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Open mike 21/09/2021

Written By: - Date published: 6:00 am, September 21st, 2021 - 175 comments
Categories: open mike - Tags:

Open mike is your post.

For announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose.

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Step up to the mike …

175 comments on “Open mike 21/09/2021 ”

  1. Gezza 1
    21 September 2021 at 6:13 am

    Al Jazeera English tv is reporting that:

    “Paul Rusesabagina – the one-time hotel manager portrayed as a hero in a Hollywood film “Hotel Rwanda” – was found guilty of being part of a group responsible for “terrorist” attacks and has been sentenced to 25 years in prison by a Rwandan court.

    Rusesabagina boycotted Monday’s verdict after declaring he did not expect justice in a trial he called a “sham”.

    The case has had a high profile since Rusesabagina, 67, was arrested in August 2020 after what he described as a kidnapping from Dubai by Rwandan authorities.”
    …
    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/20/rwanda-court-finds-hotel-rwanda-hero-guilty-in-terrorism-case

    Reply
  2. Gezza 2
    21 September 2021 at 6:23 am

    TALIBAN CALL FOR MORE INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO CLEAR UNEXPLODED ORDINANCE IN AFGHANISTAN

    Reply
    • Tiger Mountain 2.1
      21 September 2021 at 8:49 am

      If the Afghanis want this assistance provide it. Saving lives and preventing injury often goes down better than drone attacks.

      Saw a meme yesterday…
      “If you think you are ineffective…
      the US took twenty years, trillions of dollars,
      thousands killed, hundreds of thousands injured,
      to replace the Taliban with the Taliban…”

      Reply
    • Stuart Munro 2.2
      21 September 2021 at 9:09 am

      This is a job for the Hero Rats.

      Reply
      • Gezza 2.2.1
        21 September 2021 at 9:26 am

        Indeed.

        I live right next to a large stream (in some countries it would be called a river).

        I spend some time observing & occasionally videoing the wildlife that frequents & inhabits te wai & the surrounding stream banks. Mainly birds, waterbirds, Pukekos, ducks, a Little Black Shag, & 2 varieties of eel – some of which I’ve fed & named.

        One of my favourite stream-dwellers is a female water-rat. I’ve named her Sarah. She’s actually quite cute. Not that I’m encouraging her to visit my property, but one day she came in under the fence palings & curled up & had a wee snooze on my back lawn. So she got added to my wildlife video collection.

        Reply
        • Gezza 2.2.1.2
          21 September 2021 at 1:11 pm

          Bluey & Sweety Pook, with solo pooklet

          View post on imgur.com

          They had four pooklets, one season. Once the kidz sprouted wings & learned to fly they'd all come into my back yard and trim the grass. My lawn moas.

          Reply
          • Whispering Kate 2.2.1.2.1
            21 September 2021 at 5:08 pm

            Hi Robert. Lovely to see Spring has sprung in your garden. Don't know if you remember our blackbird called Pegleg. Well bless his heart he is still in our garden and has to be at least 8 seasons old now. We went to the US three years ago for a month and we had him in our garden for quite a few years prior to that. His gammy leg doesn't seem to have impeded his many breeding seasons. He is still glossy and cocky as a cock blackbird usually is. I wonder what spring will bring us this time as a female blackbird is wrecking our hanging baskets digging the straw lining to pieces and flying off with enormous bundles of straw in her beak. Oh the wonders of a garden.

            Reply
      • gsays 2.2.2
        21 September 2021 at 1:10 pm

        I saw these rats in Cambodia. Fantastic to watch them work, with a very high success rate, virtually no false positives.

        The human stories related to these 'spent' munitions are heartbreaking.

        Reply
    • Jenny how to get there 2.3
      21 September 2021 at 9:31 am

      '

      "Spray and Walk Away!"

      https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/the-detail/story/2018722375/the-tragic-results-of-nzdf-s-failure-to-clean-up-after-bamyan

      It's what we do.

      Audio file;

      [audio src="https://podcast.radionz.co.nz/thedetail/thedetail-20191118-0500-the_tragic_results_of_nzdfs_failure_to_clean_up_after_bamyan-02.ogg" /]

      Reply
    • Jenny how to get there 2.4
      21 September 2021 at 3:45 pm

      Hat tip to Sandra Coney for sharing this powerful poem.

