) unable to cost the policy accurately. As Anna Burns-Francis pointed out to him on Breakfast TV, the original ”rock solid” $2.1 billion cost he was ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Jonathon Porritt calling bullshit in his own blog post on mainstream climate science as ‘The New Denialism’.Local scoop:The Wellington City Council’s list of proposed changes to the IHP recommendations to be debated later today was leaked this ...
TL;DR:Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said yesterday tenants should be grateful for the reinstatement of interest deductibility because landlords would pass on their lower tax costs in the form of lower rents. That would be true if landlords were regulated monopolies such as Transpower or Auckland Airport1, but they’re not, ...
This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Tom Toro Tom Toro is a cartoonist and author. He has published over 200 cartoons in The New Yorker since 2010. His cartoons appear in Playboy, the Paris Review, the New York Times, American Bystander, and elsewhere. Related: What 10 EV lovers ...
The business section of the NZ Herald is full of opinion. Among the more opinionated of all is the ex-Minister of Transport, ex-Minister of Railways, ex MP for Auckland Central (1975-93, Labour), Wellington Central (1996-99, ACT, then list-2005), ex-leader of the ACT Party, uncle to actor Antonia, the veritable granddaddy ...
Hi,Just quickly — I’m blown away by the stories you’ve shared with me over the last week since I put out the ‘Gary’ podcast, where I told you about the time my friend’s flatmate killed the neighbour.And you keep telling me stories — in the comments section, and in my ...
The first season of Rings of Power was not awful. It was thoroughly underwhelming, yes, and left a lingering sense of disappointment, but it was more expensive mediocrity than catastrophe. I wrote at length about the series as it came out (see the Review section of the blog, and go ...
Buzz from the Beehive Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden told Auckland Business Chamber members they were the first audience to hear her priorities as a minister in a government committed to cutting red tape and regulations. She brandished her liberalising credentials, saying Flexible labour markets are the ...
Chris Trotter writes – TO UNDERSTAND WHY NEWSHUB FAILED, it is necessary to understand how TVNZ changed. Up until 1989, the state broadcaster had been funded by a broadcasting licence fee, collected from every citizen in possession of a television set, supplemented by a relatively modest (compared ...
Bob Edlin writes – The Māori Party has been busy issuing a mix of warnings and threats as its expresses its opposition to interest deductibility for landlords and the plans of seabed miners. It remains to be seen whether they follow the example of indigenous litigants in Australia, ...
Every year, in the Budget, Parliament forks out money to government agencies to do certain things. And every year, as part of the annual review cycle, those agencies are meant to report on whether they have done the things Parliament gave them that money for. Agencies which consistently fail to ...
Mike Grimshaw writes – Recent events in American universities point to an underlying crisis of coherent thinking, an issue that increasingly affects the progressive left across the Western world. This of course is nothing new as anyone who can either remember or has read of the late ...
The thing about life’s little victories is that they can be followed by a defeat.Reader Darryl told me on Monday night:Test again Dave. My “head cold” last week became COVID within 24 hours, and is still with me. I hear the new variants take a bit longer to show up ...
TL;DR: My top 10 news and analysis links this morning include:Today’s must-read:Angus Deaton on rethinking his economics IMFLocal scoop: The people behind Tamarind, the firm that left a $500m cleanup bill for taxpayers at Taranaki’s Tui oil well, are back operating in Taranaki under a different company name. Jonathan ...
Normally when we talk about accessing public transport it’s about improving how easy it is to get to, such as how easy is it to cross roads in a station/stop’s walking catchment, is it possible to cycle to safely, do bus connections work, or even if are there new routes/connections ...
Politicians are not renowned for telling the truth. Some tell us things that are verifiably not true. They offer statements that omit critical pieces of information. Gloss over risks, preferring to offer the best case scenario.Some not truths are quite small, others amusing in their transparency. There are those repeated ...
The pressure is mounting on the Government as it finalises its Budget Policy Statement, but yet more predicted revenue ‘goes missing’. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāTL;DR: The Climate Commission has delivered another funding blow to the National-ACT-NZ First coalition Government’s tax-cutting plans, potentially carving $1.4 billion off the ‘climate ...
The Government now faces the prospect of having to watch another tax raise the price of petrol when, only six days ago, it abolished the Auckland Regional Fuel tax. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon argued that the regional fuel tax imposed costs on lower-income people with less fuel-efficient vehicles and that ...
On February 14, 2023 we announced our Rebuttal Update Project. This included an ask for feedback about the added "At a glance" section in the updated basic rebuttal versions. This weekly blog post series highlights this new section of one of the updated basic rebuttal versions and serves as a ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
The government’s attack on Māori health this week is committing tangata-whenua to a premature death, says Te Pāti Māori. “The government have begun their onslaught on Māori health with the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority and smokefree laws in the same day” said health spokesperson and co-leader, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. ...
Today marks a tragic milestone for New Zealanders as the Coalition Government side with big tobacco to repeal the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Act 2022, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins and Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall said. ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
This year’s Pacific Language Weeks celebrate regional unity and the contribution of Pacific communities to New Zealand culture, says Minister for Pacific Peoples Dr Shane Reti. Dr Reti announced dates for the 2024 Pacific Language Weeks during a visit to the Pasifika festival in Auckland today and says there’s so ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Klein, Associate professor, Australian National University It’s commonly accepted that women do the vast majority of caregiving in Australian society. But less appreciated is that Indigenous women do larger amounts of unpaid care than any other group. Working with the Aboriginal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne Joe Biden and Donald Trump have both secured their parties’ nominations for the November 5 United States general election by winning a ...
Comment: There has been a striking contrast in trans-Tasman interest about Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s visit to New Zealand and Australia. While the Australian press has been full of articles about the visit – including his curious decision to meet with former prime minister and China booster Paul Keating ...
