What a vile dirtbag. Just being in proximity is enough to put a target on you. They must need the money for more lawyers cos people say mean things about her.
There will be lots more of this. Faced with a systemic threat (climate change), the wealthy will frantically protect what they have by attempting to shift costs – either onto other citizens through lawsuits or onto the taxpayer. There will be no sense of collectively confronting the problem by everyone taking a hit in proportion to their ability to do so. Expect ugly sh*tfights all over the place.
Noithing to do with climate change, if you knew anything about those cliffs you would know that they have been eroding into the sea for millennia because they are young shitty soils with hardly any rock or consolidated material in them.
Still doesn’t stop Collins being a self-entitled arse of the first order, i’m surprised she hasn’t started a GoFundMe page like that other dickhead of the week Folau.
I get pissed off with stupidity that equates almost everything that happens anywhere with climate change, it is dog whistling idiocy.
Come on Adrian – climate change will result in more extreme weather events, and more prolonged. Falling cliffs in Nelson are both a result of the geology you refer to, badly controlled stormwater using gravity to clear it instead of piping it properly, and the undermining that has caused and then the ground being saturated by rivers of it going down the cliffs when there are weather bombs.
So save your ire, bottle it and produce a nice drop of something called Adrian's Piss or some more amusing name, that gets given to everybody who comes to the news who is doing good CC stuff in your opinion! It would be a good way of catching people's attention to what is needed and what is being done by forward-looking people like yourself.
A letter writer in the DomPost this morning tells of Simon Bridges visiting Karori Primary school, and in response to a question on Climate Change "you kids don't need to worry about it"
The letter writer then goes to say what a lack of leadership this showed.
The 5th column yesterday was trying to take away NZ's Added Value of the top world cup cricket game yesterday, by making it all about our sides so called 'cheating' of the match, in what was widely seen as the best cricket game so far (probably before the NZ Bangladesh game) and which saw NZ back atop the cricket world cup table again.
And "yesterday" it was the ANZ former boss being reimbursed $3.35MILLION in 8 years expenses. Who can spend that amount over the period ? And from my experience the board would be signing these expenses off i.e. They were in full knowledge of these.
With NZHerald fascination with Key junior (I will not for taste add links).
Re Cricket- if the keeper did not know has was someone 20+meters away to know ?? There are some sour miserable people out there. Life has enough problems, we need to "Always look on the Bright Side of Life …."
I wish the fatuous little man-child had done that. He would have been torn limb from limb (metaphorically speaking). With luck this comment will accelerate the creeping sense of shame that people now feel about the mad years of Key-idolatry.
Perhaps. Actually what he would have been doing would have been to implement the 2014 Labour Party Policy on having a new flag. The said that they would consult with experts on the form of the new flag but they didn't allow for the possibility of having a referendum on the matter. There was going to be a new flag.
Of course they got slaughtered in the election that year so perhaps that was the reason.
You just don't want to remember the truth. Mind you, as soon as Angry Andy got into the top job he quickly rewrote history and pretended it had never been their policy.
The same way as Grant and Whats-her-name have done over their promises about not increasing taxes. Or Phil and the 100,000 affordable houses. The billion trees. Or the claim they were going to improve the health system. and so on and on and on and on. b*s the lot.
The New Zealand Flag
Labour will: review the design of the New Zealand flag involving flag design experts and with full public consultation and involvement.
We believe that the time has come for a change and it is right for the issue to be put to the public. We would however support the ability of the RSA and similar organisations to continue to fly the current flag if they so wish. New Zealand changed its national anthem from ‘God Save the Queen’ on a gradual, optional basis and that process worked.
True, they didn't stipulate "referendum". But nor did they say it was a done deal, or that it would only be left up to the review panel to make the call. They stated their position and said the issue should be put to the public.
How would you describe someone who, before the election states that ""There will be no new taxes or levies introduced in our first term of government beyond those we have already announced."
And then increases the rates of those taxes that already exist, justifying this by such statements as "but that isn't a tax, it's a levy" or "It wasn't a new tax, it is just an increase in an existing one".
I suppose you wouldn't even call those half-truths would you. When they are statements by your mates they are all completely above board?
I would call them lies but I was brought up rather more honestly than the idiots in our Government.
So John Key in hindsight wishes he had been more like Donald Trump and ruled us more dictatorially, and imposed his commercially approved tramp stamp on us, against our will, whether we liked it or not.
National flag: Former PM John Key would now bypass referendum and just choose new ensign
Changing the flag was not a progressive Left movement but a Right Wing one.
Changing the flag was a Right Wing initiative springing from the business community, the Auckland Chamber Of Commerce, the Business Round Table, and the ACT Party alongside all the other right wing neo-liberal free trade supporters wanting to suck up to Chinese and other big trading powers who might be suspicious that we harboured some secret hidden links to that old defunct trading monopoly known as the British Empire.
A historic reminder of a history the Right want to keep hidden
Against John Key and business community's wishes we chose to retain the current flag, along with its symbol of the British Empire on it.
One of the reasons for keeping this historic reminder of our colonial past, at least for Maori, was that the Treaty of Waitangi had been signed with the political representatives of the British Crown, Maori were uneasy that removing that historic symbolism would weaken that constitutional link. (Every depiction of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi the Union Jack is highly visible.) Antipathy to the Treaty signed between the British Empire and Maori as equals, which white supremacists like Hobson's Pledge take as a personal affront may well have been another motivating factor for the Right's move to abolish the current flag
So despite living in what we like to think is an independent modern republic we still carry the symbol of our historical colonial servitude.
Long may it remain so. As a reminder that the money men who wanted to change our flag, were motivated by a venal desire to sell us into new subservient relationship to big foreign trading and commercial interests.
From Imperial Ensign to National Flag
The current New Zealand flag, as well as the Australian national flag, were first designed as a naval ensigns to distinguish colonial vessels in maneuvers with the British navy. (The reason they look so alike is that for practical purposes the British navy did not need to know exactly what colony these ships were from, just that they were from the colonies.)
In all major land and naval engagements in the First and Second Word Wars New Zealand fought under the Union Jack. The one recorded exception was in the battle of the River Plate, where before the commencement of battle junior officers on the Achilles retrieved the New Zealand Ensign from the signals cupboard and flew it from the ship's mast.
The Rebel Flag
The New Zealand ensign, despite all its colonial and imperial baggage is a rebel flag. For most of the 20th Century the official flag of New Zealand was the Union Jack just as the official anthem was God Save The Queen. It was only when Britain entered the European Union and abandoned New Zealand as a favoured trading partner our passive aggressive response was to (finally), officially drop the Union Jack as our nation's flag and replace it with New Zealand Ensign.
We already have another flag
It was notable that during the flag debate the business community were able to get their, (unofficial and unloved), flag flown from the Auckland Harbour Bridge for a full month. Where as the officially recognised indigenous flag the Tino Rangatiratanga flag is only allowed to b flown there for one day a year.
I can't wait for the day when we proudly fly both flags from the Auckland Habour Bridge all year.
It's the right thing to do.
We should be like Bolivia, which has two flags of equal rank, the indigenous Wiphala flag, and the flag of the republic of Bolivia.
So, Nicky Hager's attempt to smear the reputation of NZ soldiers has collapsed. Turns out there were not only insurgents but insurgent leaders on a catch/kill list present in the village at the time of the firefight. It turns out that Hager was pushing for rapid publication of the book even as his co-author was investigating contradictory information. This puts Hager squarely into the category of propagandist rather than journalist. I wonder if the left will repudiate one of their most favoured sons.
So you have evidence that civilians were not killed then? As Hager says the new information straight from the Taliban confirms that civilians were killed.
And if you’re going to call out others for being propagandists, best to have a watertight grasp of the facts first.
Civilian deaths in war are both inevitable and, when taking place within legally defined rules of engagement, entirely within the laws of war. War sucks, to be sure, but it does not follow that soldiers who unfortunately kill civilians in the course of their duties are guilty of any crime at all.
It is inevitable that civilians will be put at risk when wanted insurgent leaders hide amongst them. War is terrible and these outcomes are an inevitable consequence of counterinsurgency.
Well, no, a "faulty gunsight" killing someone isn't "inevitable". If it's a realistic danger, you assume it has happened. That's why weapons get pointed in safe directions, even if you think they are unloaded or on "safe". So someone fucked up there.
Killing an unarmed person with a rifle isn't "inevitable".
Firing rockets at a village isn't "inevitable".
Killing or injuring 20-odd civilians to hit maybe, maybe, one "insurgent" isn't "inevitable".
But at least an RPG and an AK47 were captured. Drastically limited the number of Taliban weapons in the country, that did.
…it does not follow that soldiers who unfortunately kill civilians in the course of their duties are guilty of any crime at all.
Depends, doesn't it? That's why you have investigations – you know, like the one we're having now. And, of course, Hager and Stephenson wouldn't have had to write a book about it if there'd been a proper investigation in the first place, rather than something conducted by the organisation that killed the civilians.
Still, nice of right-wingers to highlight their views on it being fine to kill civilians as long as it's our side doing it. Lots of wannabe Reinhard Heidrich's out there, obviously, so that's good to know.
Well, aptly named Psycho, you are guilty of using a straw man fallacy there. I never said it was "fine" to kill civilians. I merely said it happens in the terrible fog of war and it is not a criminal act when it happens within legally defined rules of engagement. But if it makes you feel better to put words in the mouths of others and to then argue with those self-placed words, that is "fine" with me.
"catch/kill list" – is a fallacious and illegal construct.
fustercluck – please explain why anyone pursuing such activity in Afghanistan is not just a plain old criminal – differentiated by law from those they seek – how ?
Hmm, lemme get this straight. Hagar didn't have all the information upon time of writing – thus is dishonest?
As the two writers disagreed on publication date due to emerging information, Hager is 'making stuff up' (propagandist, dishonest?).
If you'd ever done a piece of non-fiction writing in your life (I see no evidence to support this) you'd know that you can keep rewriting forever and publish nothing, or, at some point, present what you have to date. It's not an easy jump off point. Hager has previously published, and won awards for it, and he made a call.
I see no evidence of deliberate misleading or obfuscation of any truths. I see no evidence of spin (except the media). I'd much rather hear from the Judges ruling and also Hager's take of this emerging evidence. You will find he's quite ready to take on facts, unlike some.
If there wasn't a side of society that is morally bankrupt we wouldn't need reporters like Hagar that put themselves in the firing line of powerful entities and a general public with a large proportion composed of petty little pissants like yourself who just want ammo to slag off anyone they percieve as left.
But your pitiful pissy sore picking pedantry is merely an echo of beloved leader Simon, he of the moral outrage, the sound bite, the dribble. Facts? Not so much.
I think there is abundant evidence, just on the face of the matter, that Hager accepted a version of events from the villagers that was potentially self-serving and overtly damning of NZDF without fully exploring alternative scenarios. There are many, many conflicting motivations that are obvious to anyone with a passing familiarity of the complex nature of the region. Why were these not fully explored before rushing to publication? A reporter must treat every witness with scepticism, even those for whom they feel great sympathy. Hager failed in this regard and thus reveals himself to be more of a propagandist than a credible journalist.
"It can’t have been easy for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and their political leaders to deny the results of a botched military intervention in which 21 civilians were killed or wounded. The task becomes next to impossible in the face of testimonies from survivors and witnesses and the local government documents listing the names of the killed and wounded. When such evidence is fact-checked against the known coordinates and timeline of the operation, only one conclusion seems plausible: the official deniers inhabit an alternative world beyond the reach of inquiry, research, proof, disproof and argumentation."
The USA has already suggested a faulty gunsight on an attack helicopter could have contributed to the outcome. When you consider that these machines fire an abundance of explosive 30mm rounds, the terrible toll on civilian life is not too difficult to understand. The implication of the public understanding of the Hager narrative is that NZDF forces were directly, personally responsible for shooting these civilians. This was never, ever supported by facts, even in the earlier versions of the story. I think that one problem is the fact that most NZers do not know anyone in the military and thus find it easy to accept the murderous cowboy narrative offered up by Hager, et al. I suggest, Bleep, that you take the time to get to know some officers and enlisted personnel who actually put on battle rattle and go into harms way on our behalf. I think the experience would be edifying.
I have several members of family in the military, some quite high up.
You make all sorts of assumptions in your statements.
"the terrible toll on civilian life is not too difficult to understand"
Actually, it is. And admitting mistakes is orders of magnitude more acceptable than denying everything. Was it a vendetta? That's for the judge to decide.
I certainly did make assumptions, Bleep. And I do not believe you about family in the military. A conversation with somebody "high up" would have cleared up your mistaken perceptions long ago. And it appears there was a military inquiry shortly after the event as is the case with every incident like this and it further appears that the side of the story put forward by the military holds water. But the judge will definitely make a decision.
When you consider that these machines fire an abundance of explosive 30mm rounds, the terrible toll on civilian life is not too difficult to understand.
Let's phrase that another way: when you consider that these machines fire an abundance of explosive 30mm rounds, the evil inherent in firing them at people's houses, or at unidentified people in the neighbourhood, becomes very obvious.
Hager narrative is that NZDF forces were directly, personally responsible for shooting these civilians.
In that case, you'll be able to quote the passages where he does that. Regardless, the Defence Force seems to have admitted that one unarmed man was shot by a SAS sniper, and the helicopter fire support was there to support an SAS operation at their direction, so there's no weaseling out of the responsibility.
You really should acquaint yourself with the international laws of warfare. War is ugly and dangerous and shooting at a village harbouring insurgents is not outside those laws. Perhaps the inquiry should focus on the politicians who send our soldiers into harm's way and who define the rules of engagement for them. I'd support that!
The laws of war have no bearing on the evil inherent in directing automatic cannon fire at civilians' houses, or at unidentified people in the surrounding area.
That said, the NZDF clearly doesn't share your confidence about it being entirely legal to kill or injure civilians if you have intelligence that there's likely to be an enemy combatant or two in the area. If they did share your confidence, they wouldn't have lied about it and tried to cover it up.