      Sandra: “Got this fabulous poem today from Human Rights Network. Wish he'd said more about women and girls but agree with his sentiment. Sorry gaps between stanzas have been lost.”

      Before I Start This Poem

      by Emmanuel Ortiz written in 2004

      [Deleted 199 double spaced lines; click on the link if you want to read the poem]

      Emmanuel Ortiz works with the Minnesota Alliance for the Indigenous Zapatistas (MAIZ)

      Reply
  3. Tricledrown 3
    21 September 2021 at 7:13 am

    Collins has to go after bagging others for not wearing masks outdoors .Collins and 2 other National MP's not wearing masks in Queenstown takeaway icecream parler.

    Reply
    • Gezza 3.1
      21 September 2021 at 7:43 am

      Collins is toast. National MPs & the party hierarchy cannot fail to see that she’s a massive fracking liability. She’s an idiot.

      All she does these days, when she even opens her mouth, & for anybody who has however reluctantly been starting to wonder if she’s a fool, is instantly remove all doubt !

      Reply
    • bwaghorn 3.2
      21 September 2021 at 9:20 am

      Probably needed a cooling icecream after a heavy session of pleading her case to the illuminati that control national from their powerbase in a cave in queenstown,

      Reply
    • Gezza 3.3
      21 September 2021 at 6:43 pm

      Collins got given a hard time by One News at 6 over this.

      Her attempt to say she wasn’t being hypocritical because of her criticism of Siouxsie Wiles “Not really, we’re in Level 2” was so lame it was tragic.

      Item ended with Ben Thomas telling viewers she’s gone as leader soon.

      Reply
  4. Sacha 4
    21 September 2021 at 7:14 am

    Judge decided, against Corrections advice, to release Black Power member on bail to Whakatīwai where Covid spread https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300411598/corrections-deemed-black-power-member-who-caught-covid19-unsuitable-for-bail

    Reply
    • alwyn 4.1
      21 September 2021 at 9:26 am

      I wonder how many people there are whose application for bail is supported by the Corrections Department? I suspect that for most people who are charged for anything except a few white column crimes there is an instinctive "We oppose bail" response.

      Reply
    • weka 4.2
      21 September 2021 at 1:26 pm

      Would be nice to know why Corrections are so sure transmission didn't happen at Mt Eden.

      Reply
  5. Ad 5
    21 September 2021 at 7:18 am

    The US is heading for 675,000 deaths which will be its worst public health event – bigger than the 1918 Spanish flu.

    Differences are that in 1918 the U.S. population was less than a third of today’s with an estimated 103 million people living in America just before the roaring 1920s. Today it's about 330 million people living in the U.S. That means the 1918 flu killed about 1 in every 150 Americans, compared with 1 in 500 who have died from Covid so far.

    But still a long, long way to go there.

    Reply
  6. Jenny how to get there 6
    21 September 2021 at 7:46 am

    The Breadheads win

    What the medical experts are all saying:

    "Gamble"

    "Calculated risk"

    New Zealand government takes a calculated risk to relax Auckland’s lockdown while new cases continue to appear

    The decision to move Auckland to alert level 3 from midnight on Tuesday is a calculated risk by the government. New daily cases in Auckland have stayed stubbornly high over the past week, a period when many of us had hoped to see them fall to single digits.

    https://theconversation.com/new-zealand-government-takes-a-calculated-risk-to-relax-aucklands-lockdown-while-new-cases-continue-to-appear-168269?

    What if the calculated risk fails?

    What if the gamble is lost?

    What if the virus keeps spreading?

    What if our hospitals start to become overwhelmed?

    Will the Level 4 lockdown be re-imposed?

    Does the government still have the courage to face down the breadheads?

    Or was that the last Lockdown ever?

    To placate the business and banking lobby, will the government surrender our country to the virus, to keep the markets happy?

    Have the neo-liberal money men achieved total victory over our democracy?

    Let us all play that this gamble succeeds?