After years of pressuring banks and other institutions to stop investing in fossil fuels, climate campaigners are making some progress. So how does divestment work?For years, climate activists have been pushing banks and other big institutions to divest from fossil fuels. New research from climate advocacy group 350 Aotearoa ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. The three young Polynesians are part of a K-pop fan community in Tāmaki Makaurau. It’s one of many that have sprung up worldwide as K-pop has gone ...
For Boba, Ethan and Ashley, K-pop is a place to belong, a way to express themselves, and a bridge to connect with others. This one-off documentary presents three intimate portraits of young Polynesians who are pulled into a Korean cultural phenomenon. K-POLYS is directed by Litia Tuiburelevu, Produced by Hex ...
There’s ample evidence demonstrating free school lunch programmes provide wide benefits across schools, households and communities according to public health researchers. ACT Minister David Seymour wants to reduce the spending on Aotearoa New Zealand’s ...
By Wata Shaw in Suva Fiji is facing an exodus of Fijians as many are leaving for overseas seeking employment and education and others are migrating, says Opposition MP Viliame Naupoto. Speaking in Parliament, he said: “His Excellency’s speech (Ratu Wiliame Katonivere) comes after a little over one year of ...
The Taxpayers’ Union is welcoming comments from Christopher Luxon this morning recommitting to ‘no new taxes’ as part of Budget 2024. “Mr Luxon’s refusal at the Post-Cabinet press conference yesterday to repeat the ‘no new taxes’ promise ...
SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, ...
Teammates who spend all their time picking fights with spectators are only helpful for the other team, writes Madeleine Chapman. Anyone who has ever played a team sport competitively, particularly as a child and particularly, for some reason, basketball, will know that there’s a lot of politics involved. While there ...
The long-running Wellington music festival is too focused on the Jim Beam-ness and not enough on the Homegrown-ness.There is something about Homegrown that’s difficult to place. A barely perceptible-ness. Like feeling a ghost is watching you from the corner of the room but when you look, there’s nothing there. ...
The latest Ipsos New Zealand Issues Monitor reveals that fewer New Zealanders believe crime / law and order is one of the top issues facing our country. In 2018, Ipsos New Zealand started tracking the key issues facing New Zealand. In this wave ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Griffiths, Deputy Program Director, Budgets and Government, Grattan Institute Australia’s political donations rules are woefully inadequate, but donations reform is finally on the agenda. The federal government has signalled its interest in reform and will soon begin briefing MPs on its ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mark Patrick Taylor, Chief Environmental Scientist, EPA Victoria; Honorary Professor, School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University Naiyana Somchitkaeo/Shutterstock A recent study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine has linked microplastics with risk to human health. The study ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Albert Van Dijk, Professor, Water and Landscape Dynamics, Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University Global climate records were shattered in 2023, from air and sea temperatures to sea-level rise and sea-ice extent. Scores of countries recorded their hottest year ...
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our relationship with money, a teacher explains why he and his partner are in frugal mode – and how they’re making it work. Gender: Male Age: 35Ethnicity: Pākehā Role: I am an intermediate school teacher and my partner is ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Bendall, Senior Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University Binge Mary & George, the new British television drama series, depicts the real-life story of Mary Villiers and her son George, and their social climbing at the ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jason Nassios, Associate Professor, Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University This article is part of The Conversation’s series examining the housing crisis. Read the other articles in the series here. Australian state and federal governments spend money in many ways to ...
The finance minister is denying that there’s a $5.6b shortfall in paying for the government’s campaign promises, including tax cuts. At his post-cabinet press conference yesterday, the PM refused to rule out new taxes to pay for the cuts, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell in this excerpt from The Bulletin, The Spinoff’s ...
Kāinga Ora tenants abused by their neighbours are doubting the government's crackdown on disruptive tenants will make a difference on their behaviour. ...
Kāinga Ora is New Zealand’s biggest residential landlord, housing more than 180,000 vulnerable people in more than 67,000 properties. Yesterday the government announced a crackdown on its tenants who fall behind on rent. One longtime Kāinga Ora tenant shares her experience.For 18 years I lived in a 1960s standalone ...
Why does this myth persist, and what’s the real reason our skin is suffering?It’s one of the biggest international grievances New Zealanders hold, up there with the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior and 1981’s underarm incident. We’re quick to tell international travellers that the world’s pollution led to the ...
Opinion: In a move that has shocked road safety advocates across the country, the new Minister of Transport, Simeon Brown, is poised to abandon the previous government’s speed limit reduction policy, particularly around schools. Even more alarmingly, he wants school speed limits to be variable rather than full-time, arguing ...
Auckland Council is opposing a fast-track development backed by Sir John Kirwan and Spark NZ, because it doesn’t meet stringent new climate adaptation requirements The post Surf-data centre faces new 3.8C climate warming rules appeared first on Newsroom. ...
When the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act was introduced in 2009 it was firmly targeted at gangs and drugs. The legislation means police no longer need a conviction to seize assets that criminals can’t prove were paid for legitimately, as long as their alleged offences are punishable by more than a ...
Loading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A[quiz],DIV[quiz],A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question?Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Tuesday 19 March appeared first on Newsroom. ...
Bob’s relationship with certain members of Lincoln’s academic staff continued to deteriorate in the 1990s. Others supported him publicly, though articles such as Roland Clark’s 1993 piece in Growing Today cannot have pleased the university management. Clark wrote that Bob was selling onions from the Biological Husbandry Unit to a ...
SailGP’s races feature in-your-face action, with agile, hydro-foiling catamarans tacking and jibing for the title over several days. However, public comments ahead of the global series’ return to New Zealand have left this past year’s controversy in the shadows, as a key appointment attracts criticism from dolphin advocates. A year ...