Hey WtB better use a spellcheck before you press submit ie to check if you are under some nasties' evil spell! While is is interesting to read lprent's latest creation of invective I we wouldn't want your excellent input to be lost or marred by concentration on your sometimes vivid expressions.
Enough Scot muppet to knock the tops off some sock puppets.
I really admire Frankie, not just for his skills in audience interactions, but the way he can bring the funny to darkly depressing current events, while never shying from them.
Obviously I need my own style in all this. The writings coming along really well, and Frankie’s certainly helped me to see that nothing is a sacred cow if approached deftly.
How do you know it was self-serving – what have you ever gone out in the field and researched? And how long were they collecting evidence and putting the book together; not 'rushing to publication'?
This sounds like pontification from an armchair windbag. "A reporter must treat every witness with scepticism, even those for whom they feel great sympathy."
Turns out that fc's bizarre attempt to smear Nicky Hager has just collapsed. Because the latest revelations from Stephenson don't contradict the central thesis of the book – that (only) civilians were killed and the NZDF lied about it. I wonder if the RW troll community will now repudiate fc for a lousy, shallow effort?
It seems the " central thesis" is a movable feast. My understanding of the story is that the killings were unjustified/unlawful and that NZDF lied about it. Now it is revealed that the firefight was justified by the presence of not only combatants but specifically targeted leaders in the village. Now the "central thesis" narrows. But the unfortunate death of civilians in legally prosecuted warfare, i.e., within legally defined rules of engagement, is in no way a crime. So what is the book about then?
fuster; were the "combatants" and "specifically targeted leaders" in the village at the time the guns began to blaze, or had they already left, do you think?
Money from the book and a agenda follow. I agree with all your comments. The fact that Hager believed the villagers rather than the NZ forces shows up his agenda. The WTB bollocks comment about using the information you have at the time should have read “information I want to believe “ Hager’s CALL to publish was based on testimonies from people that may have had their own agenda to follow. He is either very naive or a slimy turd. I’ll leave everyone to choose which one.
It's nice to see you RW bring seconds onto TS when duelling – that's an old tradition I believe. And it's important for you to hold onto old traditions because you feel helpless and agitated when faced with the new. Admit it New view.
And when people like Oldview and festereggs get rotten eggs thrown at them, having two makes a wide target hard to miss. Expose' are so annoying aren't they hennypenny and cause RW to run in circles squawking.
So US+NZDF attacked a village that did have insurgents in it (for given values of "in" and "did"), but managed to only kill civilians and caught nobody? And then lied about it?
Now it is revealed that the firefight was justified by the presence of not only combatants but specifically targeted leaders in the village.
What did this "firefight" consist of? The interview with the Taliban leaders who were being sought suggests they promptly buggered off without firing a shot, once they realised their opponents had air support. Was there any return fire at all? Certainly it sounds like there couldn't have been any that didn't come from local citizens defending their property against armed intruders.
Good to see Mike Hoskins pick up another radio award, obviously big following out there in general public but also respect from his peers Barry Soper also best journalist
LOL. It's yet another self serving award. Industry insiders vote for their favorite industry insider. Similar to many other meaningless accolades people adorn themselves with. Sir, Dame…
I love these TS games. Connect the plots – which previous comment is a new one directed at? 6.2 at 10.10 am so must have arisen from #6 at 8.43 am. Is that right? Do I get the chocolate fish? Any idiot who understands the system could follow that I hear you say. But I speak up for all idiots who might want to come here and follow the wit and wonder of TS comment (unique in the world – and that is irrefutable so don't take the mickey).
Yes, it shows NZ broadcasting standards descent into the abyss is almost complete, and thus new media will provide the only serious news to be had. Mission accomplished for the haters and wreckers.
AOC grasp of history is certainly limited, probably up there with Trumps To be fair her grasp of anything is limited beyond possibly making cocktails and pouring a beer Even she denies she was linking to Nazi concentration camps when called out, yet used the well understood phrase never again in her rant, she really needs to engage what little grey matter she has before she opens her mouth
Obviously different. Auschwitz had bunk beds, and soap.
“a place where large numbers of people (such as prisoners of war, political prisoners, refugees, or the members of an ethnic or religious minority) are detained or confined under armed guard”
👍 Now don’t be nasty Bleeps or you will have to get that apology thing going again Go talk to your PhD friends, or those high up in the nz army or maybe just plant a few kumeras, I see that’s your occupation
Moderators might note the deliberate provocation from bewildered that has carried on for a while now after voicing quite succinctly I care not for his opinion.
Thinks it’s funny to pick up on any old personal detail and turn it into a MAGA-esque sound bite to repeat over and over – cos you know, full of great ideas himself.
While I need to ignore it, he needs to back the fuck off.
Hey bleep maybe read your responses, your the one who decided to personalise the comment trail ( see 7.1.1)Self awareness not a strong point eh!, likewise you want to play games not my fault you provide so much silly material to work with , but I still forgive you 😊
No you don't. Take a look at what you said about AOC.
A disrespectful misogynist piece of crap comment that deserved a slam.
" limited beyond possibly making cocktails and pouring a beer"
And I'm talking you stalking my comments for a wee while now to jump in with nothing but stupid childish shit. Your contributions are about as useful as the spellcheck.
AOC is a notorious air head I have a right to say as such when she makes and outlandish claim , if you want to defend her by having a crack at me no drama but don’t be weepy bleepy when I have a crack back, and yes I still forgive you 😊 Now stop you are boring me
Although the first example of civilian internment may date as far back as the 1830s, The English term concentration camp was first used in order to refer to the reconcentrados (reconcentration camps) set up by the Spanish military in Cuba during the Ten Years' War (1868–78). The term saw wider use around the Second Boer War (1899–1902), when the British operated such camps in South Africa for interning Boers.
He came to the same conclusions as his predecessors as well: to win Cuba back for Spain, he would have to separate the rebels from the civilians by putting the latter in safe havens, protected by loyal Spanish troops. By the end of 1897, General Weyler had divided the long island of Cuba in different sectors and relocated more than 300,000 into areas nearby cities. Weyler learned that tactic from studying General William Tecumseh Sherman's campaign[7] while he was assigned to the post of military attaché in the Spanish embassy in Washington D.C.[8]
an assymmetric warfare environment where the opposing force gains support from the local population;
A strong bureaucratic structure in your own forces;
a political environment that shies away from mass slaughter of civilians, at least initially, but that can be persuaded to overlook less overt crimes against "deserving" populations.
And it's a tactic that evolved. ISTR the British used a similar tactic to isolate and deprive Malayan insurgents of logistic saupport and recruits, but without the mass death. But feeding the internees was a prime priority as part of the "hearts and minds" concept, not just relocation. And the yanks totally clusterfucked the concept in Vietnam. Which is odd, given that they had Grant to study.
It is not wise to build structures on steep hills in New Zealand. Nor is it wise to build or buy houses beneath steep hills.
I do not know if City Councils are aware, but most New Zealanders know that the NZ landscape consists of mud. Give it enough rain and it becomes a nightmare.
……But with the Government’s Zero Carbon Bill announced last month – which sets a target of zero net emissions by 2050 – the coal mining exploration permit is being criticised as a contradiction.
Time we put an end to this
Cindy Baxter of Coal Action Network Aotearoa said it was "extraordinary" that with the Zero Carbon Bill in Parliament, "miners are continuing to just dig up coal and the likes of Fonterra will use it to dry milk".
Hardly a contradiction or “extraordinary” The sole purpose of the Zero Carbon Act (by 2050) is to continue business as usual in the present.. And prevent any disruption to the fossil fuel industry
Why the permit was granted
When asked why the coal exploration permit was granted, LINZ Minister Eugenie Sage told Newshub: "LINZ made the decision to grant the access agreement in line with the laws as they stand."
She said coal mining has occurred in the Rotowaro area "for some years"…..
The much celebrated, at the time Zero, Carbon Act, (now mostly forgotten and hardly ever mentioned) is the major law which Eugenie Sage mentions that this decision is in line with.
And as for coal mining has occurred in the Rotowaro area for some years
So what?
Slavery occurred for some years too.
The Green Party in government need to better than this
The much celebrated, at the time Zero, Carbon Act, (now mostly forgotten and hardly ever mentioned) is the major law which Eugenie Sage mentions that this decision is in line with.
Where does she say this? Not in the article you link to. Stop telling lies.
I never said that Sage said that. Sage said that this decision is line with the laws as they stand.
I said, that the Zero Carbon Act is the major law which permits continued new coal mining. The Zero Carbon Act permits the increase of every other type of fossil fuel pollution, containing not one single measure to rein in fossil fuel expansion and development.
Look you stupid cow i have quoted you. It was a cut and paste from your immediately prior post. Stop telling lies about telling lies. For fucks sake it is right there above for you.
[lprent: Look you fuckwit – we can’t help that you have teeny weeny small genitals and are ashamed of them. Sure your pathetic hand-wringing are incapable of raising more than a gooey mess rather than pleasure. But that really isn’t the point is it.
Calm it down a bit or I will start really start to help you out with the personal insults (before I boot you off the site). The idea is to deal with the points and make the insults related to that rather than going full-on personal. ]
Such sexism. It is why female humans often like to have pseudos.
They may deserve to be called cows but not as a first line of name-calling. Anyway now we are being told to respect animals as often more sentient beings than we are, I am having trouble choosing suitable denigrations, what about rabid dog. That's scary, but not nice cows they rarely hurt or kill anybody and are just very agreeable and helpful to human kind. Here's an award for Jersey cows and their curious faces and long eyelashes.
But mosquitoes I hate them, no mercy. Whine, whine.
"Look you fuckwit – we can’t help that you have teeny weeny small genitals and are ashamed of them. Sure your pathetic hand-wringing are incapable of raising more than a gooey mess rather than pleasure……..Calm it down a bit or I will start continue really start continue to help you out with the personal insults"
Thanks for reminding me where the line is lprent. I agree i could have shown better restraint. It is hard for me to understand how this poster has such a poor understanding of an issue she has put so much time into commenting on. This is an issue that i have large chunks of my life invested in and it is hard to be tolerant of those who only wish to criticize.
I will take a couple of days of self imposed ban. Thanks heaps for what you do in providing this site.
Proper climate change legislation would stop all new fossil fuel projects.
Or at the very least, load a cost on them, that made them less likely.
And coal is the most dangerous of all the fossil fuels.
from the Newshub article:
Failing to deliver
Coal is the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel, according to Coal Action Network. Its website describes: "Of the fossil fuels left in the ground and available to burn, 79 percent of the global warming potential is from coal."
As James Hansen has said, “If we can’t stop coal it is all over for the climate”
We are living in deadly times for the bio-sphere. It is time we started acting like it.
Pacific island leaders have called for a global discussion on halting new coal mine construction in an effort to highlight their nations’ plight in the face of climate change.
The Suva declaration on climate change, issued this month, demands “a new global dialogue on the implementation of an international moratorium on the development and expansion of fossil fuel extracting industries, particularly the construction of new coal mines”….
Proper climate change legislation would stop all new fossil fuel projects.
Or at the very least, load a cost on them, that made them less likely.
NZ First wouldn't accept either of those proposals, which makes them untenable in the current Parliament. Even Labour is being tentative about taking stronger action because of the likely voter backlash. So, if you want to see these kind of policies enacted, persuade people to vote Green in 2020. You might want to gloss over the effects the policies would likely have on their lifestyle, though.
Roll out so much solar we don't notice we're not burning coal anymore?
A few billion spare bucks might be a good start.
Unless we are protecting shareholders. Those private folks with our power now in their pockets.
I can't imagine Chennai's industrialists making much money right now. Unless they own desalination plants. It's all interconnected and the more parts of the picture that turn away from destructive practice the better chance we have.
But solar is decentralised, could the so called movers and shakers (thwarters and rorters) actually give up power mongering in exchange for the planet?
Brigid the great lprent built this blog, with others, and spends hours of his own time maintaining it, and we only have it because he is a full-on guy at anything he does. So he gets exercised now and then when there is a persistent nasty carry-on that threatens to spread its smelly way throughout.
It's no use coming on and wringing your delicate little hands and trying to get us to be really nice. It can only be maintained for a while, and then clash. Maybe you should stick to the cookery blogs! Now that is going to make you annoyed also, at my patronising stance.
We're getting into the Jack Nicholson mode of confronting with 'You want the truth, you couldn't handle the truth'! And so many who come here, just can't and are like wet matches striking against others' opinions to produce such a pallid light that they can't see further than their next step. How is that for fanciful analogy. We, or I, like to read some ironic points as we go. Why don't you just join in looking to the ghastly future and thinking ways around it and help buoy each other up?
The polytechnic sector lost millions of dollars amid falling student enrolments last year, annual reports show. Of the 16 institutes of technology and polytechnics, 10 have confirmed that they made deficits in 2018.
The net result from the 13 annual reports published to date was a deficit for the sector of $34 million, a figure that would grow further after Whitireia, Weltec and Tai Poutini announced their results. The figures were in line with a Cabinet paper that last year warned the government 10 of the institutes were likely to make deficits in 2018 and seven were considered high financial risks.
Unitec in Auckland had the single largest net deficit in 2018, $29.5m, after full-time student numbers fell by about 500 students. However, the institute said improved property valuations reduced the overall deficit to $8.3m.
(This raises a practice that has evolved from neolib of not having education establishments as government provided but turning them to run as businesses, commercial enterprises with land and buildings valued, and business-style assessment as success being related to profit etc. This warps NZ public provision assessment and I think this also relates to hospitals being in great debt. This assessment system needs changing.)
This is what the Secretary-General of the OECD says – sounds practical and in touch with reality.
We are facing unprecedented challenges – social, economic and environmental – driven by accelerating globalisation and a faster rate of technological developments. At the same time, those forces are providing us with myriad new opportunities for human advancement.