    Reply
    • Gezza 6.1
      21 September 2021 at 7:55 am

      Baz Soper has burst into print:

      “It’s official. The Government’s impossible Covid elimination strategy has been scrapped, although don’t expect it to admit to that. Just like it would never accept the alert level 4 lockdown in Auckland hasn’t been anything but a raging success.

      The spin is that if it had waited just one more week before turning the key on lockdown, there would be at least 5000 cases by now.

      That of course we will never know, although under level 3, if you listen to the Beehive’s puppet master Ashley Bloomfield, the numbers will now “rumble along”. That in epidemiological-speak presumably means expect more numbers.
      …”

      https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-barry-soper-dont-expect-govt-to-admit-elimination-strategy-has-been-scrapped/4GKLRVCI22TM3XNZ2DG5VYBUIE/

      Reply
      • Sacha 6.1.1
        21 September 2021 at 8:01 am

        Silly old men give old men a bad name.

        Reply
        • Gezza 6.1.1.1
          21 September 2021 at 8:14 am

          😀

          In my younger daze I used to sometimes feel sorry for Grumpy Old Men.

          Until I realised recently that I somehow seem to have become one. I thought about it for a few days, & then, with a grin, decided that actually it wasn’t anywhere near as bad being one as I thought.

          The trick, I’ve concluded, is to make sure you keep your sense of humour, continue to be able to hear yourself when you’re being one – and to just stop & laugh at yourself.

          Reply
          • woodart 6.1.1.1.1
            21 September 2021 at 10:25 am

            the trick is to be self-aware and realise you are turning into a grumpy old man. I am in the stale pale male group, and find myself occasionally slipping into the grumpy old man group. but knowing that, and deliberatley stopping, and having a couple of calming breaths is good, and,as you correctly point out , being able to stand back and laugh at yourself is a great leveller.

            Reply
            • Gezza 6.1.1.1.1.1
              21 September 2021 at 10:40 am

              👍🏼 The first hint I had that I might be slipping in to GOM territory was some years back, when I was listening to some really discordant (to my ears) hip hop song, and the words formed in my mind:

              “You call THAT music !?” 😡 😀

              Me dear ol departed da instantly popped into my mind, grinning, & saying, “See what I meant?”

              Reply
              • woodart …
                21 September 2021 at 12:07 pm

                music and the ability to enjoy it is one of the big factors in keeping dementia-altzheimers at bay. I try and dose myself with rock music every day.

                Reply
                • Gezza@yahoo.co.nz …
                  21 September 2021 at 12:37 pm

                  👍🏼 The Blues still does it most for me. 🎸

                  Reply
                  • weka …
                    21 September 2021 at 1:27 pm

                    please fix user name on next comment.

                    Reply
                    • Gezza …
                      21 September 2021 at 1:51 pm

                      Sorry weka.

                      I only spotted that screw up too late when it went into moderation.

                      I thought about emailing the site but didn’t think anyone would read it in time to delete the extra characters. Already corrected the name in any following comments.

                    • weka []
                      21 September 2021 at 7:40 pm

                      all good. I drop a note so people pick it up the next time (some people don’t realise and I won’t necessarily have seen their next comments).

                      Emailing TS is probably the lease efficient way of communicating 🙂

        • Anne 6.1.1.2
          21 September 2021 at 9:53 am

          And here's another silly old man – a gross understatement imo:

          https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-ashley-bloomfield-mike-hosking-clash-on-his-relationship-with-government/3OEQE5C773QAW7KYYGI26UFMZI/

          And what kind of a shit treats a senior public servant like Bloomfield as if he's a politician.

          Reply
        • vto 6.1.1.3
          21 September 2021 at 10:57 am

          i think it is incumbent on the entire populace to remove ageism and sexism from their everyday discourse

          silly brown girl

          grumpy old man

          bloody maori

          bloody honky

          silly old chook

          big fat hypocrite

          just dump the lot ok. this seems quite hard for many around here – a centre for calling out abuse – which is hard to fathom

          Reply
          • roblogic 6.1.1.3.1
            21 September 2021 at 11:07 am

            no. free speech includes offensive remarks.