Opinion: We are fast approaching a fundamental change in prisons. As the number of people on custodial remand looks set to overtake the number of sentenced prisoners, the main function of prisons in New Zealand may become incarcerating un-sentenced people who may not be guilty of offending. We have already ...
A huge seven months lies in store for the White Ferns, beginning this week with the visit of England and culminating with the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September and October. Starting on Tuesday in Dunedin, the world ranked No. 2 visitors will play five T20s and three ODIs, ...
The letters, which were published last week, were addressed to Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Chairperson Megawati Sukarnoputri, National Democrat Party (NasDem) Chairperson Surya Paloh, National Awakening Party (PKB) Chairperson Muhaimin Iskandar, Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) President Ahmad Syaikhu and United Development Party (PPP) Chairperson Muhammad Mardiono. In ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Evicting more people from state housing is ignorant to the consequences of poverty, the Greens say, but the Housing Minister says it's a privilege that can be taken away if abused. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emerald L King, Lecturer in Humanities, University of Tasmania IMDB Between Netflix’s 2023 live-action version of One Piece, and its latest take on Avatar: The Last Airbender, fans are once again asking: why are live-action anime adaptations so tricky to ...
The government says it still intends to deliver tax cuts by July, but will not lock them in until they have got them past their coalition partners. ...
Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has hosted members of the Green Party Caucus at Tuurangawaewae Marae in Ngaaruawahia. The audience follows the King’s Hui-aa-Motu on 20 January, where more than 10,000 people gathered to discuss national ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Dr Rachael Potter, Research Associate and Lecturer in Work and Organisational Psychology, University of South Australia Ground Picture/Shutterstock Pregnant women and workers with children are often unfairly treated by their bosses and colleagues, despite laws to protect against workplace discrimination ...
Reacting to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s refusal to rule out introducing new taxes at the budget, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “Today’s refusal to rule out new taxes suggests the Government is nothing more ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne Aila Images/Shutterstock Aged-care workers will receive a significant pay increase after the Fair Work Commission ruled they ...
He’s bringing ‘Sophie’ back, yeah. Goodshirt’s ‘Sophie’ music video is one of the most instantly recognisable New Zealand music videos of all time. Featuring a woman listening to the song on headphones while her entire house is burgled behind her, the video won the New Zealand music award for Best ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Blaxland, Professor, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University A year ago, the AUKUS agreement was formally announced between Australian and UK Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and Rishi Sunak and US President Joe Biden. The agreement mapped out the “optimal ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andreas Helwig, Associate Professor, Electro-Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern Queensland SmartS/Shutterstock Steam locomotives clattering along railway tracks. Paddle steamers churning down the Murray. Dreadnought battleships powered by steam engines. Many of us think the age of steam has ended. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carrie Leonetti, Associate Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Victims who experience family violence in Aotearoa New Zealand are treated differently, depending on which part of the justice system they turn to for help. But a new member’s bill ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Tesch, Visiting Fellow at the ANU Centre for European Studies, Australian National University In perhaps the least surprising news of the year, Vladimir Putin has triumphed at the Russian ballot box and been enthroned for the fifth time as president. He ...
The Papua New Guinea Supreme Court has stopped a byelection for the Madang Open seat being held until an appeal filed by former MP Bryan Kramer is concluded. Kramer had appealed to the Supreme Court over a National Court decision not to review his application of the Leadership Tribunal decision ...
By Miriam Zarriga in Port Moresby Despite a “historic” ceasefire agreement in Papua New Guinea between Enga authorities and tribal leaders after months of bitter warfare, a young woman has been found brutally killed near Kaekin village, Wapenamanda. Despite the peace agreement and signing concluded in Port Moresby last Thursday ...
The second season of Ryan Murphy’s Feud is a sadder and slower entry into his canon of true story-telling, leaning heavily on a verdict about the cost of a single work of art. Hollywood heavyweight Ryan Murphy has had a bit of “ick” about him in the last few years. ...
Are you deeply passionate about sharing Māori stories? We’re on the hunt for an experienced writer/editor to lead coverage in our Ātea section.Ātea is a deeply valued section of The Spinoff site, offering Māori perspectives and insights across politics, current affairs and culture. We are thrilled to be looking ...
By Aisha Azeemah in Suva With the lights on one of his sneakers blinking as he ran through the gallery, a little boy looked up at several works of art. One of them was a sculpture of his grandfather: the man who changed how we see the Pacific — Epeli ...
WHAT: Uber drivers are holding a rally outside the Court of Appeal in Wellington tomorrow, as the company begins its appeal against 2022’s Employment Court verdict (in a case taken jointly by FIRST Union and E tū) that four drivers were permanent ...
RNZ Pacific The Fiji Meteorological Service has a heavy rain warning still in place for the whole of the country after a weekend of flooding, although some floodwaters have receded. Flood and flash flood warnings and alerts are also in place, including a warning for all flash flood-prone areas, small ...
Responding to Grant Robertson’s recent admission on a Q+A with Jack Tame that his only regret from his time in office was that he didn’t take on more debt, Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson, Alex Murphy, said: “Grant Robertson has now admitted that he ...
Comment: Re-elected Russian President Vladimir President has declared victory ahead of a fifth term in power, after an election that offered no credible alternative candidates. Following the death of his main opponent Alexei Navalny in a Russian prison last month, thousands of Russians followed Navalny’s plea to cast a symbolic ...
Every week that passes seems to tighten the fiscal noose for Christopher Luxon and co – a noose, moreover, of their own making.“Don’t tell me what you value: show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” This phrase, a favourite of US president Joe Biden’s, resonates ...
Analysis by Geoffrey Miller – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Geoffrey Miller. Timing is everything. And from China’s perspective, this week’s visit by its foreign minister to New Zealand could be coming at just the right moment. The visit by Wang Yi to Wellington will be his first since 2017. Anniversaries are ...