The future is uncertain and we cannot predict it; but we need to be open and ready for it. The children entering education in 2018 will be young adults in 2030. Schools can prepare them for jobs that have not yet been created, for technologies that have not yet been invented, to solve problems that have not yet been anticipated.It will be a shared responsibility to seize opportunities and find solutions.
. Do you want to take part in OECD Education 2030? OECD Education 2030 welcomes countries and stakeholders to contribute to the project. If you are interested, please contact: education2030@oecd.org.
To find out more about the project, please visit our website at: oe.cd/education2030 Write to us
Directorate for Education and Skills-OECD 2 rue André Pascal – 75775 Paris Cedex 16-France
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NZ Herald says John Key regrets asking the public to vote on a new flag – now you can put for a replacement. Or something like. WTF trivia personified.
Not even good enough to wrap our precious fish and chips methinks. And National daleks chant – Diversion Diversion Diversion!
Oh thanks Drowsy M Kram – nice to meet someone on the same wavelength. I never realised when watching some of those farces in the past that they illustrate human events and thinking so well. I seem to remember just looking at that one that everything dispatched was to be Put In The Curry. I think that may be a phrase I will use FTTT now.
Edit:
She says ‘Now you know what’s wrong with the country’ when Mr Dalek exterminates another member of the ‘family’ the caged bird, and says to put it in the curry. Her reply, ‘Now you know what’s wrong with the curry’. I suggest we are getting further from the country and closer to the curry!
There's comments here on a not too infrequent basis threatening to execute persons. All hot air.
[lprent: Yeah, prove it or apologize. I think that you are simply lying. But I am always prepared to be proven wrong…
Find some that haven’t been moderated on a not too infrequent basis. I will accept no more than a month between them and not less than 3 instances. And within the last year.
Otherwise I ban you for 3 months tomorrow.
Threatening violence including executions is something that isn’t acceptable here. ]
Updated: As to being lazy – it isn’t a problem to me if you aren’t here for 3 months.
Or me Lyn, feel free to ban away, I’m not trawling back through all the other comments I’ve noted over the last few weeks – perhaps a background search on keywords would do the trick ?
I don’t own the blog. I operate it because I set it up for others and no-one competent has ever wanted to take it over. We fixed the ownership question back in 2010
Avocado thieving in the news again. The Police are at a loss as to how to catch them. We don't have the resources to patrol entire regions.
What could be done?
Well… only theoretically, the orchards may have unique genetic signatures to their trees (or not?).
If they do, we can identify said signatures and catch the stolen fruit wherever it might emerge.
If they don't ah well. The fact they're largely grown on Zaytuna rootstock grown from seedlings gives me hope that, even if the tops are cloned, unique DNA should be present/identifiable.
Wrote to industry, will find out soon enough the nature of genetic variance in our Avo industry.
Then we put a masters student on the job getting said genetic signatures.
Then we catch them thieves.
This will not catch hungry people taking a few for home use. It will catch the organised criminals (perhaps).
Similar to how genetics was used to prove the origins of whale meat in Japan.
Patrolling geese? They are very territorial and fierce.
Maybe drones could be of use here, just taking photos, and quietly tracking from above and following them home.
There was an article in the paper about the number of devices available under $100 to take photos of people which have been used by immature or twisted males to view females' intimate moments. Perhaps these cheap camera applications could be used for a virtuous use in flying cameras to avoid violent confrontations, shootings.
Can't shoot em, not in NZ there'd be hell to pay, and rightly so. Killing is a long cry from thieving, unless you are a MAGA magnate, then it's the logical next step.
They have all sorts of photos and footage of masked people, surveillance isn't working.
Guard geese are a great idea. They'll raise the alarm, but trying to catch crooks full of adrenaline is a very dangerous business. Cops pulled up on one and got rammed. Nasty fuckers.
One of my points is the drones following the thieves and plotting them on GPS of course, also somewhere along the way it could drop some identifiers on the vehicle that would be hard to wash off.
We have a problem that in NZ could parallel the mafia in Italy. They steal and blackmail so much that it prevents enterprise and the economy follows a style similar to that of NZ at present, some living high, their employees reasonably well, and a large group of a precariat. Once it becomes embedded it can't be changed. Judges who want to apply the law get shot.
Similar to a model I proposed to some drone companies to help police pursuits (tag em, back off, follow with drone & GPS).
Not sure if we're there yet… sound thinking again however. We will get there sooner or later. There's the drones range and speed to consider. But if we can GPS tag em, haha, nobody drives faster than a two-way radio. If we can tag without detection, game over crooks.
The DNA approach will totally mess their game up could hit every market in the country and still only need to run one (batchlot) test. They were here, these are legal, these are from there…
You could think you're good moving fruit the length of the country – wouldn't make a lick of difference. Dodgy restaurants etc would get caught, and there's plenty of them about – my old skipper had no problem flogging illegal crayfish in Auckland. They voraciously ate em up!
Just a thought – in the dark thieves wouldn't know one avo from another. Could GPS a few fakes in prime picking positions – computer picks up when they move…
Yep, thnx – that's them. They slaughtered "Can't Find My Way Home", but otherwise it's good to see there are still up and coming artists despite the pittances most are probably having to live on.
And even though I'm not particularly a fan of that "I'm "Old School" Jesse, it's good to see a commitment (at least) by RNZ to try and keep a few things alive – that's before he has to don his lycra and bike up the road for that travesty "The Projeck" of course.
I have Already given my opinion on volunteering euthanasia.
Electric vehicles A favorite topic of mine.
That was my thoughts pollies in Britain and America a sideshow Simon.
Ma te wa Simon in good time I say our Government will get some great incentives for our people to buy electric vehicles. Good on Meridian energy for change there fleets to EVs . I say a fee bait scheme would be nice gas guzzling cars subsidized the up take of EVs.
Very cool Russell your whare with solar green roof and EV. Kia kite ano
The Aviation industry needs to be chasing Electric Hybrid Planes not long flight gas guzzling beasts if you want to stay competitive in the Aviation industry this is what you have to do. The tide has turned everyone knows that Human Caused Climate Change is a REALITY so we are backing clean energy. With new technology Skype ect there is no need to fly to other destinations for big business meetings just use Skype and save money and our environment.
Electric planes herald new era for aviation at the Paris Air Show
The rise of hybrid and electric aircraft was on full display at the biannual aviation showcase, where startups competed with industry giants to show off technology that's more efficient and better for the environment than traditional designs.
The focus on electrically-propelled aircraft reflects a rush to develop urban flying taxis (coming soon) and longer range fully electric planes (coming later
According to the consultancy Roland Berger, the number of electric aircraft in development increased by roughly 50% over the past year to 170. The number could swell to 200 by the end of 2019
For one you should not be held accountable for someone else actions.
2nd I thought powercompanys can not refuse a service that is basic human right like water housings whare power in Aotearoa if that is not the case it should be.
I have dealt with the lines company when i was managing a farm in the King Country the bloody invoices are confusing for me let alone a Kuia trying to work it out .The Power suppliers and line company should work out a better system there are many other bad stories about bad customer servicers.
I don't think it's acceptable for other cultures to question and respect tangata whenua O Aotearoa to not use te reo Maori on the sports field or anywhere in Aotearoa it a national language.
There will always be some people who don't respect others.
With Te reo Maori culture that is what makes Aotearoa unique .
Eco Maori is going to get a ta moko of a Octopus riding a Whale ma te wa. Ka kite ano
I will let Bernie words speak for me thanks for having the —- to speak the TRUTH on this subject.
We must stop the US from going to war with Iran Trump campaigned on getting the US out of ‘endless wars’ – but his administration is taking us down a path that makes war more and more likely
We need to rethink our current approach. A war with Iran would be an absolute disaster. As former general Anthony Zinni has put it: “If you like Iraq and Afghanistan, you’ll love Iran.” If the US were to attack Iran, Iran could respond with attacks on US troops and on countries around the region. It would lead to the further destabilization of that region in a way that is unimaginable and would result in wars that would go on years and probably cost trillions of dollars
The Iran nuclear deal put Iran’s nuclear program under the most intense inspections regime in history. It got Iran to give up more than 98% of its stockpileof enriched uranium. Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign has reversed those gains. Iran recently announced that, in response to a year’s worth of increased US sanctions, it would increase its stockpile of enriched uranium beyond the limits imposed by the nuclear deal. Bizarrely, Trump is now warning Iran not to violate an agreement his administration violated over a year ago.
want to be clear on this: Iran pursues many bad policies. It violently represses its own population and supports extremist groups around the region. The same could be said of our longtime partner Saudi Arabia. We need to take a more even-handed approach to the Middle East, and not simply support one side against another in a regional conflict. The US is strong enough to deal with these issues diplomatically, working with allies around the world, and that is what we should be doing. We must not fight another unnecessary war.
Bernie Sanders is a US senator from Vermont and a candidate for president Ka kite ano link below.
I had a sore face when I seen this story about people or the youth growing horns or unusually bone growth because of Cellphone use.
I also laughed A similarly accusation about Cellphone causing cancer I will put a link to this story that points that RF radio frequency does not having enough power in cellphones to break down one's DNA as that is what causes cancer .
I put it down to a group of people losing control of the Papatuanuku to our technology industry's.
Are young people growing horns because of mobile phones? Not so fast
Mobile phones probably aren’t turning young people into literal demons from hell just yet
People are strange about mobile phones. On the one hand, we can’t live without them. A modern existence is almost entirely reliant on the ability to at all times be connected to virtually every person alive today, which if you think about it is pretty cool. On the other hand, we are constantly terrified that our technological advances are going to kill us all, because nothing is scarier than a risk that we don’t understand. People who’ll happily get into a car despite the ever-present risk of a crash will spend enormous amounts of time and energy avoiding wifi and 5G, even though there is a great deal of evidence that they are safe for human health.
As a species, we’re pretty scared of the unknown
The study also had some worrying problems. As a number of people on Twitter pointed out, the data in the study directly contradicted itself, showing in a graph that men had fewer enlarged EOPs than women but saying in the text that they had more. There were also a number of minor numerical errors – calling the young group 18-29s in one place and 18-30s in another – and a somewhat problematic method of sampling. In fact, the top comment on the paper in the online journal asks how it got through peer-review in the first place, implying that it probably shouldn’t have been published at all. While all of these errors may not be the fault of the authors – the journal editors might be to blame – it makes it much harder to trust the results as reported
Condolences to the people who lost family in the skydiving plane crash in Hawaii.
That's was good of the Auckland council gave the public a fear free Sunday to raise the awareness of public transport .
There you go another story attacking digital devices were is the pair review of this claim of a spike in tamariki short sighted problems you know i can count the number of attacks on the technology industry the oil barons money is at play once again. Ka kite ano
Its sad those 2 hapu can't get along and work together to raise their mokopuna up to their highest rung on their ladders of life.
Ka pai to the Auckland City Council for investigating a way to counteract the discrimination of Maori and Pacific Business i knew what that was like I have tried a few business but failed Eco Maori does not give up thought I will secede .
We had a good sports weekend I have a sore face from watching the stars. It's is very cool that the respect for Tangata whenua O Aotearoa Cultural is showing I knew that the stars could get their mana back with great coaching.
I am quite glad that there is a new found respect for tangata whenua O Aotearoa.
Now we need to have trust that we are not fools and can have a very positive inputs into social policy aimed to reduce Maori un equality. Like I have stated before for the correct care to be given there has to be Aroha not loathing or looking down one's nose. There needs to be a understanding of the culture and circumstance for the situation that is being reviewed.
Back in the 1980s, two Labour Government ministers — Anne Hercus (Social Welfare) and Koro Wetere (Māori Affairs) — agreed that it was time that Māori began to have a fair go in the social welfare system. So they set up a high-powered group to look into what was going on, and to report back with their findings and answers.
John Rangihau, a Ngāi Tūhoe leader and a formidable figure in New Zealand education, was the chair. And the other members were Emarina Manuel, Donna Hall (who was a young solicitor with the Department of Social Welfare at the time), Hori Brennan, Peter Boag, John Grant — and Neville Baker, who was then head of community affairs at the Department of Māori Affairs.
They presented their report in 1988. It was called Pūao-te-Āta-tū, “heralding the light of the new dawn.” And it was praised for its thorough research, its insights, and its sheer common sense.
There was a feeling that this would bring about a revolution in social welfare, especially because of a long-absent but newfound respect for Māori values and Māori knowledge being embraced within the system
No. The situation today is no different from what we found 30-odd years ago.
It’s a recurrence of the mistake that government departments keep making — and it’s not just with Oranga Tamariki. It’s the belief among social service officials that they don’t need support or advice from our people
It’s also clear that, for 100 years now, Māori have been the most incarcerated people in the corrections system. We’ve been the most prominent people in the social welfare system as well
What particularly bugs me is that Roger Douglas and Richard Prebble decided to do away with trades training because, so they argued, it was too expensive
I think you’re right. It’s been evident in this recent Oranga Tamariki situation that a number of our people working in that organisation have become distanced from who they are as Māori people. They forget who they are and where they’ve been brought up. Instead, once they go into a bureaucracy, they start following the bureaucracy’s rules
With KIWIs built at least our new government is trying to fix our housing shortage the last lot just ignored the short rubbing there hands together.
The insurance industry is all about there profits just like the banks the fine print in policy is very confusing and that small a print it hard to read .
Wellington most vaunrable are going to get new Whare very good as most of them will be Maori Whare are near impossible to rent now days
Wharekahika is getting it rightfully place as the name of Hicks bay very cool.
It awesome that the Council elections is going to include more inputs from Te Arawa.
Cool that Te Tai Tokerau is rasing the profile of there te reo awesome.
The Mayan people are rising the awareness of their plight and championing their language to have more people using it ka pai these other indigenous cultures airing their concerns on Aotearoa Maori tv te ao Maori news.
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 ...
TL;DR: In today’s ‘six-stack’ of substacks at 6.06pm on Tuesday, March 19:Kāinga Ora’s dry rot The Spinoff DailyBill McKibben on ‘Climate Superfunds’ making Big Oil pay for climate damage The Crucial YearsPreston Mui on returning to 1980s-style productivity growth NoahpinionAndy Boenau on NIMBYs needing unusual bedfellows Urbanism SpeakeasyNed Resnikoff's case ...