            Reply
          • Sacha 6.1.1.3.2
            21 September 2021 at 11:50 am

            Language does not happen in a social or power vacuum. Quite a big contextual difference in those examples you're written.

            Reply
            • vto 6.1.1.3.2.1
              21 September 2021 at 11:59 am

              I think that context qualification you refer to fails the left massively. Nobody, except people like-minded to those around here, buys that.

              Further, the assumptions around your qualification also fail. Try telling that to the poor old white man struggling in his Council flat.

              Or alternatively, keep making excuses for using your own abusive terms and see it continue to be bounced straight back at you.

              Or, to make it personal, if people refer to my own 'race', age, gender, religion, etc, they can go f&%k themselves. You know, just to keep it as real as it is in the streets…

              sheesh….

              edit: why do you feel the need to refer to a persons age, race, religion and gender?

              Reply
              • Sacha …
                21 September 2021 at 12:02 pm

                white lives matter

                Reply
              • roblogic …
                21 September 2021 at 12:46 pm

                Thing is, when powerful public figures do it, they deserve to be bailed up and face criticism. When someone from an historically oppressed group criticise their oppressors it's a different story.

                But I agree with the sentiment that public discourse would probably be more constructive if we decided not to include certain insults in our arsenal.

                Reply
                • vto …
                  21 September 2021 at 6:56 pm

                  "When someone from an historically oppressed group criticise their oppressors it's a different story"

                  Sure, in many ways true.

                  But the point still stands I think that there is no need, and no purpose served, in referring to oppressor's age, religion, gender, or race in a derogatory way.

                  Said young brown girl speaking to, say, Don Brash, "hey you old white honky, blah, blah…"..

                  yeah nah, it is just abuse.

                  and yeah, we should exclude certain insults… doesn't advance the cause one iota methink

                  Reply
      • Jenny how to get there 6.1.2
        21 September 2021 at 8:25 am

        The government surrender, has finally given the National Party opposition something to talk about and run with.

        Chris Bishop was able to speak extensively this morning on TVNZ breakfast about 'government failure'. Not about eliminating the virus or lifting the lockdown early.

        Chris Bishop attack line, ran like this;

        If the pandemic spins out of control, if "this calculated risk fails", it is the government's fault that everyone is not vaccinated.

        If the government's gamble does fail, expect a big resurgence of National in the polls.

        Reply
        • Gezza 6.1.2.1
          21 September 2021 at 8:36 am

          "If the government's gamble does fail, expect a big resurgence of National in the polls."

          Possibly, Jenny. Might depend on who's their leader? How many voters in NZ really think that the muddlesome, erratic, gaffe-prone Collins under the same pressure from all the various affected sectors of society would have done anything different, or any better?

          If it fails, Ardern's best bet would be to front up, admit it (conceding no errors could potentially be politically fatal) & then tell the whole country what she is going to do about it.

          Think Ardern has what it takes to do that?

          Reply
          • alwyn 6.1.2.1.1
            21 September 2021 at 11:40 am

            A very simple answer Gezza. No she doesn't.

            I think she is completely incapable of admitting that she has ever made an error and she is simply going to go on and on and on trying to do the impossible and open up our country without letting Covid in. Still the majority of the late middle-aged women of my acquaintance continue to think she is wonderful so I doubt she will change.

            I am cheered up by the way that the public seem to have decided that the America's Cup is a farce though. Team New Zealand, as they so grandiosely call themselves have been polling on whether the New Zealand public want to give them more money. I suspect they are having great difficulty getting any other country interested so they are hoping to be able to get more out of the New Zealand Government.

            The public have spoken. Only 26% are willing to throw more taxpayer dosh into the black hole. Fifty percent say they should go overseas and the taxpayer shouldn't give them anything. Yippee, says I.

            With any luck the Public will come to the same conclusion about the shambles that is our current Government and decide that the mad money printing of Grant Robertson will destroy us.