Auckland may be the largest city in Aotearoa, but it’s the small community-led organisations within it that make the city thrive. The Spinoff spoke to two council-funded organisations who are doing their bit.“Torrent.” That’s the word one 40-year resident of Dundale Avenue used to describe what became of the ...
Commenting on the introduction of the living wage for all employees and contractors at Kāpiti Coast District Council, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said: “The problem with blanket living-wage policies is that they ...
With the upcoming SailGP event in Ōtautahi/Christchurch looming, there is mounting apprehension regarding the safety of Hector's dolphins, an endangered species unique to New Zealand waters. The event, scheduled to take place in an area frequented by ...
Scoobydoo or his elbow?
https://twitter.com/albomp/status/1279278436675018753?lang=en
Well elbowed.
Excellent signal by WorkSafe to prosecute exCEO of Auckland Port Tony Gibson for the deaths under his watch.
Will send a shiver through any CEO with a high risk workplace.
Virtue signalling by Work Safe, which will make the current top down cover your arse with paper after the fact, approach to safety, worse.
. Ports of Auckland was much more than one manager
Like Work Safe, prosecuting every but themselves, who are equally guilty, over White Island.
At least when we actually had Trade Unions, employees felt they could act on safety concerns
Yeah well that really helped the Pike River miners. Not.
"But despite the overwhelming evidence that there was something seriously and dangerously wrong at the Pike Rive mine, the officials of the EPMU did nothing.
The mine opened in November 2008 and on not one occasion did the EPMU initiate industrial action or even criticise PRC'S safety standards, even after a group of workers walked off the job to protest the lack of basic emergency equipment. The walk out by miners was revealed by miner Brent Forrester. He told TVNZ’s Sunday on December 5 2010 that he once helped organise a walkout of about 10 miners to protest the lack of basic emergency equipment, including stretchers and an emergency transport vehicle. They received no support from the EPMU. Andrew Little even insisted that PRC "had a good health and safety committee that’s been very active."
You missed the bit where Unions have buggerrall power to do anything, these days.
What, not even speak out their members concerns?
"EPMU National secretary Andrew Little (now a Labour MP) told the New Zealand Herald on November 22 2010 that there was "nothing unusual about Pike River or this mine that we’ve been particularly concerned about". He then appeared on TVNZ's Close Up to again defend PRC management."
It's obvious why ratbag employers and other profit-takers are anti-union.
Unions outlived their place decades ago. They became corrupt and incompetent. It's why workers left them in droves.
If you lie down with dogs, you’ll get up with fleas, but you still won’t have doggy breath.
https://www.companiesoffice.govt.nz/all-registers/registered-unions/annual-return-membership-reports/
So 83% choose not to be in a union. Even more so when you take out the around 65% of those 16% who work in education or health etc, ie for the government.
And how does that 16.42% compare with the 1970's by the way?
"But in March 1981 about 50,000 people joined an anti-union march down Auckland’s Queen St. The ‘Kiwis Care’ march was organised by Tania Harris, a 22-year-old sales representative. Ticker tape flew from shop windows and a stereo shop blasted the national anthem. Some people openly wept. Harris had tapped into public anger over a series of strikes that had stopped international flights, sailings of Cook Strait ferries, and beer deliveries. Many people believed unions wielded too much power and were wrecking the country. Anger had been on display the day before, when up to 4,000 striking unionists marched the same route. Fist-waving shoppers and businessmen had booed, hissed and abused the strikers, calling them ‘traitors to New Zealand’ and demanding they ‘get back to work’."
I’m sure you were in that March march 1981 to show your anti-solidarity with unions.
Here are some answers for you, since you show such a keen interest in NZ unions:
https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/clew/news/union-membership-in-new-zealand-shows-further-growth
Since you obviously have been searching and reading Te Ara, here’s the answer to your other very important and relevant question: https://teara.govt.nz/en/graph/22264/percentage-of-union-members
How on Earth did you miss that????
So, it is clear that union membership in NZ has been very steady since 1996, which is a quarter of a century. Doesn’t quite fit your narrative, does it now?
"Doesn’t quite fit your narrative, does it now?"
I guess you don't understand my 'narrative then, because it fits it perfectly.
You see I didn't ask you about 1996, did I. I asked about the 1970's, when people were compelled to join unions.
What your very interesting graph shows, is that when compulsory union membership ended, workers voted with their feet, and membership dropped from a shade under 50% to, well bugger all.
And here's the point you have so beautifully made for me. In the 30+ years since union membership was made voluntary, unions have had plenty of time to prove their worth, and yet an even smaller % of workers (16.42% by your own data) choose to join a union in 2002 than the 20% in 1996. That's some kind of failure.
BTW I was indeed in the 1981 March on Queen Street. Same year I attended campaign rallies for Bill Rowling, including one at the Auckland Town Hall. Workers groups across the centuries have done amazing work for workers, often at great personal cost. The NZ edition by the 1980's had become a corrupt rabble.
Nope, you narrative was “They became corrupt and incompetent. It’s why workers left them in droves.”
Which is not accurate by a long shot and simply a reflection of your one-eyed view of unions, which you’ve so beautifully confirmed for us here, so thank you for that.
Over the last quarter of a century unions have proven their worth and even grown their membership over the last few years to just under 400,000 members. Not bad for an incompetent and “corrupt rabble”, IMHO, and nowhere “some kind of failure”, which is just your wishful thinking and biased view again clouding your thinking.
I’d say that it doesn’t confirm either your narrative of “Unions outlived their place decades ago.”
BTW, it was 2020, not 2002.
" you narrative was “They became corrupt and incompetent. It’s why workers left them in droves.”