Negative yesterday, negative today. Negative all year, according to one departing reader telling me I’ve grown strident and predictable. Fair enough. If it’s any help, every time I go to write about a certain topic that begins with C and ends with arrrrs, I do brace myself and ask: Again? Are ...
Bryce Edwards writes – It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support ...
Inspirational: The Family of Man is a glorious hymn to human equality, but, more than that, it is a clarion call to human freedom. Because equality, unleavened by liberty, is a broken piano, an unstrung harp; upon which the songs of fraternity will never be played.“Somebody must have been telling lies about ...
Tax Lawyer Barbara Edmonds vs Emperor Justinian I- Nolo Contendere: False historical explanations of pivotal events are very far from being inconsequential.WHEN BARBARA EDMONDS made reference to the Roman Empire, my ears pricked up. It is, lamentably, very rare to hear a politician admit to any kind of familiarity ...
It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just show a minimal amount of flux in public support for the various parties in ...
Buzz from the Beehive Housing Minister Chris Bishop delivered news – packed with the ingredients to enflame political passions – worthy of supplanting Winston Peters in headline writers’ priorities. He popped up at the post-Cabinet press conference to promise a crackdown on unruly and antisocial state housing tenants. His ...
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, ...
The Government has accepted Labour’s change to the Road User Charge (RUC) discount for hybrid vehicles, meaning there will still be some incentive for people to buy greener vehicles. ...
Kicking the most vulnerable people out of state housing and pushing them towards homelessness will result in a proliferation of poverty and trauma across our most vulnerable communities. ...
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and MP for Waiariki, Rawiri Waititi has penned a letter asking MPs to support his members bill to remove GST from all food. The bill is expected to go through its first reading in parliament this Wednesday. “I’m calling on all political parties to support my ...
This year is about getting real with Kiwis and discussing the tough issues, as the National Government exacerbates inequality and divides New Zealand, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said ...
The Government adding Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) to its already roaring environmental policy bonfire is an assault on the future of wildlife that makes Aotearoa unique. ...
After 12 years of fighting to protect our moana we are finding ourselves back at square one and back at court. Today, the Environmental Protection Agency is sitting in Hawera to reconsider an application from Trans-Tasman Resources to dig up 50 million tonnes of the seabed in South Taranaki. This ...
Minister Shane Jones’ decision to step away from a seabed mining project is evidence of the murky waters surrounding the Government’s fast-track legislation. ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The growth of Treaty of Waitangi clauses in legislation caused so much worry that a special oversight group was set up by the last government in a bid to get greater coherence in the publicservice on Treaty matters. When ministers first considered the need for tighter oversight in 2021, there ...
The Coalition Government’s miscalculation saga continues as it has forgotten an eyewatering $90 million gap in its interest deductibility cost figures, say Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds and Revenue Spokesperson Deborah Russell. ...
He Pou a Rangi Climate Change Commission has today released advice that says if the Government doesn’t act now New Zealand is at risk of not meeting its climate goals. ...
The Coalition Government has today confirmed it is abandoning first home buyers who are struggling to get ahead, says Labour Finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds. ...
The New Zealand public voted for a change in direction at the 2023 general election and that is exactly what this coalition government has been delivering in its first 100 days. There was an immediate focus on the economy, easing the cost of living, cracking down on law and order ...
The Government has left the health system as an afterthought, announcing half-baked targets at the last minute of their 100-day plan, says Labour Health spokesperson Ayesha Verrall. ...
Kiwis are still waiting for their promised cost of living support after 100 days of a National Government that is taking us backwards, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...
The National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
100 days of National taking NZ backwardsThe National Government has spent its first 100 days stopping, cutting and reversing. They have scrapped stuff for stuff for the sake of it, without putting up any solutions of their own – and it’s hardworking New Zealanders who will pay for it. ...
The Government must commit to funding free and healthy school lunches, as thousands of people sign the petition to keep them, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti says. ...
If the Government was serious about moving families into public housing, they would build more houses so there is actually somewhere for people to go. ...
The free and healthy school lunches programme feeds our kids, helps them to learn, and saves families money – but it is at risk under this Government, education spokesperson Jan Tinetti said. ...
The Government’s proposed changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPO) add almost nothing new and are merely an attempt to distract from its plans to loosen gun laws, police spokesperson Ginny Andersen and justice spokesperson Dr Duncan Webb said. ...
The great Victorian era English politician Lord Macauley stood in the British House of Parliament and said, "The gallery in which the reporters sit has become a fourth estate of the realm".He understood and outlined even way back then, the significant role and influence media have in a democracy. ...
"The Government is moving quickly to realise an additional $46 million in tariff savings in the EU market this season for Kiwi exporters,” Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay says. Parliament is set, this week, to complete the final legislative processes required to bring the New Zealand – European ...
New Zealand’s social workers are qualified, experienced, and more representative of the communities they serve, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “I want to acknowledge and applaud New Zealand’s social workers for the hard work they do, providing invaluable support for our most vulnerable. “To coincide with World ...
Cabinet has agreed to a reduced road user charge (RUC) rate for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. Owners of PHEVs will be eligible for a reduced rate of $38 per 1,000km once all light electric vehicles (EVs) move into the RUC system from 1 April. ...
Minister of Agriculture and Trade, Todd McClay, says that today’s opening of Riverland Foods manufacturing plant in Christchurch is a great example of how trade access to overseas markets creates jobs in New Zealand. Speaking at the official opening of this state-of-the-art pet food factory the Minister noted that exports ...
Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington today. “It was a pleasure to host Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his first official visit to New Zealand since 2017. Our discussions were wide-ranging and enabled engagement on many facets of New Zealand’s relationship with China, including trade, ...
Kāinga Ora – Homes & Communities has been instructed to end the Sustaining Tenancies Framework and take stronger measures against persistent antisocial behaviour by tenants, says Housing Minister Chris Bishop. “Earlier today Finance Minister Nicola Willis and I sent an interim Letter of Expectations to the Board of Kāinga Ora. ...
Tēna koutou katoa. Greetings everyone. Thank you to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Honourable Simon Bridges for hosting this address today. I acknowledge the business leaders in this room, the leaders and governors, the employers, the entrepreneurs, the investors, and the wealth creators. The coalition Government shares your ...
Minister Winston Peters completed the final leg of his visit to South and South East Asia in Singapore today, where he focused on enhancing one of New Zealand’s indispensable strategic partnerships. “Singapore is our most important defence partner in South East Asia, our fourth-largest trading partner and a ...
Minister of Internal Affairs and Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon. Brooke van Velden, will travel to the Republic of Korea to represent New Zealand at the Third Summit for Democracy on 18 March. The summit, hosted by the Republic of Korea, was first convened by the United States in 2021, ...
ICNZ Speech 7 March 2024, Auckland Acknowledgements and opening Mōrena, ngā mihi nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Good morning, it’s a privilege to be here to open the ICNZ annual conference, thank you to Mark for the Mihi Whakatau My thanks to Tim Grafton for inviting me ...
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Lead Coordination Minister Judith Collins have expressed their deepest sympathy on the five-year anniversary of the Christchurch terror attacks. “March 15, 2019, was a day when families, communities and the country came together both in sorrow and solidarity,” Mr Luxon says. “Today we pay our respects to the 51 shuhada ...
Speech for Financial Advice NZ Conference 5 March 2024 Acknowledgements and opening Morena, Nga Mihi Nui. Ko Andrew Bayly aho, Nor Whanganui aho. Thanks Nate for your Mihi Whakatau Good morning. It’s a pleasure to formally open your conference this morning. What a lovely day in Wellington, What a great ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters held discussions in Jakarta today about the future of relations between New Zealand and South East Asia’s most populous country. “We are in Jakarta so early in our new government’s term to reflect the huge importance we place on our relationship with Indonesia and South ...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters has announced that the Foreign Minister of China, Wang Yi, will visit New Zealand next week. “We look forward to re-engaging with Foreign Minister Wang Yi and discussing the full breadth of the bilateral relationship, which is one of New Zealand’s ...
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has today opened the new Auckland Rail Operations Centre, which will bring together KiwiRail, Auckland Transport, and Auckland One Rail to improve service reliability for Aucklanders. “The recent train disruptions in Auckland have highlighted how important it is KiwiRail and Auckland’s rail agencies work together to ...
The Government is proud to support the 10th edition of Crankworx Rotorua as the Crankworx World Tour returns to Rotorua from 16-24 March 2024, says Minister for Economic Development Melissa Lee. “Over the past 10 years as Crankworx Rotorua has grown, so too have the economic and social benefits that ...
Legislation implementing coalition Government tax commitments and addressing long-standing tax anomalies will be progressed in Parliament next week, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The legislation is contained in an Amendment Paper to the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill issued today. “The Amendment Paper represents ...
Associate Environment Minister Andrew Hoggard has today announced that the Government has agreed to suspend the requirement for councils to comply with the Significant Natural Areas (SNA) provisions of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity for three years, while it replaces the Resource Management Act (RMA).“As it stands, SNAs ...
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has classified the drought conditions in the Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging conditions facing farmers and growers in the district. “Parts of Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson districts are in the grip of an intense dry spell. I know ...
The Government is helping farmers eradicate the significant impact of facial eczema (FE) in pastoral animals, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “A $20 million partnership jointly funded by Beef + Lamb NZ, the Government, and the primary sector will save farmers an estimated NZD$332 million per year, and aims to ...
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has completed a successful visit to India, saying it was an important step in taking the relationship between the two countries to the next level. “We have laid a strong foundation for the Coalition Government’s priority of enhancing New Zealand-India relations to generate significant future benefit for both countries,” says Mr Peters, ...
Cabinet has agreed to provide $7 million to ensure the 2024 ski season can go ahead on the Whakapapa ski field in the central North Island but has told the operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts it is the last financial support it will receive from taxpayers. Cabinet also agreed to provide ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti says the launch of a new mobile breast screening unit in Counties Manukau reinforces the coalition Government’s commitment to drive better cancer services for all New Zealanders. Speaking at the launch of the new mobile clinic, Dr Reti says it’s a great example of taking ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Unlocking economic growth and land for housing are critical elements of the Government’s plan for our transport network, and planned upgrades to State Highway 29 (SH29) near Tauriko will deliver strongly on those priorities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “The SH29 upgrades near Tauriko will improve safety at the intersections ...
Lower fruit and vegetable prices are welcome news for New Zealanders who have been doing it tough at the supermarket, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. Stats NZ reported today the price of fruit and vegetables has dropped 9.3 percent in the 12 months to February 2024. “Lower fruit and vege ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the sixty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
Tēnā koutou katoa and greetings to you all. Chair, I am honoured to address the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. I acknowledge the many crises impacting the rights of women and girls. Heightened global tensions, war, climate related and humanitarian disasters, and price inflation all ...
The coalition Government is supporting farmers to enhance land management practices by investing $3.3 million in locally led catchment groups, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. “Farmers and growers deliver significant prosperity for New Zealand and it’s vital their ongoing efforts to improve land management practices and water quality are supported,” ...
Good evening everyone and thank you for that lovely introduction. Thank you also to the Honourable Simon Bridges for the invitation to address your members. Since being sworn in, this coalition Government has hit the ground running with our 100-day plan, delivering the changes that New Zealanders expect of us. ...
Recommendations from the Climate Change Commission for New Zealand on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction and unit limit settings for the next five years have been tabled in Parliament, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “The Commission provides advice on the ETS annually. This is the third time the ...
The coalition Government is beginning its fight to lower building costs and reduce red tape by exempting minor building work from paying the building levy, says Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk. “Currently, any building project worth $20,444 including GST or more is subject to the building levy which is ...
Proposed changes to tax legislation to prevent the over-taxation of low-earning trusts are welcome, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The changes have been recommended by Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Committee following consideration of submissions on the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2023–24, Multinational Tax, and Remedial Matters) Bill. “One of the ...
Assalaamu alaikum. السَّلَام عليكم In light of the holy month of Ramadan, I want to extend my warmest wishes to our Muslim community in New Zealand. Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness. It’s a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity ...
Former Transport Minister and CEO of the Auckland Business Chamber Hon Simon Bridges has been appointed as the new Board Chair of the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) for a three-year term, Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced today. “Simon brings extensive experience and knowledge in transport policy and governance to the role. He will ...
Good morning all, it is a pleasure to be here as Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology. It is fantastic to see how connected and collaborative the life science and biotechnology industry is here in New Zealand. I would like to thank BioTechNZ and NZTech for the invitation to address ...
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones says he is looking forward to the day when three key water projects in Northland are up and running, unlocking the full potential of land in the region. Mr Jones attended a community event at the site of the Otawere reservoir near Kerikeri on Friday. ...
Associate Finance Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government has agreed to restore deductibility for mortgage interest on residential investment properties. “Help is on the way for landlords and renters alike. The Government’s restoration of interest deductibility will ease pressure on rents and simplify the tax code,” says ...
Sport and Recreation Minister Chris Bishop will travel to Switzerland today to attend an Executive Committee meeting and Symposium of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Mr Bishop will then travel on to London where he will attend a series of meetings in his capacity as Infrastructure Minister. “New Zealanders believe ...
Pacific Media Watch Earthwise hosts Lois and Martin Griffiths. Earthwise presenters Lois and Martin Griffiths on Plains FM 96.9 community radio talk to Dr David Robie, a New Zealand author, independent journalist and media educator with a passion for the Asia-Pacific region. David talks about the struggle to raise awareness ...
Pacific Media Watch Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent who was held for 12 hours at Gaza’s al-Shifa hospital, says Israeli forces rounded up Palestinian journalists at the facility and made them kneel on the ground for hours, while naked and blindfolded. “The occupation forces handcuffed and blindfolded us ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Wood, Program Director, Energy, Grattan Institute chinasong, Shutterstock Electricity customers in four Australian states can breathe a sigh of relief. After two years in a row of 20% price increases, power prices have finally stabilised. In many places they’re ...