            To those who say "Who will you choose to kill off?" I would ask in return "How many are you willing to kill from cancer, heart disease, suicide etc, etc, etc by devoting all your attention to Covid 19 now that vaccines have reduced its impact?" and "How many children's live will you ruin by preventing them getting an education?".

            https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/americas-cup/126442680/new-poll-favours-team-nz-defending-americas-cup-offshore-without-public-money

            Reply
            • woodart 6.1.2.1.1.1
              21 September 2021 at 12:10 pm

              interesting alwyn. coming from someone who seems unable to admit his own numerous errors, an accusation that jacinda suffers from your problem is laughable. she seems perfectly capable of laughing at herself. you?

              Reply
            • Gezza 6.1.2.1.1.2
              21 September 2021 at 12:11 pm

              Ardern has already made it clear that if she can’t continue as PM, she’s off, alwyn. Presumably to a lucrative stint offshore at the UN or some other well-paid role for which her international reputation is thought by overseas fans to qualify her.

              Ae. Were it not for the crises of the Mosque shootings, the Lynnmall stabbings, & of course, the biggie, Covid, voters’ attention may well be a lot more focussed on Ardern’s Ministers in several key areas showing a disturbing lack of apparent competence & cohesive policies to improve some very bad stats in poverty, child poverty, crime rates, gang growth, housing, emergency housing, health, mental health etc.

              However, equally disturbing is the prospect of the rump of the National opposition going into government, with their several untested comparative newbies, and some experienced – but not previously particularly impressive – former Ministers. And if Collins was still leader they’d probably be shite.

              ACT have the luxury of being able to take pot shots & wax eloquent about what they’d do, but they’re an untested crew too.

              Unnerving times. May not be the best move to change the government horses.

              Bye, Team NZ. Happy to watch you sail on TV with all the cool CGI, don’t like to see you lose, but you ain’t earning enuf for the country to justify more tax-spend. That money’s desperately needed elsewhere.

              Reply
            • joe90 6.1.2.1.1.3
              21 September 2021 at 12:33 pm

              suicide etc, etc

              ..another lie with it's boots on..

              Reply
            • Gabby 6.1.2.1.1.4
              21 September 2021 at 4:48 pm

              We're running negative excess deaths wal, bad news for undertakers I'll concede.

              Reply
              • alwyn …
                21 September 2021 at 6:39 pm

                Really?

                The Our World in Data dataset appears to show that we had negative excess deaths in 2020 but positive values in 2021. My suspicion would be that this was due to there shutdown last year meant there were negligible flu deaths but I'm not really up in this subject.

                I have no idea on what is causing the positive numbers this year except to say that they appear to be happening.

                Reply
        • Pete 6.1.2.2
          21 September 2021 at 9:03 am

          You have to feel sorry for Bishop. He and his colleagues and Kiwibloggers are on their paths raving about the government 'ruling by Covid fear.

          They rant about lockdowns, those needing to come off and how people in Auckland are all imprisoned and the Auckland economy being destroyed.

          The latest decisions are made so it's into negative mode and pandering to a fear narrative, focussing on "calculated risk."

          Feel sorry for Bishop? He must want things to go wrong. He loves the fear factor. He no doubt wants an outbreak so he can say, "I told you so." The desperate, die-hard, still National supporters will be hoping for the same and I would suggest are not averse to deaths as long as it's not them or their family and friends.

          Reply
          • Gezza 6.1.2.2.1
            21 September 2021 at 9:12 am

            It's pretty rich that Bishop is National's spokesperson on Covid-19 response.

            C-19's an aggressive respiratory/lung disease.

            And in his former guise, Bishop was the PR man for NZ's Big Tobacco!

            Reply
        • bwaghorn 6.1.2.3
          21 September 2021 at 9:25 am

          Hopefully the more intelligent kiwis will understand that covid is a barstard , and while Ardern and co haven't always nailed it they've given this country the best shot at getting through with the least harm possible.

          Reply
        • Sacha 6.1.2.4
          21 September 2021 at 9:48 am

          'Surrender'? We should all know by now that "elimination" in pandemic response language does not mean zero cases, yet media and scared folk on Facecloth wilfully confuse the public. Why do you think the PM and DG are always talking about uncontrolled public spread?

          Reply
          • Enough is Enough 6.1.2.4.1
            21 September 2021 at 1:29 pm

            Its not a surrender, and we have eliminated under level 3 before, so I am hopeful we can do so again.