Nope. My full narrative was
Unions outlived their place decades ago. They became corrupt and incompetent. It's why workers left them in droves."
"Not bad for an incompetent and “corrupt rabble”, IMHO, and nowhere “some kind of failure”, which is just your wishful thinking and biased view again clouding your thinking."</em
When a movements membership drops from close to 50% to 20% and then 30 years later to 16%, that’s a failure by any measure.
EDIT – Apparently 60% of all union members are in the public sector. And 62% of public sector workers are in unions. No wonder you’re showing an increase in gross numbers in the past year or so.
All three inaccurate parts of your silly narrative were in my previous comment, i.e., your full narrative. I split it into two parts, clearly labelling as “your narrative” both times, because they were so disjointed and unhinged from reality anyway. If you say them backwards they almost start to make some sense.
Truth hurts sometimes, doesn’t it? Nearly 400,000 union members in NZ and consistent membership over a quarter of a century is just too hard for you to accept. You sound desperate when you have to dig for stats from the 1970s and before the introduction of the Employment Contracts Act in 1991 to find something that may possibly suit your twisted narrative.
"Truth hurts sometimes, doesn’t it? Nearly 400,000 union members in NZ and consistent membership over a quarter of a century is just too hard for you to accept. "
When you're desperately clinging on to gross numbers when the % of the workforce has declined from around 50% to 16%, it's not me the truth is hurting.
The workers have spoken and they've said 'piss off'.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/strikes-and-labour-disputes/page-10
Nearly 400,000 workers in NZ still decide each year that (their) union membership is worth having and apparently oblivious of incompetence and corruption as alleged by you without a shred of evidence to support this.
Ouch, that must hurt you. Now, who’s the desperate one here?
"Now, who’s the desperate one here?"
Not me. I'm on the side of the 84% who say no.
Of course you are, because you cannot stand (for) incompetence and corruption and you wave your fist and hiss at the nearly 400,000 New Zealanders who voluntarily join a union each year, just as you did in the March march in 1981. I don’t expect you to give up on your long grudge against unions; that would take more than an epiphany of miraculous proportions.
I have a feeling you’re not even in the labour force.
"you wave your fist and hiss at the nearly 400,000 New Zealanders who voluntarily join a union each year, "
Not at all. It's their choice entirely. The 16%.
"I have a feeling you’re not even in the labour force."
I work for a living, as a paid employee.
I hope they pay you well enough and don’t take advantage of your good nature.
"I have a new favourite year for you: 1937."
You've really got this bad, haven't you. You're so desperate you've gone from referencing the gross number of union members to now the number of unions! The number of unions is about as relevant as fish in a pond. what % of the workforce are in a union? 16%. How many choose not to be? 84%.
Now what will you try next?
I don’t need to do anything next, as I’m just showing and showing again the holes in your short & shaky narrative that are as big as Steven Joyce’s imaginary budget holes and you haven’t provided one single decent counter-argument or support for your allegation of incompetence and corruption. Couldn’t find it in Te Ara, could you? Hint: the key (time) point is the year 1991.
Anyway, “84%” doesn’t sound quite as impressive as “nearly 400,000”, does it? How is that possible if they’ve outlived their place decades ago, as you allege? Unless you’re wrong, of course.
Now look what I've just found, in an article trumpeting "Union Membership in New Zealand shows further growth":
"Union membership density in New Zealand has changed little since December 2008 when 21 percent of those in jobs were union members. "
Now that was for the year ended 31 December 2018.
Now let's see. In the 10 years between 2008 and 2018 , union membership 'changed little', so still around 21%. Yet by your own figures, by 2020 union membership was down to 16%. So between 2018 and 2020, union membership dropped from 'around 21%' to 16% of the workforce.
Now even you have to agree, that's not a good look.
"84%” doesn’t sound quite as impressive as “nearly 400,000”, does it?"
Your argument is like comparing NZ covid deaths with Monserrat and arguing they managed covid better than we did.
"or support for your allegation of incompetence and corruption."
Well there's a whole episode here.
Gypsy, I feel your antipathy towards unions, but it's not for me. Couldn't wait to join my first workplace union in the 80s – was a member for over thirty years and found them helpful (on one occasion very helpful), to the extent that I did a little voluntary committee work for them.
Unions aren't everyone's cup of tea, of course, what with all the corruption and incompetence, but you have to wonder if employee rights today would be better or worse but for union advocacy.
My views don't reflect my personal experience with unions (which has been almost entirely positive). They reflect more on my views on the history of the union movement, here and in Australia and the UK. Unions shifted from being genuinely interested in worker safety and conditions of employment to something entirely different.
There were Unions…and then there were Unions, some animals were more equal than others….an observation as an ex shop steward.
Don't know about "something entirely different", but imho the union I belonged to was "genuinely interested in worker safety and conditions of employment" for the duration of my membership.
Individual results may vary
Excellent sarcasm. Gypsy.
Hey gypo, do you think the tax payers union are corrupt and incompetent.?
You'd need to ask me first whether I thought they were a 'union' in the context of this discussion.
My answer would be no. I suspect they were taking the michael when they named themselves.
Bollocks.
Congratulations about condensing all the right wing BS about Unions into a few paragraphs.
Unions became too competent at looking after their members. Which is why they had to go. Can't have employees keeping over 40% of the money their work earns.
It was not corruption, except for the people who may have accepted money to stop Unions opposing the Employments contract Act.
Some Unions in Oz and the USA were run by criminal elements. Not in NZ.
A few Unions, out of hundreds, got drunk with power and demanded a lot more for their members. Which is actually their job! Incidentally still taking much less from the community than the Union of landlords do now. At least, unlike now, their pay stayed in the community, instead of going to offshore profits.