Chumbawamba have reportedly issued the deputy PM a cease-and-desist notice after he used their song 'Tubthumping' before his state of the nation speech. ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Deborah Lupton, SHARP Professor, Vitalities Lab, Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Centre, and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, UNSW Sydney kitzcorner/Shutterstock The assertion from Queensland’s chief health officer John Gerrard that ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Peter Martin, Visiting Fellow, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University Shutterstock Why are musicians so keen to get played on the radio? It can’t be because of the money. In Australia they are paid at rates so low they ...
"Farmers make a point not to tell our urban cousins how to live, yet Chlöe from central Auckland is hell-bent on having her say about farmers," says ACT Rural Communities spokesman Mark Cameron. “On her first day in the House as Green ...
Analysis by Dr Bryce Edwards – Democracy Project (https://democracyproject.nz)Political scientist, Dr Bryce Edwards. It’s been a tumultuous time in politics in recent months, as the new National-led Government has driven through its “First 100 Day programme”. During this period there’s been a handful of opinion polls, which overall just ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim Curran, Associate Professor of Ecology, Lincoln University, New Zealand Getty Images/Gerald Corsi In the latest move to reform environmental laws in New Zealand, the coalition government has introduced a bill to fast-track consenting processes for projects deemed to ...
Uber has argued it does not have as much control over drivers as the unions suggest, and wants a judgment ruling that drivers are employees and not contractors set aside and sent back to the Employment Court. The 2022 ruling followed a three-week hearing in which four drivers sought to ...
What can and can’t be purchased by disabled people or their carers has been slashed in an effort by the Ministry of Disabled People Whaikaha to save money. The purchasing guidelines, a set of rules that sets out what can be purchased using the various streams of Government disability funding, ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Tod Wright and Hien Nguyen, Fiscal incidence in New Zealand: The effects of taxes and benefits on household incomes in tax year 2018/19 . Analyses of the distributional impact of taxation and government ...
The Treasury has published today a new Analytical Note by Cory Davis, Boston Hart and Benjamin Stubbing, Household cost-of-living impacts from the Emissions Trading Scheme and using transfers to mitigate regressive outcomes . This Analytical Note ...
A coalition of public transport and climate organisations, united as ‘Transport for All’, is actively opposing the government’s transport proposals. The draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) includes plans for higher fares for public transport, ...
Greater Wellington is inviting feedback on proposed changes to its Revenue and Financing Policy. The Revenue and Financing Policy covers the Council’s various sources of funding, and how the cost of services is shared across the region. This includes ...
Labour has conceded it could have done more to deal with disruptive state housing tenants while in government but says the current coalition is going too far. ...
The band has asked their record label to issue a cease and desist to stop the NZ First leader using their 1997 hit to support his ‘misguided political views’. “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” blared through the speakers on Sunday as Winston Peters took the stage ...
By Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding. More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province. In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National University After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its jumper, logo and colours in Devonport this week. The Devils will wear green, ...
Brannavan Gnanalingam reviews the debut novel by Saraid de Silva.One of the most baffling things for children who move to a new country is what their parents’ (or grandparents’) lives were like prior to moving – for kids in particular, they’re too busy trying to fit in in their ...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Gaunson, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, RMIT University Narelle Portanier/Binge “If you don’t know who your mob are, you don’t know who you are,” Detective Andrea “Andie” Whitford (played by Leah Purcell) is told early into the new crime ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
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The ordeal had left them feeling intimidated and bullied and had been “financially crippling”.
What a vile dirtbag. Just being in proximity is enough to put a target on you. They must need the money for more lawyers cos people say mean things about her.
So sorry to hear that Collins has some problems with others now.
Carma comes to Judith finally.
Who's Carma? A friend of yours?
There will be lots more of this. Faced with a systemic threat (climate change), the wealthy will frantically protect what they have by attempting to shift costs – either onto other citizens through lawsuits or onto the taxpayer. There will be no sense of collectively confronting the problem by everyone taking a hit in proportion to their ability to do so. Expect ugly sh*tfights all over the place.
Thanks AB. Intelligent thought-provoking comment from you as usual. I can understand that this will happen.
Noithing to do with climate change, if you knew anything about those cliffs you would know that they have been eroding into the sea for millennia because they are young shitty soils with hardly any rock or consolidated material in them.
Still doesn’t stop Collins being a self-entitled arse of the first order, i’m surprised she hasn’t started a GoFundMe page like that other dickhead of the week Folau.
I get pissed off with stupidity that equates almost everything that happens anywhere with climate change, it is dog whistling idiocy.
My favorite is those using climate change to wedge veganism into the conversation
Have you heard about climate change?
That's why I'm a vegan!*
*not an actual vegan.
Come on Adrian – climate change will result in more extreme weather events, and more prolonged. Falling cliffs in Nelson are both a result of the geology you refer to, badly controlled stormwater using gravity to clear it instead of piping it properly, and the undermining that has caused and then the ground being saturated by rivers of it going down the cliffs when there are weather bombs.
So save your ire, bottle it and produce a nice drop of something called Adrian's Piss or some more amusing name, that gets given to everybody who comes to the news who is doing good CC stuff in your opinion! It would be a good way of catching people's attention to what is needed and what is being done by forward-looking people like yourself.
A letter writer in the DomPost this morning tells of Simon Bridges visiting Karori Primary school, and in response to a question on Climate Change "you kids don't need to worry about it"
The letter writer then goes to say what a lack of leadership this showed.
Wellington City Council declares climate emergency:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/113633374/wellington-city-council-declares-climate-emergency-but-councillors-remain-divided
That's not climate change, it's just that the wind's dropped.
Surge On Key grows more authoritarian and crooked as time goes on.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12242524
Remember when, upon losing, he packed a sad and flew out to Hawaii? 😂
The 5th column yesterday was trying to take away NZ's Added Value of the top world cup cricket game yesterday, by making it all about our sides so called 'cheating' of the match, in what was widely seen as the best cricket game so far (probably before the NZ Bangladesh game) and which saw NZ back atop the cricket world cup table again.
Today it's a John Key NZ flag…
And "yesterday" it was the ANZ former boss being reimbursed $3.35MILLION in 8 years expenses. Who can spend that amount over the period ? And from my experience the board would be signing these expenses off i.e. They were in full knowledge of these.
With NZHerald fascination with Key junior (I will not for taste add links).
Re Cricket- if the keeper did not know has was someone 20+meters away to know ?? There are some sour miserable people out there. Life has enough problems, we need to "Always look on the Bright Side of Life …."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/113599166/anzs-former-boss-david-hisco-clocked-up-nearly-450k-a-year-in-expenses
Surely Sir John is not trying to distract from the calls about his leadership of a certain Bank? Nah. He wouldn't do that.
I wish the fatuous little man-child had done that. He would have been torn limb from limb (metaphorically speaking). With luck this comment will accelerate the creeping sense of shame that people now feel about the mad years of Key-idolatry.
John Key is a cancer on NZ.
People have found that he didn't just wee in the shower.
Perhaps. Actually what he would have been doing would have been to implement the 2014 Labour Party Policy on having a new flag. The said that they would consult with experts on the form of the new flag but they didn't allow for the possibility of having a referendum on the matter. There was going to be a new flag.
Of course they got slaughtered in the election that year so perhaps that was the reason.
You already have a reputation for fake news. Don't make it worse. 😂
"fake news"? In your dreams baby, in your dreams.
You just don't want to remember the truth. Mind you, as soon as Angry Andy got into the top job he quickly rewrote history and pretended it had never been their policy.
The same way as Grant and Whats-her-name have done over their promises about not increasing taxes. Or Phil and the 100,000 affordable houses. The billion trees. Or the claim they were going to improve the health system. and so on and on and on and on. b*s the lot.
As usual, wormtongue is speaking a half-truth. Labour's policy from 2014:
True, they didn't stipulate "referendum". But nor did they say it was a done deal, or that it would only be left up to the review panel to make the call. They stated their position and said the issue should be put to the public.
Wow. McCockie accuses me of a "half-truth".
How would you describe someone who, before the election states that ""There will be no new taxes or levies introduced in our first term of government beyond those we have already announced."
And then increases the rates of those taxes that already exist, justifying this by such statements as "but that isn't a tax, it's a levy" or "It wasn't a new tax, it is just an increase in an existing one".
I suppose you wouldn't even call those half-truths would you. When they are statements by your mates they are all completely above board?
I would call them lies but I was brought up rather more honestly than the idiots in our Government.
Says the dude who misrepresented Labour's 2014 flag policy and then threw a whole pile of other crap rather than explain how he wasn't a liar.
So John Key in hindsight wishes he had been more like Donald Trump and ruled us more dictatorially, and imposed his commercially approved tramp stamp on us, against our will, whether we liked it or not.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12242524
Changing the National flag?
We dodged a bullet on that one.
Changing the flag was not a progressive Left movement but a Right Wing one.
Changing the flag was a Right Wing initiative springing from the business community, the Auckland Chamber Of Commerce, the Business Round Table, and the ACT Party alongside all the other right wing neo-liberal free trade supporters wanting to suck up to Chinese and other big trading powers who might be suspicious that we harboured some secret hidden links to that old defunct trading monopoly known as the British Empire.
A historic reminder of a history the Right want to keep hidden
Against John Key and business community's wishes we chose to retain the current flag, along with its symbol of the British Empire on it.
One of the reasons for keeping this historic reminder of our colonial past, at least for Maori, was that the Treaty of Waitangi had been signed with the political representatives of the British Crown, Maori were uneasy that removing that historic symbolism would weaken that constitutional link. (Every depiction of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi the Union Jack is highly visible.) Antipathy to the Treaty signed between the British Empire and Maori as equals, which white supremacists like Hobson's Pledge take as a personal affront may well have been another motivating factor for the Right's move to abolish the current flag
So despite living in what we like to think is an independent modern republic we still carry the symbol of our historical colonial servitude.
Long may it remain so. As a reminder that the money men who wanted to change our flag, were motivated by a venal desire to sell us into new subservient relationship to big foreign trading and commercial interests.
From Imperial Ensign to National Flag
The current New Zealand flag, as well as the Australian national flag, were first designed as a naval ensigns to distinguish colonial vessels in maneuvers with the British navy. (The reason they look so alike is that for practical purposes the British navy did not need to know exactly what colony these ships were from, just that they were from the colonies.)
In all major land and naval engagements in the First and Second Word Wars New Zealand fought under the Union Jack. The one recorded exception was in the battle of the River Plate, where before the commencement of battle junior officers on the Achilles retrieved the New Zealand Ensign from the signals cupboard and flew it from the ship's mast.
The Rebel Flag
The New Zealand ensign, despite all its colonial and imperial baggage is a rebel flag. For most of the 20th Century the official flag of New Zealand was the Union Jack just as the official anthem was God Save The Queen. It was only when Britain entered the European Union and abandoned New Zealand as a favoured trading partner our passive aggressive response was to (finally), officially drop the Union Jack as our nation's flag and replace it with New Zealand Ensign.
We already have another flag
It was notable that during the flag debate the business community were able to get their, (unofficial and unloved), flag flown from the Auckland Harbour Bridge for a full month. Where as the officially recognised indigenous flag the Tino Rangatiratanga flag is only allowed to b flown there for one day a year.
I can't wait for the day when we proudly fly both flags from the Auckland Habour Bridge all year.
It's the right thing to do.
We should be like Bolivia, which has two flags of equal rank, the indigenous Wiphala flag, and the flag of the republic of Bolivia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWcCHkxxIvs
So, Nicky Hager's attempt to smear the reputation of NZ soldiers has collapsed. Turns out there were not only insurgents but insurgent leaders on a catch/kill list present in the village at the time of the firefight. It turns out that Hager was pushing for rapid publication of the book even as his co-author was investigating contradictory information. This puts Hager squarely into the category of propagandist rather than journalist. I wonder if the left will repudiate one of their most favoured sons.
So you have evidence that civilians were not killed then? As Hager says the new information straight from the Taliban confirms that civilians were killed.
And if you’re going to call out others for being propagandists, best to have a watertight grasp of the facts first.
Civilian deaths in war are both inevitable and, when taking place within legally defined rules of engagement, entirely within the laws of war. War sucks, to be sure, but it does not follow that soldiers who unfortunately kill civilians in the course of their duties are guilty of any crime at all.
Shooting up a civilian village was inevitable? …strange for a country that's biggest involvement was providing a reconstruction team.
It is inevitable that civilians will be put at risk when wanted insurgent leaders hide amongst them. War is terrible and these outcomes are an inevitable consequence of counterinsurgency.
Well, no, a "faulty gunsight" killing someone isn't "inevitable". If it's a realistic danger, you assume it has happened. That's why weapons get pointed in safe directions, even if you think they are unloaded or on "safe". So someone fucked up there.
Killing an unarmed person with a rifle isn't "inevitable".
Firing rockets at a village isn't "inevitable".
Killing or injuring 20-odd civilians to hit maybe, maybe, one "insurgent" isn't "inevitable".
But at least an RPG and an AK47 were captured. Drastically limited the number of Taliban weapons in the country, that did.
…it does not follow that soldiers who unfortunately kill civilians in the course of their duties are guilty of any crime at all.
Depends, doesn't it? That's why you have investigations – you know, like the one we're having now. And, of course, Hager and Stephenson wouldn't have had to write a book about it if there'd been a proper investigation in the first place, rather than something conducted by the organisation that killed the civilians.
Still, nice of right-wingers to highlight their views on it being fine to kill civilians as long as it's our side doing it. Lots of wannabe Reinhard Heidrich's out there, obviously, so that's good to know.
Well, aptly named Psycho, you are guilty of using a straw man fallacy there. I never said it was "fine" to kill civilians. I merely said it happens in the terrible fog of war and it is not a criminal act when it happens within legally defined rules of engagement. But if it makes you feel better to put words in the mouths of others and to then argue with those self-placed words, that is "fine" with me.