            But I am still unlcear on why or how the health advice has changed in the space of a week, when the case numbers (including numbers of unlinked cases) are essentially the same as they were a week ago.

            Why was it unsafe a week ago to move to level 3, but it is now safe to do so? From evryhting we have been told in the past by the Prime Minister, I would have preferred that we delayed the move in levels.

            Reply
      • AB 6.1.4
        21 September 2021 at 10:25 am

        Baz says Ashley is the "puppet master" while Prof Des says going to L3 is a "political decision". I guess grumpy old right-wing blokes are allowed to contradict each other (and even themselves) with impunity. Because in essence, impunity is what they're all about.

        Reply
        • Gabby 6.1.4.1
          21 September 2021 at 1:45 pm

          They like to cover all the bases, knowing their more rabid followers will happily parrot contradictory nonsense unquestioningly.

          Reply
    • tc 6.2
      21 September 2021 at 9:45 am

      NSW reopening is driven by the real managers of strayla…..business.

      Reply
    • Gabby 6.3
      21 September 2021 at 1:44 pm

      Gfoffloffle takes full responsibility.

      Reply
  7. Ghostwhowalksnz 7
    21 September 2021 at 8:02 am

    The German Federal election this week is showing the SPD still as the biggest party which it has been like that for the last month.

    AS we know from our MMP biggest party doesnt mean you get to lead a new coalition government but the as both major parties are in an existing Grand Coalition the largest party will take the leading role.

    Roughly the SPD is at around 26%, The Union Faction( CDU + CSU) at 21%, Greens at 16%, FDP at 7%, AfD at 11% and Der Linke at 6%.

    However those are nationwide polls and unlike us , the German MMP allocation is done by federal state. The parties can vary widely in strength in various states which can boost the list allocation when all rolled up nationally. The Scottish MMP is similar and thats how SNP can end up with more seats than its nationwide vote would suggest.

    The German overhangs and their 'leveling seats' for leading parties' can also be considerable number ( last election was just over 100 extra seats in Bundestag of 598)

    Reply
    • Bearded Git 7.1
      21 September 2021 at 8:48 am

      Der Linke are Left so the Greens, SPD and Der Linke are at 48% which, if it holds, should see them home assuming, as in NZ, that there is some wasted vote.

      Reply
    • satty 7.2
      21 September 2021 at 10:05 am

      Your graph unfortunately ends at Apr 2020, so it doesn't show the developments since then with significant movements for all parties. It will be interesting to see the final outcome at election day.

      One thing that makes the German language interesting (and annoying) is the gender. In this case the gender of the word "Partei" is female. So it's "Die Linke (Partei)" not "Der Linke".

      Reply
      • Ghostwhowalksnz 7.2.1
        21 September 2021 at 10:30 am

        Sorry but inserting images can be tricky doesnt show the full picture width wise

        The full graphics and numbers are here. I should have put it with the comment

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_2021_German_federal_election

        Reply
      • Sabine 7.2.2
        21 September 2021 at 10:35 am

        Der while always being masculine (and i still don't know why a table or a chair would be masculine 🙂 ) does not mean that Die is always 'feminine'. Die is plural also.

        So a man would be Der Mann, but die Maenner means The men. 🙂 So any Partei will always be a Die, Die SPD, Die Gruenen, Die CDU, Die CSU etc, as Partei implies an assembly of more then one.

        Reply
        • satty 7.2.2.1
          21 September 2021 at 11:30 am

          Good point. Wouldn't that be "Die Linken" instead of "Die Linke" if we stick to plural?

          Reply
          • Sabine 7.2.2.1.1
            21 September 2021 at 11:51 am

            That my dear is the idiosyncrasy of the german language that makes no sense and drives many a german study mad.

            It should, but 'die Linke' is the name of the party, And in that for some reason, die linke or die rechte (see what i do there) is both ' feminine', but 'die rechten and die linken are plural.

            My thinking is that 'die linke' implies the word Partei but without explicit naming it, as it literally was and still is a coalition of the left that was not and is not included into german politics.