There was a lot of anti Union bullshit around at the time, which many people bought into, just like now, from a right wing biased media. Like the media ignoring the Seamans Union, while on strike, offering to take passengers and cars, unpaid across Cook Strait. Or the Marsden point Refinery contractor Managers intentionally causing a strike to cover up lack of material deliveries.
Those same shopkeepers who booed the Union marches in Wellington, went out of business in the 1990's when their Union member customers pay disappeared.
Private sector Unions were losing members for the same but apposite reason State sector Unions kept theirs. Private sector Unions power to do anything for workers was deliberately removed, in all but the largest workplaces. People then decided it wasn't worth joining a Union that could do nothing. The RWNJ' s who claim people don't want to join Union's are being dis_ingenious.
Similar to removing buses from a route at the time it is most used, then claiming it is uneconomic and should be closed.
Not to mention the dairy workers, hospitality and others being given the nudge wink that if they even mention a Union, forget about being employed.
"Unions became too competent at looking after their members. Which is why they had to go. "
Now if that was even remotely true, when it actually became a CHOICE to join, why did the majority leave?
"People then decided it wasn't worth joining a Union that could do nothing."
No, people decided almost immediately they were going to leave, well before any of your conspiracy theory could have taken effect.
Where do you get your talking points from?
Reality, Mate!
In fact in the State sector, and some large industries, where Unions still had some power and influence. The majority of members remained.
Other Unions membership dropped over a long period, not immediately. Giving the lie to your bullshit.
Union membership dropped immediately. The decline is shown in the data.
“When the government passed the Employment Contracts Act 1991 (ECA) it ended nearly a century in which New Zealand’s labour law had strongly supported unions. Compulsory unionism and national wage agreements ended. Union membership dropped by about 50% in the first year after the act was passed. Many unions either collapsed or amalgamated.”
https://teara.govt.nz/en/womens-labour-organisations/page-6
I have a new favourite year for you: 1937.
https://teara.govt.nz/en/graph/22263/registered-unions-1860-2007
Oh no, the incompetent and corrupt ones came back and yet membership stayed … steady. Bugger! Your narrative is blown to pieces, again.
Gypsy, Unions were damaged by The Contracts Act. They have strong Unions in Australia leading to better pay and conditions, as they did not join the spiral to the bottom we did. Some Unions were too dogmatic, but many Employers have been stung in Court for poor behaviour corrupt practice and failure to pay their employees properly. So neither group is covered in glory.
Just for balance.
Thanks. Yes there are ratbag employers all right. The real damage done to unions by the Employment Contracts Act was removing compulsion. By the '80's many kiwi's were sick of them
I wonder why Amazon sweatshop workers have just celebrated their first Union and the company went to such efforts to bust their organisation. Must be because Jeff Bezos is such a great guy and paying workers a living wage is a sin against Capitalism.
This isn't the 1970s any more gypsy.
No, it isn't. In NZ people are free to join unions or not, and that should have made unions do what any business would have had to do – become relevant again. I look at this logically and say if a declining % of workers (now only 16%) choose to join a union, (and the vast majority of those are not private sector workers), then they're really struggling.
The real damage; Was the removal of the larger industries and employers that had Unionised workforces. The 80’s and 90’s destruction. Shop assistants and others were never effectively Unionised. The employment contracts Act removal of most Unions ability to do much for their members, by the removal of rights, such as the rights to strike. Concerted efforts by employers to threaten and divide Union membership. And some decided they were getting the wages and conditions the Union members fought for, without paying Union dues. So they decided to bludge. No doubt to the later regret of many, as they saw their pay and conditions eroded.
I was there. I saw all this happening.
As I said. The same thing as changing a bus route so they can't run at times and to the stops people use. Then saying it "is a waste of time due to lack of patronage”.
In contrast to private sector Unions, in the State sector, where Unions in larger workplaces still retained power, the majority stayed in Unions.
"by the '80's many kiwi's were sick of them". Many of all three of your mates?
The decrease in wages and employees share of earnings since then, and indeed the current problems with safety, show that Unions are needed more than ever. ETU's success in Unionising and fighting against zero hour contracts and low wages, for fast food workers, is just one example.
If you are an employee, you have rights and working conditions won by Union militancy in the past. I'm sure you are not going to stick to your anti-Union "principles" and refuse them?
"by the '80's many kiwi's were sick of them". Many of all three of your mates?""
But in March 1981 about 50,000 people joined an anti-union march down Auckland’s Queen St. The ‘Kiwis Care’ march was organised by Tania Harris, a 22-year-old sales representative. Ticker tape flew from shop windows and a stereo shop blasted the national anthem. Some people openly wept.
Harris had tapped into public anger over a series of strikes that had stopped international flights, sailings of Cook Strait ferries, and beer deliveries. Many people believed unions wielded too much power and were wrecking the country. "
"If you are an employee, you have rights and working conditions won by Union militancy in the past. I'm sure you are not going to stick to your anti-Union "principles" and refuse them?"
Here's where you're confused. The rights and conditions secured by unions are decades old. I'll give up any benefits unions have achieved in, say, the past 30 years, if you give up any benefit the evil market economy you so dislike has delieverd to you.
Over 30 years since Unions had any power. Funny that.
You have just confirmed what I'm saying.
The need for Unions is greater than ever.
That people were taken in by the pervasive right wing media is not surprising. It is still fooling people like you, even long after the ill effects are obvious.
I bet you many of those, including Tania Harris, regretted that moment, of "Turkeys voting for Christmas" when the effects of the employment contracts act impoverished communities and put many if them out of work.
As for a recent success of Unions. I already mentioned ETU success with zero hours and fast food workers.
If the need for unions is greater than ever, more than a small minority of workers would join.
[Please check and correct your user name in the next comment, thanks]
Mod note
The State sector Unions are just getting long overdue pay rises in health.