You put a lot of blather around it, sure. But the meaning was clear enough.
"catch/kill list" – is a fallacious and illegal construct.
fustercluck – please explain why anyone pursuing such activity in Afghanistan is not just a plain old criminal – differentiated by law from those they seek – how ?
Hmm, lemme get this straight. Hagar didn't have all the information upon time of writing – thus is dishonest?
As the two writers disagreed on publication date due to emerging information, Hager is 'making stuff up' (propagandist, dishonest?).
If you'd ever done a piece of non-fiction writing in your life (I see no evidence to support this) you'd know that you can keep rewriting forever and publish nothing, or, at some point, present what you have to date. It's not an easy jump off point. Hager has previously published, and won awards for it, and he made a call.
I see no evidence of deliberate misleading or obfuscation of any truths. I see no evidence of spin (except the media). I'd much rather hear from the Judges ruling and also Hager's take of this emerging evidence. You will find he's quite ready to take on facts, unlike some.
If there wasn't a side of society that is morally bankrupt we wouldn't need reporters like Hagar that put themselves in the firing line of powerful entities and a general public with a large proportion composed of petty little pissants like yourself who just want ammo to slag off anyone they percieve as left.
But your pitiful pissy sore picking pedantry is merely an echo of beloved leader Simon, he of the moral outrage, the sound bite, the dribble. Facts? Not so much.
"Pitiful pissy sore picking pedantry" Superb alliteration.
I think there is abundant evidence, just on the face of the matter, that Hager accepted a version of events from the villagers that was potentially self-serving and overtly damning of NZDF without fully exploring alternative scenarios. There are many, many conflicting motivations that are obvious to anyone with a passing familiarity of the complex nature of the region. Why were these not fully explored before rushing to publication? A reporter must treat every witness with scepticism, even those for whom they feel great sympathy. Hager failed in this regard and thus reveals himself to be more of a propagandist than a credible journalist.
"It can’t have been easy for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and their political leaders to deny the results of a botched military intervention in which 21 civilians were killed or wounded. The task becomes next to impossible in the face of testimonies from survivors and witnesses and the local government documents listing the names of the killed and wounded. When such evidence is fact-checked against the known coordinates and timeline of the operation, only one conclusion seems plausible: the official deniers inhabit an alternative world beyond the reach of inquiry, research, proof, disproof and argumentation."
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2017/03/28/stake-your-claim-a-review-of-nicky-hager-and-jon-stephensons-hit-and-run/
The Daily Bog gets it. You are just a dead eyed dog whistling dickhead.
[lprent: And you are a witless arse dragger with hemorrhoids putrefying as they bounce on the ground as you walk.
Rein it in or I will assist you out ]
The USA has already suggested a faulty gunsight on an attack helicopter could have contributed to the outcome. When you consider that these machines fire an abundance of explosive 30mm rounds, the terrible toll on civilian life is not too difficult to understand. The implication of the public understanding of the Hager narrative is that NZDF forces were directly, personally responsible for shooting these civilians. This was never, ever supported by facts, even in the earlier versions of the story. I think that one problem is the fact that most NZers do not know anyone in the military and thus find it easy to accept the murderous cowboy narrative offered up by Hager, et al. I suggest, Bleep, that you take the time to get to know some officers and enlisted personnel who actually put on battle rattle and go into harms way on our behalf. I think the experience would be edifying.
I have several members of family in the military, some quite high up.
You make all sorts of assumptions in your statements.
"the terrible toll on civilian life is not too difficult to understand"
Actually, it is. And admitting mistakes is orders of magnitude more acceptable than denying everything. Was it a vendetta? That's for the judge to decide.
I certainly did make assumptions, Bleep. And I do not believe you about family in the military. A conversation with somebody "high up" would have cleared up your mistaken perceptions long ago. And it appears there was a military inquiry shortly after the event as is the case with every incident like this and it further appears that the side of the story put forward by the military holds water. But the judge will definitely make a decision.
Your beliefs are of no concern to me except where you try defame people with little in the way of facts.
More ASSumptions.
It doesn’t appear the military story holds water at all. They lied denied and covered up. You news source is KIwiblog?
You should go there and make friends. I’m not interested.
When you consider that these machines fire an abundance of explosive 30mm rounds, the terrible toll on civilian life is not too difficult to understand.
Let's phrase that another way: when you consider that these machines fire an abundance of explosive 30mm rounds, the evil inherent in firing them at people's houses, or at unidentified people in the neighbourhood, becomes very obvious.
Hager narrative is that NZDF forces were directly, personally responsible for shooting these civilians.
In that case, you'll be able to quote the passages where he does that. Regardless, the Defence Force seems to have admitted that one unarmed man was shot by a SAS sniper, and the helicopter fire support was there to support an SAS operation at their direction, so there's no weaseling out of the responsibility.
You really should acquaint yourself with the international laws of warfare. War is ugly and dangerous and shooting at a village harbouring insurgents is not outside those laws. Perhaps the inquiry should focus on the politicians who send our soldiers into harm's way and who define the rules of engagement for them. I'd support that!
The laws of war have no bearing on the evil inherent in directing automatic cannon fire at civilians' houses, or at unidentified people in the surrounding area.
That said, the NZDF clearly doesn't share your confidence about it being entirely legal to kill or injure civilians if you have intelligence that there's likely to be an enemy combatant or two in the area. If they did share your confidence, they wouldn't have lied about it and tried to cover it up.
Who told you about the hemorrhoids?
Are you spying on subscribers?
Fucking conspiracy!
Read your feedback to Solkta too, I can TRY take it on board.
Hard to insult talking points, or am I just lacking imagination?
I'll TRY
I've read that crouching in the salty ocean cures what ails ya, WTB.
Your "try" emoticon should be holding a try-dent.
Hey WtB better use a spellcheck before you press submit ie to check if you are under some nasties' evil spell! While is is interesting to read lprent's latest creation of invective I we wouldn't want your excellent input to be lost or marred by concentration on your sometimes vivid expressions.
I aspire to be more like Frankie Boyle 😀
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSvzizqz1Fs
I didn't think you were Scottish. I don't think that any other ethnic group could produce such sharpness.
Scot, Pom, Irish, Kiwi…
Enough Scot muppet to knock the tops off some sock puppets.
I really admire Frankie, not just for his skills in audience interactions, but the way he can bring the funny to darkly depressing current events, while never shying from them.
Obviously I need my own style in all this. The writings coming along really well, and Frankie’s certainly helped me to see that nothing is a sacred cow if approached deftly.
How do you know it was self-serving – what have you ever gone out in the field and researched? And how long were they collecting evidence and putting the book together; not 'rushing to publication'?
This sounds like pontification from an armchair windbag. "A reporter must treat every witness with scepticism, even those for whom they feel great sympathy."
Turns out that fc's bizarre attempt to smear Nicky Hager has just collapsed. Because the latest revelations from Stephenson don't contradict the central thesis of the book – that (only) civilians were killed and the NZDF lied about it. I wonder if the RW troll community will now repudiate fc for a lousy, shallow effort?
It seems the " central thesis" is a movable feast. My understanding of the story is that the killings were unjustified/unlawful and that NZDF lied about it. Now it is revealed that the firefight was justified by the presence of not only combatants but specifically targeted leaders in the village. Now the "central thesis" narrows. But the unfortunate death of civilians in legally prosecuted warfare, i.e., within legally defined rules of engagement, is in no way a crime. So what is the book about then?
fuster; were the "combatants" and "specifically targeted leaders" in the village at the time the guns began to blaze, or had they already left, do you think?
Money from the book and a agenda follow. I agree with all your comments. The fact that Hager believed the villagers rather than the NZ forces shows up his agenda. The WTB bollocks comment about using the information you have at the time should have read “information I want to believe “ Hager’s CALL to publish was based on testimonies from people that may have had their own agenda to follow. He is either very naive or a slimy turd. I’ll leave everyone to choose which one.
"He is either very naive or a slimy turd"
Or an award winning journalist who puts himself on the line to uncover corrupt practice.
Many journalists killed recently for speaking truth to power. Not a game you'd play for money, no, some people run deep.
And then there's the timeline: 2010 the incident occurs, 2017 they publish. You think Hager should have waited till 2027?
Rushed it?
It's nice to see you RW bring seconds onto TS when duelling – that's an old tradition I believe. And it's important for you to hold onto old traditions because you feel helpless and agitated when faced with the new. Admit it New view.
And when people like Oldview and festereggs get rotten eggs thrown at them, having two makes a wide target hard to miss. Expose' are so annoying aren't they hennypenny and cause RW to run in circles squawking.
And did they number 2, those combatants/leaders?
Does the pursuit of 2 such figures justify the deaths of 21 villagers, do you think, or is that to your mind, merely "unfortunate"?
So. Killing unarmed civilians is fine, then?
It was within the rules!
So was murdering 6 million Jews.
So US+NZDF attacked a village that did have insurgents in it (for given values of "in" and "did"), but managed to only kill civilians and caught nobody? And then lied about it?
How is this an improvement?
Now it is revealed that the firefight was justified by the presence of not only combatants but specifically targeted leaders in the village.
What did this "firefight" consist of? The interview with the Taliban leaders who were being sought suggests they promptly buggered off without firing a shot, once they realised their opponents had air support. Was there any return fire at all? Certainly it sounds like there couldn't have been any that didn't come from local citizens defending their property against armed intruders.
Turns out some tallywhackers CLAIM to have been in the vicinity cluckaduck. Do you trust them?
Nick Smith really is the poster child for term limits. He may have been OK once, but now he is choleric, arrogant and utterly self serving.
So right Sanctuary – every word.
Here's a song for Dr Nick Smith (he's bad medicine.)
Nobody Does it Better
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7__rt0hRm8s
Good to see Mike Hoskins pick up another radio award, obviously big following out there in general public but also respect from his peers Barry Soper also best journalist
Cupboard's very bare, he's only competing against another RW shock-jock in Garner.
What about red radio ?
Muttonbird
I think you need a new dial on your radio if you think there are only two players in the market
Shallow pool. The scum inevitably floated to the top.
LOL. It's yet another self serving award. Industry insiders vote for their favorite industry insider. Similar to many other meaningless accolades people adorn themselves with. Sir, Dame…
Are you a time traveller from Pravda – circa 1958?
I love these TS games. Connect the plots – which previous comment is a new one directed at? 6.2 at 10.10 am so must have arisen from #6 at 8.43 am. Is that right? Do I get the chocolate fish? Any idiot who understands the system could follow that I hear you say. But I speak up for all idiots who might want to come here and follow the wit and wonder of TS comment (unique in the world – and that is irrefutable so don't take the mickey).
Yes, it shows NZ broadcasting standards descent into the abyss is almost complete, and thus new media will provide the only serious news to be had. Mission accomplished for the haters and wreckers.
bewildered – You work so hard for the RW but I fear your award will be in heaven – here's hoping for that.
Horeskin worked hard for the respect of Soapy Bazz. I'm sure they're mutually gratified.
Argggh the imagery! Nice quip.
when is a concentration camp not a concentration camp?
The Trump administration argued court Tuesday that the government is not required to give soap or toothbrushes to children apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border and can have them sleep on concrete floors in frigid, overcrowded cells.
AOC says this….but then …..I will never apologize for calling these camps what they are.
(https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concentration%20camp
who could have forseen this?
AOC grasp of history is certainly limited, probably up there with Trumps To be fair her grasp of anything is limited beyond possibly making cocktails and pouring a beer Even she denies she was linking to Nazi concentration camps when called out, yet used the well understood phrase never again in her rant, she really needs to engage what little grey matter she has before she opens her mouth
Obviously different. Auschwitz had bunk beds, and soap.
“a place where large numbers of people (such as prisoners of war, political prisoners, refugees, or the members of an ethnic or religious minority) are detained or confined under armed guard”
http://auschwitz.org/en/museum/news/human-fat-was-used-to-produce-soap-in-gdansk-during-the-war,55.html
https://www.jacobinmag.com/2019/06/concentration-camps-immigrant-detention-centers-holocaust-alexandria-ocasio-cortez
https://www.vox.com/first-person/2019/6/20/18693058/aoc-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-concentration-camps-immigration-border
Thought you came across like a Proud Boy.
The stupid is strong with this one.
I think Iprent has work you out WTB, shallow as a puddle 😊
Definitely. Good one 10 points that's exactly what was said! I bet he loves being 'quoted' too.
"AOC grasp of history is certainly limited"
But not nearly as limited as yours.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/392325/millions-of-illegal-immigrants-to-be-removed-from-us-next-week-says-trump
And we all know what you grasp and tug on every day Stuey
Another witty observation. My comedy career is over now I've heard such splendid jokes.
Yeah stop playing around with bewildered who glories in his name and get back to work saving the world, or just a wee part of it please.
I just got given WAY too much time to complete a project. Haha. Poor bastards.
👍 Now don’t be nasty Bleeps or you will have to get that apology thing going again Go talk to your PhD friends, or those high up in the nz army or maybe just plant a few kumeras, I see that’s your occupation
Fuck off insect.
come on bleeps that’s not very polite or very nice , what’s the old saying those who dish it out….I forgive you though 😊
Moderators might note the deliberate provocation from bewildered that has carried on for a while now after voicing quite succinctly I care not for his opinion.
Thinks it’s funny to pick up on any old personal detail and turn it into a MAGA-esque sound bite to repeat over and over – cos you know, full of great ideas himself.
While I need to ignore it, he needs to back the fuck off.
Hey bleep maybe read your responses, your the one who decided to personalise the comment trail ( see 7.1.1)Self awareness not a strong point eh!, likewise you want to play games not my fault you provide so much silly material to work with , but I still forgive you 😊
No you don't. Take a look at what you said about AOC.
A disrespectful misogynist piece of crap comment that deserved a slam.
" limited beyond possibly making cocktails and pouring a beer"
And I'm talking you stalking my comments for a wee while now to jump in with nothing but stupid childish shit. Your contributions are about as useful as the spellcheck.