            The Left (German: Die Linke (proper spelling: DIE LINKE[18]), stylised in its logo as DIE LiNKE.), also commonly referred to as the Left Party (German: die Linkspartei [diː ˈlɪŋkspaʁˌtaɪ] (About this soundlisten)), is a democratic socialist[2][3] political party in Germany. The party was founded in 2007 as the result of the merger of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) and Labour and Social Justice – The Electoral Alternative (WASG). Through PDS, the party is the direct descendant of the Marxist-Leninist ruling party of the former East Germany (GDR), the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED).[19]

            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Left_(Germany)

            one thing that i found easy learning english is the word THE – while hard to prnonounce for some of us germans, it is so easy to use.

            Mind look at the french, il and elle, he and her. have a group of women they are 'elles', add one bloke to that group of 'elles' and they become 'ils'. 🙂

            Reply
    • Sanctuary 8.1
      21 September 2021 at 9:39 am

      The "lease" will end up being the purchase. The Australians are incapable of building nuclear boats and this whole deal will turn to be a chimera to placate South Australian MPs worried about jobs in their electorates.

      Reply
      • woodart 8.1.1
        21 September 2021 at 6:19 pm

        aus can find or train qualified submariners for its diesel subs.one of the main reasons most of them are tied up at the dock. how are they going to find sailors for nuke subs ?(far more difficult to run). may have to get a few chinese submariners in to staff them!lol

        Reply
  9. tc 9
    21 September 2021 at 9:07 am

    Ocker watch: scumo is off to the states so Barnaby Joyce is acting PM.

    Captain redneck can’t even control his own team.

    Reply
  10. Ronald 10
    21 September 2021 at 9:19 am

    With Auckland moving to L3 tomorrow and we still have a similar number of daily cases I have to ask what the last 5 weeks lockdown was all about?

    Reply
    • Andre 10.1
      21 September 2021 at 10:04 am

      It has certainly achieved preventing an explosion of cases that would break the health system and gave us the breathing room to get vaccination numbers up.

      It has also kept elimination as a real possibility – whether that actually happens will be seen over the next few weeks. But even if elimination is no longer a realistic possibility, vaccination numbers are now high enough that an overwhelmed broken health system is much less likely. (but still enough of a possibility that anything we can do to continue lifting vaccination rates is worthwhile).

      Reply
      • AB 10.1.1
        21 September 2021 at 10:34 am

        Quite – if we cannot ultimately push cases down to zero, at least we have given ourselves the opportunity of a semi-controlled exit from the strategy, rather than a total car-crash. But why bother trying to give nuanced answers to (most likely) bad faith questions – it's like being interviewed by Mike Hosking.

        Reply
        • Andre 10.1.1.1
          21 September 2021 at 11:01 am

          It's not usually for those that ask the questions, their minds are usually already made up.

          It's for the off chance that someone else reading might go hmmm …

          Reply
    • Red Blooded One 10.2
      21 September 2021 at 10:08 am

      Do you really have to ask? try looking across the ditch, if you can't see the benefit of the hard and fast 5 week lockdown, you purposely have your eyes closed.

      Moving to L3 is a balancing act that I hope works out. Not being in Auckland it would be easy for me to say keep them in lockdown longer but the reality is, you have to keep the majority on side unless you are going to bring in the Army so if letting people get their Takeaways etc keeps them on side, then it's exactly the right thing to do.

      Reply
      • Andre 10.2.1
        21 September 2021 at 10:19 am

        Level 3 is still lockdown by any reasonable definition of lockdown, even if the government and some others don't want to call it lockdown.

        Going from level 4 to level 3 is like going from solitary confinement to general prison. We still can't go hang with our mates (if I had any mates, that is), we still can't go out of Auckland even to say last goodbyes to family, we're still restricted in what we can do for exercise, we're still not supposed to go anywhere or do anything besides home, work, and essentials (which now includes takeaway KFC and coffee).

        In other words, our Bill of Rights freedoms of movement and association and peaceful assembly and religion are still heavily curtailed.