Due to Unions.
Who said anything about disliking the Market economy?
RWNJ’s love their strawman arguments.
"If the need for unions is greater than ever, more than a small minority of workers would join".
It should be obvious. If you thought about it instead of endlessly repeating the same BS.
Union successes have been restricted to large national employers, Government departments or nationwide franchises. Funnily enough the same workplaces that still have the majority of employees Unionised. And where Unions such as ETU are gaining new members.
As is obvious, although the need for effective Unions is greater than ever, the laws in place are designed to make them as ineffective as possible, and discourage membership.
Part of a market economy is the right to withdraw your labour, or products, if the price you are getting is too low. The right to withdraw your products still exists. The right to withdraw labour (strike) is, in most circumstances since the ECA was enacted, illegal!
"It shou"ld be obvious."
Ok, essentially what you're arguing is that the ECA disempowered unions. I agree, as far as the introduction of freedom of association, but are you seriously arguing that right should be taken from employees?
Your arguments around the disempowerment of unions in other ways are without citation, and in at least one case highly questionable. You claim "The right to withdraw labour (strike) is, in most circumstances since the ECA was enacted, illegal!" Not according to Employment NZ:
"Strikes and lockouts are legitimate actions used by parties to advance their bargaining aims."
"To be a strike the action must be part of a combination, agreement, common understanding, or joint action made or done by the employees. Employees can do this action to try to make their employer give in to their demands. Employers can’t discriminate against employees for taking part in a lawful strike."
The article then goes on to describe "When employees can legally strike or be locked out". What the ECA (and it's subsequent amendments) seems to have done is to codify the requirements for striking, which is a good thing, surely. And something that remains in place through the past 30+ years, approximately half of which have been under Labour Governments.
Thanks for confirming what I said. The right to strike now only exists in limited circumstances. You gave the references yourself.
So limited, that it is impossible to use it to support workers in the same industry but other workplaces. Effectively the right to strike for better conditions, only exists in large workplaces. And the right for employees to Unionise, strike and support each other over a whole industry, preventing employers racing for the bottom is gone.
Destroying the ability of all but large single employer Unions to act for their members. Which was the intention of the ECA all along.
Labour Governments are not guiltless. The rot continued with the destructive 1984 Government that destroyed entire industries. After Muldoon destroyed boat and caravan building, amoungst others, so he could afford social welfare for sheep.
"The right to strike now only exists in limited circumstances."
I didn't confirm what you said. You didn't say 'limited circumstances'. You said 'very limited circumstances'. The circumstances under which workers can strike are not 'very limited', they are limited, and for very good reason. The reason 50,000 people marched down Queen Street in 1981 was becasue of "public anger over a series of strikes that had stopped international flights, sailings of Cook Strait ferries, and beer deliveries. Many people believed unions wielded too much power and were wrecking the country."
What good the unions had achieved in decades past was well and truly unravelled during those years.
Still carrying on with your bolloocks I see. How many in Unions then, compared with that ill advised and propaganda driven March. Driven by bull, just like the one by the Weta workshops, fools.
I've seen the effects of very limited rights to strike, from both sides of the table I may add.
And seen employers frequently, unilatarily and in bad faith, change conditions many times, knowing full well that employees can do buggerrall about it until the contract expires.
And don't bother telling me employees can sue for breach of contract.. Few employees or Unions have bottomless pockets.
It would be a very brave Union leader today, who would suggest striking outside the very limited occasions a strike is legal.
Even for safety reasons. Having to pay to justify the strike in court while being personally sued for an “illegal strike” has totally disempowered Unions on safety. Which is my point.
The abuse of power by employers since the ECA, makes the Cooks and Stewards look like pussies.
The right to strike is a human right, which like the right to protest shouldn't be removed by law.
"How many in Unions then, compared with that ill advised and propaganda driven March. "
The march was driven by sheer frustration and anger at the exploitative nature of union activity. People had come to see unions as petty and vindictive, and will skilled at abusing the power they held only because people were compelled to join them.
"The right to strike is a human right, which like the right to protest shouldn't be removed by law."
Freedom of association is a human right, that shouldn't be removed by law. Since that freedom was restored, the vast majority of workers have chosen to not join a union. Exercising that right has done more to reduce the power of striking than any reasonable limits imposed by the government.
Wondered when the other RW bullshit artist would pop up.
Maritime NZ is the prosecuting agency in this case but yes it might help do what the 2015 lawchange was intended to – show inescapable accountability from the top.
There are these miraculous things called links, Ad. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300593989/former-auckland-port-boss-denies-charges-in-relation-to-death-of-worker-crushed-by-container
Hang in there Albanese. Surely it's time.
Bake for Ukraine
If you are in South Auckland today make sure to visit the fundraising cake sale for Ukraine
Onehunga Market 10.am to 2.pm
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?
In Herne Bay, Seddon Fields, there's a group of toy dog owners who turn up early Saturdays and let their dogs shit and piss all over the sports fields. They've done it for so long they're all known to each other.
Within minutes of them leaving the dogs toilet aka sports fields everyone else begins to turn up as their kids play various contact sports there.
As there are clearly 'No Dogs on the Sports Fields' signs on the actual sports fields, one must conclude these are the people for whom the rules do not apply. If some bottom feeders kids get their face smeared in the residue of Pookies shit – such is life.
I posit these folk are also the people who loudly and proudly vote for law and order, and that arresting them would go a long way toward restoring everybody's faith in our fair system.
I'm involved with coaching at that football club (Western Springs) and I agree with you it sounds disgusting. The problem will be worse at the moment too because our artificial 'turf' fields are being replaced, and so all the games on being played on the grass fields.
Can you jut clarify for me, are you referring to Seddon Fields (which is in Western Springs) or our other ground Cox Bay (in Westmere)? I'll talk to the powers that be and see if something can be done.