Deliberate provocation, repeatedly.
AOC is a notorious air head I have a right to say as such when she makes and outlandish claim , if you want to defend her by having a crack at me no drama but don’t be weepy bleepy when I have a crack back, and yes I still forgive you 😊 Now stop you are boring me
I'm not kidding. Back the fuck off.
Cyberstalking is the act of using the Internet to systematically and repeatedly harass.
I am documenting this shit.
Well the yankers pretty much invented concentration camps.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internment
Although the first example of civilian internment may date as far back as the 1830s, The English term concentration camp was first used in order to refer to the reconcentrados (reconcentration camps) set up by the Spanish military in Cuba during the Ten Years' War (1868–78). The term saw wider use around the Second Boer War (1899–1902), when the British operated such camps in South Africa for interning Boers.
You missed the bit of your link that listed the US civil war as an example.
Did they invent the term? Nope.
Verey early adopters of the practise? Yup.
Funny where the wikipedia rabbit hole can lead.
The Spanish learnt it from the yanks:
Pretty sure if you go back far enough there'll be examples to be found in any culture so it can't really be laid at the foot of any culture
I don't think it's a culture thing.
It essentially requires three things:
And it's a tactic that evolved. ISTR the British used a similar tactic to isolate and deprive Malayan insurgents of logistic saupport and recruits, but without the mass death. But feeding the internees was a prime priority as part of the "hearts and minds" concept, not just relocation. And the yanks totally clusterfucked the concept in Vietnam. Which is odd, given that they had Grant to study.
Not that different to what the Aussies are doing to their immigrants – and get away with it.
It doesn't Pay
It is not wise to build structures on steep hills in New Zealand. Nor is it wise to build or buy houses beneath steep hills.
I do not know if City Councils are aware, but most New Zealanders know that the NZ landscape consists of mud. Give it enough rain and it becomes a nightmare.
Hardly a contradiction or “extraordinary” The sole purpose of the Zero Carbon Act (by 2050) is to continue business as usual in the present.. And prevent any disruption to the fossil fuel industry
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/06/waikato-coal-exploration-permit-for-bathurst-resources-branded-hypocritical.html?utm_source=The+Bulletin&utm_campaign=11f25a1cba-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_03_01_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_552336e15a-11f25a1cba-533788625&fbclid=IwAR0XP4HHIvLqV0UPGXwe7YMFGJgb0gtfOs3UexhIgQpag22-tWWbkSA0eeo
.
The much celebrated, at the time Zero, Carbon Act, (now mostly forgotten and hardly ever mentioned) is the major law which Eugenie Sage mentions that this decision is in line with.
And as for coal mining has occurred in the Rotowaro area for some years
So what?
Slavery occurred for some years too.
The Green Party in government need to better than this
The much celebrated, at the time Zero, Carbon Act, (now mostly forgotten and hardly ever mentioned) is the major law which Eugenie Sage mentions that this decision is in line with.
Where does she say this? Not in the article you link to. Stop telling lies.
I never said that Sage said that. Sage said that this decision is line with the laws as they stand.
I said, that the Zero Carbon Act is the major law which permits continued new coal mining. The Zero Carbon Act permits the increase of every other type of fossil fuel pollution, containing not one single measure to rein in fossil fuel expansion and development.
This is just a fact.
Look you stupid cow i have quoted you. It was a cut and paste from your immediately prior post. Stop telling lies about telling lies. For fucks sake it is right there above for you.
[lprent: Look you fuckwit – we can’t help that you have teeny weeny small genitals and are ashamed of them. Sure your pathetic hand-wringing are incapable of raising more than a gooey mess rather than pleasure. But that really isn’t the point is it.
Calm it down a bit or I will start really start to help you out with the personal insults (before I boot you off the site). The idea is to deal with the points and make the insults related to that rather than going full-on personal. ]
You should try and play the ball,not the 'man'.
You are wrong and Jenny's version is accurate to any impartial observer.
Any observer capable of reading, impartial or not, can read the words that she has written.
'Look you stupid cow '
such vitriol,such passion.
Such sexism. It is why female humans often like to have pseudos.
They may deserve to be called cows but not as a first line of name-calling. Anyway now we are being told to respect animals as often more sentient beings than we are, I am having trouble choosing suitable denigrations, what about rabid dog. That's scary, but not nice cows they rarely hurt or kill anybody and are just very agreeable and helpful to human kind. Here's an award for Jersey cows and their curious faces and long eyelashes.
But mosquitoes I hate them, no mercy. Whine, whine.
"Look you fuckwit – we can’t help that you have teeny weeny small genitals and are ashamed of them. Sure your pathetic hand-wringing are incapable of raising more than a gooey mess rather than pleasure……..Calm it down a bit or I will
startcontinue reallystartcontinue to help you out with the personal insults"FIFY
Thank you for the grammer lesson.
I don't get that much time to moderate, so I am far more concerned about getting the message across.
So, as the dedicated critic, do you think that I succeeded?
Succeeded? Who cares? I don't care who owns the skipping rope either and that the owner will ban me from skipping if I complaining about it.
The question is do you feel better now that you've taken your socks off?
Too many cut glass egos, too many forelock pulling sycophants. Such a small world.
Thanks for reminding me where the line is lprent. I agree i could have shown better restraint. It is hard for me to understand how this poster has such a poor understanding of an issue she has put so much time into commenting on. This is an issue that i have large chunks of my life invested in and it is hard to be tolerant of those who only wish to criticize.
I will take a couple of days of self imposed ban. Thanks heaps for what you do in providing this site.
ps. The small penis thing is a getting bit stale.
small genitals…
But I am striking out in another note on the same theme – in this case with dangling bits of intestines..
Is that better image..
http://mentalfloss.com/article/61819/42-old-english-insults
Just a suggestion – has the added benefit that it keeps them engaged in trying to understand what you've called them.
I considered that, and other things like using Latin long ago. However the function of the notes to is make quite sure that people understand.
Also, the Carbon Act is not currently a law.
That is true.
Proper climate change legislation would stop all new fossil fuel projects.
Or at the very least, load a cost on them, that made them less likely.
And coal is the most dangerous of all the fossil fuels.
from the Newshub article:
As James Hansen has said, “If we can’t stop coal it is all over for the climate”
We are living in deadly times for the bio-sphere. It is time we started acting like it.
Good comment and suggestion:
"Or at the very least, load a cost on them, that made them less likely."
We can't be challenging Australia about Adani, or anyone burning coal, while pulling it out of our own land.
A line has to be drawn, yesterday!
Where's the solar supplements – hiding behind excuses. The EV supplements – hiding behind excuses.
The excuse being our power supply is largely sustainable…
That doesn't get combustion engines off the road.
Nor does it reduce power demand on the grid so we don't burn coal – you know, in the aforementioned sustainable grid.
Solar rollout! Not another institute for blue sky bullshit. We have the tech, roll it out.
The real tragedy of this decision is that it betrays the aspirations and hopes our Island neighbours
https://www.scidev.net/global/climate-change/news/pacific-islands-global-ban-coal-mines.html
Proper climate change legislation would stop all new fossil fuel projects.
Or at the very least, load a cost on them, that made them less likely.
NZ First wouldn't accept either of those proposals, which makes them untenable in the current Parliament. Even Labour is being tentative about taking stronger action because of the likely voter backlash. So, if you want to see these kind of policies enacted, persuade people to vote Green in 2020. You might want to gloss over the effects the policies would likely have on their lifestyle, though.
Roll out so much solar we don't notice we're not burning coal anymore?
A few billion spare bucks might be a good start.
Unless we are protecting shareholders. Those private folks with our power now in their pockets.
I can't imagine Chennai's industrialists making much money right now. Unless they own desalination plants. It's all interconnected and the more parts of the picture that turn away from destructive practice the better chance we have.
But solar is decentralised, could the so called movers and shakers (thwarters and rorters) actually give up power mongering in exchange for the planet?
Unrepentant solkta, more like sulkta.
Brigid the great lprent built this blog, with others, and spends hours of his own time maintaining it, and we only have it because he is a full-on guy at anything he does. So he gets exercised now and then when there is a persistent nasty carry-on that threatens to spread its smelly way throughout.
It's no use coming on and wringing your delicate little hands and trying to get us to be really nice. It can only be maintained for a while, and then clash. Maybe you should stick to the cookery blogs! Now that is going to make you annoyed also, at my patronising stance.
We're getting into the Jack Nicholson mode of confronting with 'You want the truth, you couldn't handle the truth'! And so many who come here, just can't and are like wet matches striking against others' opinions to produce such a pallid light that they can't see further than their next step. How is that for fanciful analogy. We, or I, like to read some ironic points as we go. Why don't you just join in looking to the ghastly future and thinking ways around it and help buoy each other up?
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/first-up/audio/2018700669/puppets-bring-horses-alive-in-war-horse
Sounds great play for Aucklanders to see this till 14 July.
https://www.aucklandlive.co.nz/show/war-horse
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/392574/polytech-sector-s-34m-deficit-likely-to-grow-further
The polytechnic sector lost millions of dollars amid falling student enrolments last year, annual reports show. Of the 16 institutes of technology and polytechnics, 10 have confirmed that they made deficits in 2018.
The net result from the 13 annual reports published to date was a deficit for the sector of $34 million, a figure that would grow further after Whitireia, Weltec and Tai Poutini announced their results. The figures were in line with a Cabinet paper that last year warned the government 10 of the institutes were likely to make deficits in 2018 and seven were considered high financial risks.
Unitec in Auckland had the single largest net deficit in 2018, $29.5m, after full-time student numbers fell by about 500 students. However, the institute said improved property valuations reduced the overall deficit to $8.3m.
(This raises a practice that has evolved from neolib of not having education establishments as government provided but turning them to run as businesses, commercial enterprises with land and buildings valued, and business-style assessment as success being related to profit etc. This warps NZ public provision assessment and I think this also relates to hospitals being in great debt. This assessment system needs changing.)
This is what the Secretary-General of the OECD says – sounds practical and in touch with reality.
We are facing unprecedented challenges – social, economic and environmental – driven by accelerating globalisation and a faster rate of technological developments. At the same time, those forces are providing us with myriad new opportunities for human advancement.
The future is uncertain and we cannot predict it; but we need to be open and ready for it. The children entering education in 2018 will be young adults in 2030. Schools can prepare them for jobs that have not yet been created, for technologies that have not yet been invented, to solve problems that have not yet been anticipated. It will be a shared responsibility to seize opportunities and find solutions.
.
Do you want to take part in OECD Education 2030?
OECD Education 2030 welcomes countries and stakeholders to contribute to the project. If you are interested, please contact: education2030@oecd.org.
To find out more about the project, please visit our website at: oe.cd/education2030
Write to us
Directorate for Education and Skills-OECD
2 rue André Pascal – 75775 Paris Cedex 16-France
https://www.oecd.org/education/2030/E2030%20Position%20Paper%20(05.04.2018).pdf
https://www.oecd.org/about/g
Acronyms – (Hieroglyphics?): The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organisation that works to build better policies for better lives.
Superman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkfpi2H8tOE
NZ Herald says John Key regrets asking the public to vote on a new flag – now you can put for a replacement. Or something like. WTF trivia personified.
Not even good enough to wrap our precious fish and chips methinks. And National daleks chant – Diversion Diversion Diversion!
Thanks for that marvelous image of National Daleks chanting 'Diversion. Diversion.'
Alternatives: 'Distraction. Distraction.', or (alluding to a "grasp and tug” commenter),
'Bewilderment. Bewilderment.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0n88tZQc4Q
[Apologies for the dated humour.]
Heh you wouldn't get away with that sketch these days – even though most Pakastani's in the UK would be highly amused.
Oh thanks Drowsy M Kram – nice to meet someone on the same wavelength. I never realised when watching some of those farces in the past that they illustrate human events and thinking so well. I seem to remember just looking at that one that everything dispatched was to be Put In The Curry. I think that may be a phrase I will use FTTT now.
Edit:
She says ‘Now you know what’s wrong with the country’ when Mr Dalek exterminates another member of the ‘family’ the caged bird, and says to put it in the curry. Her reply, ‘Now you know what’s wrong with the curry’. I suggest we are getting further from the country and closer to the curry!
I hope Police are monitoring the right-wing blogs. There are comments threatening to shoot cops and politicians on Kiwiblog today.
There's comments here on a not too infrequent basis threatening to execute persons. All hot air.
[lprent: Yeah, prove it or apologize. I think that you are simply lying. But I am always prepared to be proven wrong…
Find some that haven’t been moderated on a not too infrequent basis. I will accept no more than a month between them and not less than 3 instances. And within the last year.
Otherwise I ban you for 3 months tomorrow.
Threatening violence including executions is something that isn’t acceptable here. ]
You keep count higherstandard? We would want to know that our standards weren't sinking below your home base.
"You keep count higherstandard? We would want to know that our standards weren't sinking below your home base."
No, Apparently that's the artist formerly known as fireblade you're thinking of.
What no penis allusions ?
https://thestandard.org.nz/flact-tax/#comment-1629038
Can’t be bother trawling back through the rest …
Thank you.. Missed that one.
Updated: As to being lazy – it isn’t a problem to me if you aren’t here for 3 months.
Updated: As to being lazy – it isn’t a problem to me if you aren’t here for 3 months.
Or me Lyn, feel free to ban away, I’m not trawling back through all the other comments I’ve noted over the last few weeks – perhaps a background search on keywords would do the trick ?
Lynn said:
You choose the ban? Is that where your user name comes from?
Right wing snowflake. Don't melt, will you!
🙄 as I said all hot air, more importantly Lyn as owner of the blog has a point as to what is and isn't acceptable.
I don’t own the blog. I operate it because I set it up for others and no-one competent has ever wanted to take it over. We fixed the ownership question back in 2010
As the About says:
Such a silly insult though. Snowflakes are multi faceted and all are unique. (so they say, I've not examined them all yet).
They think they are bleepy but they're still just pointy water.
Avocado thieving in the news again. The Police are at a loss as to how to catch them. We don't have the resources to patrol entire regions.
What could be done?
Well… only theoretically, the orchards may have unique genetic signatures to their trees (or not?).
If they do, we can identify said signatures and catch the stolen fruit wherever it might emerge.
If they don't ah well. The fact they're largely grown on Zaytuna rootstock grown from seedlings gives me hope that, even if the tops are cloned, unique DNA should be present/identifiable.
Wrote to industry, will find out soon enough the nature of genetic variance in our Avo industry.
Then we put a masters student on the job getting said genetic signatures.
Then we catch them thieves.
This will not catch hungry people taking a few for home use. It will catch the organised criminals (perhaps).
Similar to how genetics was used to prove the origins of whale meat in Japan.
Or the orchardists could, you know, shoot them.
Bet not to, they might hit the avocadoes by mistake.
Patrolling geese? They are very territorial and fierce.
Maybe drones could be of use here, just taking photos, and quietly tracking from above and following them home.
There was an article in the paper about the number of devices available under $100 to take photos of people which have been used by immature or twisted males to view females' intimate moments. Perhaps these cheap camera applications could be used for a virtuous use in flying cameras to avoid violent confrontations, shootings.
Can't shoot em, not in NZ there'd be hell to pay, and rightly so. Killing is a long cry from thieving, unless you are a MAGA magnate, then it's the logical next step.
They have all sorts of photos and footage of masked people, surveillance isn't working.
Guard geese are a great idea. They'll raise the alarm, but trying to catch crooks full of adrenaline is a very dangerous business. Cops pulled up on one and got rammed. Nasty fuckers.
Just buy an avocado at the market(s), test them…
Knock knock. Gotcha!
One of my points is the drones following the thieves and plotting them on GPS of course, also somewhere along the way it could drop some identifiers on the vehicle that would be hard to wash off.
We have a problem that in NZ could parallel the mafia in Italy. They steal and blackmail so much that it prevents enterprise and the economy follows a style similar to that of NZ at present, some living high, their employees reasonably well, and a large group of a precariat. Once it becomes embedded it can't be changed. Judges who want to apply the law get shot.
Similar to a model I proposed to some drone companies to help police pursuits (tag em, back off, follow with drone & GPS).
Not sure if we're there yet… sound thinking again however. We will get there sooner or later. There's the drones range and speed to consider. But if we can GPS tag em, haha, nobody drives faster than a two-way radio. If we can tag without detection, game over crooks.
The DNA approach will totally mess their game up could hit every market in the country and still only need to run one (batchlot) test. They were here, these are legal, these are from there…
You could think you're good moving fruit the length of the country – wouldn't make a lick of difference. Dodgy restaurants etc would get caught, and there's plenty of them about – my old skipper had no problem flogging illegal crayfish in Auckland. They voraciously ate em up!
Just a thought – in the dark thieves wouldn't know one avo from another. Could GPS a few fakes in prime picking positions – computer picks up when they move…
That is good thinking. A marker that can be traced.
Does anyone know if the band MGN (just featured on RNZ's Afternoons) is Auckland based? (I'm hoping)
These people? (there's other bands with the same name).
https://www.aucklandnz.com/visit/events/whats-on/music-concerts-gigs/jazz/mgn-trio
Yep, thnx – that's them. They slaughtered "Can't Find My Way Home", but otherwise it's good to see there are still up and coming artists despite the pittances most are probably having to live on.
And even though I'm not particularly a fan of that "I'm "Old School" Jesse, it's good to see a commitment (at least) by RNZ to try and keep a few things alive – that's before he has to don his lycra and bike up the road for that travesty "The Projeck" of course.
The beginning of the end? The bank that once crowed about not requiring a bailout, bailed out by the government.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jun/17/deutsche-bank-plans-radical-overhaul-with-50bn-hived-off-to-bad-bank-reports
Kia ora Nation's Newshub.
I have Already given my opinion on volunteering euthanasia.
Electric vehicles A favorite topic of mine.
That was my thoughts pollies in Britain and America a sideshow Simon.
Ma te wa Simon in good time I say our Government will get some great incentives for our people to buy electric vehicles. Good on Meridian energy for change there fleets to EVs . I say a fee bait scheme would be nice gas guzzling cars subsidized the up take of EVs.
Very cool Russell your whare with solar green roof and EV. Kia kite ano
The Aviation industry needs to be chasing Electric Hybrid Planes not long flight gas guzzling beasts if you want to stay competitive in the Aviation industry this is what you have to do. The tide has turned everyone knows that Human Caused Climate Change is a REALITY so we are backing clean energy. With new technology Skype ect there is no need to fly to other destinations for big business meetings just use Skype and save money and our environment.
Electric planes herald new era for aviation at the Paris Air Show
The rise of hybrid and electric aircraft was on full display at the biannual aviation showcase, where startups competed with industry giants to show off technology that's more efficient and better for the environment than traditional designs.
The focus on electrically-propelled aircraft reflects a rush to develop urban flying taxis (coming soon) and longer range fully electric planes (coming later
According to the consultancy Roland Berger, the number of electric aircraft in development increased by roughly 50% over the past year to 170. The number could swell to 200 by the end of 2019
Ka kite ano link below.
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/20/business/electric-planes-paris-air-show/index.html
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/DgGr_n4fgyI
Smooth and sweet EcoMaori – great voices – visuals.
Kia ora The Hui .
For one you should not be held accountable for someone else actions.
2nd I thought powercompanys can not refuse a service that is basic human right like water housings whare power in Aotearoa if that is not the case it should be.
I have dealt with the lines company when i was managing a farm in the King Country the bloody invoices are confusing for me let alone a Kuia trying to work it out .The Power suppliers and line company should work out a better system there are many other bad stories about bad customer servicers.
Ka kite ano
Kia ora Marae .
I don't think it's acceptable for other cultures to question and respect tangata whenua O Aotearoa to not use te reo Maori on the sports field or anywhere in Aotearoa it a national language.
There will always be some people who don't respect others.
With Te reo Maori culture that is what makes Aotearoa unique .
Eco Maori is going to get a ta moko of a Octopus riding a Whale ma te wa. Ka kite ano
I will let Bernie words speak for me thanks for having the —- to speak the TRUTH on this subject.
We must stop the US from going to war with Iran Trump campaigned on getting the US out of ‘endless wars’ – but his administration is taking us down a path that makes war more and more likely
We need to rethink our current approach. A war with Iran would be an absolute disaster. As former general Anthony Zinni has put it: “If you like Iraq and Afghanistan, you’ll love Iran.” If the US were to attack Iran, Iran could respond with attacks on US troops and on countries around the region. It would lead to the further destabilization of that region in a way that is unimaginable and would result in wars that would go on years and probably cost trillions of dollars
The Iran nuclear deal put Iran’s nuclear program under the most intense inspections regime in history. It got Iran to give up more than 98% of its stockpileof enriched uranium. Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign has reversed those gains. Iran recently announced that, in response to a year’s worth of increased US sanctions, it would increase its stockpile of enriched uranium beyond the limits imposed by the nuclear deal. Bizarrely, Trump is now warning Iran not to violate an agreement his administration violated over a year ago.
want to be clear on this: Iran pursues many bad policies. It violently represses its own population and supports extremist groups around the region. The same could be said of our longtime partner Saudi Arabia. We need to take a more even-handed approach to the Middle East, and not simply support one side against another in a regional conflict. The US is strong enough to deal with these issues diplomatically, working with allies around the world, and that is what we should be doing. We must not fight another unnecessary war.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/21/us-iran-bernie-sanders-airstrikes-drone-attack-war
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/ypMa7WHB3rQ
I had a sore face when I seen this story about people or the youth growing horns or unusually bone growth because of Cellphone use.
I also laughed A similarly accusation about Cellphone causing cancer I will put a link to this story that points that RF radio frequency does not having enough power in cellphones to break down one's DNA as that is what causes cancer .
I put it down to a group of people losing control of the Papatuanuku to our technology industry's.
Are young people growing horns because of mobile phones? Not so fast
Gideon Meyerowiitz-Katz
Mobile phones probably aren’t turning young people into literal demons from hell just yet
People are strange about mobile phones. On the one hand, we can’t live without them. A modern existence is almost entirely reliant on the ability to at all times be connected to virtually every person alive today, which if you think about it is pretty cool. On the other hand, we are constantly terrified that our technological advances are going to kill us all, because nothing is scarier than a risk that we don’t understand. People who’ll happily get into a car despite the ever-present risk of a crash will spend enormous amounts of time and energy avoiding wifi and 5G, even though there is a great deal of evidence that they are safe for human health.
As a species, we’re pretty scared of the unknown
The study also had some worrying problems. As a number of people on Twitter pointed out, the data in the study directly contradicted itself, showing in a graph that men had fewer enlarged EOPs than women but saying in the text that they had more. There were also a number of minor numerical errors – calling the young group 18-29s in one place and 18-30s in another – and a somewhat problematic method of sampling. In fact, the top comment on the paper in the online journal asks how it got through peer-review in the first place, implying that it probably shouldn’t have been published at all. While all of these errors may not be the fault of the authors – the journal editors might be to blame – it makes it much harder to trust the results as reported
Ka kite ano links below.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/21/are-young-people-growing-horns-because-of-mobile-phones-not-so-fast
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jul/21/mobile-phones-are-not-a-health-hazard
Kia ora Newshub.
Condolences to the people who lost family in the skydiving plane crash in Hawaii.
That's was good of the Auckland council gave the public a fear free Sunday to raise the awareness of public transport .
There you go another story attacking digital devices were is the pair review of this claim of a spike in tamariki short sighted problems you know i can count the number of attacks on the technology industry the oil barons money is at play once again. Ka kite ano
Kia ora te ao Maori news
Its sad those 2 hapu can't get along and work together to raise their mokopuna up to their highest rung on their ladders of life.
Ka pai to the Auckland City Council for investigating a way to counteract the discrimination of Maori and Pacific Business i knew what that was like I have tried a few business but failed Eco Maori does not give up thought I will secede .
We had a good sports weekend I have a sore face from watching the stars. It's is very cool that the respect for Tangata whenua O Aotearoa Cultural is showing I knew that the stars could get their mana back with great coaching.
Ka kite ano
There was a Earthquake in Rotorua at 430 Am this morning.
Local boy Craig Harper, fourth in the world, cycles the distance of 1 and a third Tour De France in half the time!
This should be ranked alongside the NZ cricket team's performances, too!
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/113675476/muchneeded-motivation-from-all-blacks-captain-gets-kiwi-cyclist-across-the-line
.
No, Teenagers Are Not Growing 'Skull Horns' Because of Smartphones ka kite ano link below.
https://time.com/5611036/teenagers-skull-horns/
Kia ora The Am Show.
Good on you Sam Stubbs I agree as a person with a KIWIs saver account so i will have shares in ANZ the CEO should be not wasting shareholders money.
There is a fine line to popularity one has to not be a plutocrat holding your hands out when they are Already full.
I think education for young Wahine about their monthly is needed as well as a subsidy for the lower classes of people for sanity products.
Ka kite ano
Some Eco Maori music for the minute.
https://youtu.be/gOsM-DYAEhY
I am quite glad that there is a new found respect for tangata whenua O Aotearoa.
Now we need to have trust that we are not fools and can have a very positive inputs into social policy aimed to reduce Maori un equality. Like I have stated before for the correct care to be given there has to be Aroha not loathing or looking down one's nose. There needs to be a understanding of the culture and circumstance for the situation that is being reviewed.
Back in the 1980s, two Labour Government ministers — Anne Hercus (Social Welfare) and Koro Wetere (Māori Affairs) — agreed that it was time that Māori began to have a fair go in the social welfare system. So they set up a high-powered group to look into what was going on, and to report back with their findings and answers.
John Rangihau, a Ngāi Tūhoe leader and a formidable figure in New Zealand education, was the chair. And the other members were Emarina Manuel, Donna Hall (who was a young solicitor with the Department of Social Welfare at the time), Hori Brennan, Peter Boag, John Grant — and Neville Baker, who was then head of community affairs at the Department of Māori Affairs.
They presented their report in 1988. It was called Pūao-te-Āta-tū, “heralding the light of the new dawn.” And it was praised for its thorough research, its insights, and its sheer common sense.
There was a feeling that this would bring about a revolution in social welfare, especially because of a long-absent but newfound respect for Māori values and Māori knowledge being embraced within the system
No. The situation today is no different from what we found 30-odd years ago.
It’s a recurrence of the mistake that government departments keep making — and it’s not just with Oranga Tamariki. It’s the belief among social service officials that they don’t need support or advice from our people
It’s also clear that, for 100 years now, Māori have been the most incarcerated people in the corrections system. We’ve been the most prominent people in the social welfare system as well
What particularly bugs me is that Roger Douglas and Richard Prebble decided to do away with trades training because, so they argued, it was too expensive
I think you’re right. It’s been evident in this recent Oranga Tamariki situation that a number of our people working in that organisation have become distanced from who they are as Māori people. They forget who they are and where they’ve been brought up. Instead, once they go into a bureaucracy, they start following the bureaucracy’s rules
Ka kite ano link below.
https://e-tangata.co.nz/korero/neville-baker-the-answers-were-there-in-1988/
Kia ora Newshub.
With KIWIs built at least our new government is trying to fix our housing shortage the last lot just ignored the short rubbing there hands together.
The insurance industry is all about there profits just like the banks the fine print in policy is very confusing and that small a print it hard to read .
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Kia ora te ao Maori news
Wellington most vaunrable are going to get new Whare very good as most of them will be Maori Whare are near impossible to rent now days
Wharekahika is getting it rightfully place as the name of Hicks bay very cool.
It awesome that the Council elections is going to include more inputs from Te Arawa.
Cool that Te Tai Tokerau is rasing the profile of there te reo awesome.
The Mayan people are rising the awareness of their plight and championing their language to have more people using it ka pai these other indigenous cultures airing their concerns on Aotearoa Maori tv te ao Maori news.
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