Good call, it is in fact Coxs Bay. I should know the difference.
All good. I’ll talk to the club about it, but it’s also a Council issue. At my favourite dog walking locale (Taipari Strand) if you don’t pick up after your dog you get ‘reminded’ by one of the regulars!
They'll pick up after themselves, but the area they're using is clearly earmarked for sports. And if doggie wees or has wee runs… aww pookies!
Generalising here but: Actual walkers of dogs have dogs that have normally 'worked it out' before their owners hit the park. The ones turning up in cars to sling balls across the sports grounds with a plastic arm extension have the dogs that race out to relieve themselves, through no fault of the dog.
Again, the ‘No dogs on sports fields’ signage is clear.
It is, very clear. And there's ample walking space for dogs off the fields.
There are a lot of those about. We walk around Western Springs Park about 4 times a week and we regularly see people with dogs that are not on a leash. If you point out that it is not an off leash area you get abused or told that "I walk this dog here every day and we have no problems" as their little darling chases a nesting Pukeko into the lake.
It's a basic courtesy and public hygiene to pick up after your dog defecates anywhere outside your home.
Be useful to know if that is part of any council's responsible dog owner licence guidelines.
Whangarei. " Owners are legally responsible for cleaning up after their dogs on any property that’s not their own. This means carrying a plastic bag whenever you’re in public with your dog. Dog waste bags are available at Council offices or the Pound in Kioreroa Road. Failure to clean up after your dog could result in a $300 fine".
Thanks, that's pretty straightforward.
I can find a reference to it on Auckland Council's by searching your quote:
Penalty included under Problems with dogs and not mentioned under Dog owners' obligations. Feel it'd be useful to have there as well. Very few people consider their dog a problem.
May be a new daily game for the geo politicos here:
https://oec.world/en/tradle/
The role of Party politics has been questioned (https://thestandard.org.nz/the-time-that-roger-douglas-was-right/)
The answer appears in the sidebar
"The public’s attitude to death, taxes and Climate Change is remarkably consistent. Everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die, pay more, or give up their SUV.
The trick of successful democratic government in times of global warming, pestilence, war – and rampant inflation – is to convey the impression of doing something while actually doing very little at all. The job of the politician, when you boil it right down, is to keep the lights on and the ATMs working. If not forever, then until well past the next election."
https://bowalleyroad.blogspot.com/2022/05/blah-blah-blah-is-that-all-there-is.html
Thank you, but not quite seeing it.
Politicians don’t make promises and they don’t promise anything.
At best, they’re Party spokespeople or figureheads speaking on behalf (or out of tune) of the Party from the Party Manifest or Policy, but never ever in a personal capacity from their own list. They are not representatives of the people or voters but carefully controlled speaking tubes for their Parties. Which is why so many 'promises' are empty & hollow and get so easily broken (and forgotten, except as troll fodder and as gotcha bait).
We never see that which we dont desire to see.
Political parties are means to an end….those that succeed in such an environment are those who succeed in such an environment.
I had no desire to read BR, but I did. I couldn’t see any mention of political parties
There sure is high demand today for mindreading by online osmosis and talking in riddles – clarity is not just a state of mind but also a skill and virtue.
it must be contagious…you appear to be infected.
Yup, my test result was off the scale and I’ve given up on elimination and instead try contain the risk of transmission to unwitting hapless souls.
too late…its an epidemic
I’m learning to live with it, but I don’t want to …
lifes like that
Sometimes, I don’t like life as we know it.
snap
Whilst globally we have a rerun of the 70's,it does not mean we should have 1984 to look forward to.
https://twitter.com/loffredojeremy/status/1527521228688445442
It's a brave new world.
I found it obvious.
Comprehension is a volatile..beast.
[TheStandard: A moderator moved this comment to Open Mike as being off topic or irrelevant in the post it was made in. Be more careful in future.]
In Oz rampant poverty, or fear of other voters (sometimes causation is difficult to identify) is causing millions to vote early, or by mail, rather than admit they cannot afford a sausage.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/democracy-sausage-under-threat-as-millions-vote-early-20220516-p5almq.html
'everything in moderation…even..moderation'!
Please inform the almighty…this IS open ..mike!
Once upon a time, there were brothers called Arvirigas (of the green spear) and Caratacus (of the orange spear).
Today they are called Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party.
In the Easter Agreement back in 1998 it was decided that the number 1 and number 2 parties would determine a government in Ulster – if not there would be direct rule from London. Normally DUP have been No 1 and someone more moderate than Sinn Fein has been No 2. Now Sinn Fein is No 1 and DUP is No 2.
Sinn Fein are Irish nationalists and want things like a referendum – which is why their deputy has gone to Edinburgh to talk to the SN leader in Scotland.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-61528442
The DUP would rather have direct rule from London than have such a referendum (and not wanting to legitimise Sinn Fein with a role in Ulster administration is just a bonus.
However both the EU and the USA have a few concerns about what is going on.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61515205
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-61521540
Some American Bishops have made their intentions clear – those who publicly support abortion rights will be denied communion.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/20/pelosi-abortion-archbishop-communion/
The SCOTUS leak has led states to reveal their post Roe v Wade plans.
Oklahoma
From fertilisation – thus allows the so called post sex MAP/contraception that prevents fertilisation.
The pregnant woman is not the legal target of the law. Those who help facilitate one for her, as well as those performing the action are liable.
Medical intervention on health grounds is allowed
It allows abortion in the case of pregnancy resulting from reported sexual crime
It does not determine, or otherwise, a position on in vitro
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/05/19/oklahoma-abortion-ban-fertilization/
Poots' global Holodomor.
https://twitter.com/TelegraphWorld/status/1527658413634768897