        Reply
        • Barfly 10.2.1.1
          21 September 2021 at 10:28 am

          Ah but the right to not die from a fucking horrible disease is still protected

          Reply
          • Andre 10.2.1.1.1
            21 September 2021 at 10:35 am

            Not dying from a fucking horrible disease is not actually a right that I can find written down anywhere. Arguably it should be, particularly when it's mostly very cheaply and safely preventable by vaccination.

            But the importance we as a society place on not dying from preventable fucking horrible disease can be seen in Section 70 of the health act giving health officials draconian powers to override actual rights to achieve that protection from dying from a fucking horrible disease.

            Reply
          • Gypsy 10.2.1.1.2
            21 September 2021 at 11:59 am

            The worlds population is around 7675billion.

            The number of covid deaths is around 4.55million.

            That is a death rate of 0.06%. US data suggests that nearly 80% of those are 65+.

            So your chances of dying from this "fucking horrible disease" are remarkably small. And even smaller if you're vaccinated.

            Reply
            • Bearded Git 10.2.1.1.2.1
              21 September 2021 at 1:16 pm

              The Economist has an article this week that says the true death number is 18 million not 4.5 million. Sorry it is paywalled.

              Reply
              • joe90 …
                21 September 2021 at 1:28 pm

                shhh…

                Rather than trying to distinguish between types of deaths, The Economist’s approach is to count all of them. The standard method of tracking changes in total mortality is “excess deaths”. This number is the gap between how many people died in a given region during a given time period, regardless of cause, and how many deaths would have been expected if a particular circumstance (such as a natural disaster or disease outbreak) had not occurred. Although the official number of deaths caused by covid-19 is now 4.7m, our single best estimate is that the actual toll is 15.5m people. We find that there is a 95% chance that the true value lies between 9.6m and 18.1m additional deaths.

                https://archive.li/QxUIt

                Reply
              • Gypsy …
                21 September 2021 at 1:33 pm

                Yes they're referring to potential under-reporting, mainly in the third world. They also say "just one in 20 people infected globally thus far had entered official statistics. " While I agree the data is 'ropey', if just one in 20 infected have been reported, but their estimated death rate is 4x the official numbers, then the death rate to infections is even lower than the 2% widely published.

                Reply
          • Ronald 10.2.1.1.3
            21 September 2021 at 12:02 pm

            "the right to not die from a fucking horrible disease" is a rather dramatic statement. In 2021 one person has died in New Zealand with Covid-19 and that was a 90 year old women who had a number of underlying health conditions. In that same 9 month period 220 people have died on our roads, approx 6,000 from cancer and a total of approx 25,000 deaths from all causes. The reason that I have listed these figures is that I think we need perspective around the risks in our lives. We seem to have lost that at the moment.

            Reply
        • Red Blooded One 10.2.1.2
          21 September 2021 at 10:33 am

          Absolutely, it is not easy and people saying what is the point in moving to L3 or having L4 negates the seriousness of this bloody thing. I think it is the right thing to move slowly down the Levels. Do you not think any Government at times may need to curtail peoples rights for the betterment of the greater good. (Car seatbelts, Smoking in buildings etc, spring to mind)

          I am very grateful of the effort and hardship that the majority of Aucklanders have endured.

          Reply
          • Andre 10.2.1.2.1
            21 September 2021 at 10:48 am

            Absolutely the role of government includes balancing various competing rights. All rights are subject to some limitations, exclusions, and responsibilities depending on the situation of the moment. The requirements of the situation of the moment can be very fluid and change quickly.

            I happen to think the government made a good call a week ago to keep Auckland in level 4, and it's a good call to move Auckland to level 3 tonight. Even though infection numbers don't look better now than a week ago. To me, the difference is the vaccination numbers do look a lot better now. Hopefully those vaccination numbers will keep getting better.

            I just get incredibly frustrated with some that focus on just one right, such as the right to refuse medical treatment, and appear to think that one right extends to justifying trampling wholesale over all others (not accusing you of this, RBO). It's always a balancing act that needs to be very mindful of what actual rights are actually being currently unusually curtailed.

            Reply
      • Gypsy 10.3.1
        21 September 2021 at 12:10 pm

        Yes, that's the whole point of a lockdown – to stop the exponential growth of cases. Ashley Bloomfield's comments seem to indicate they are prepared for more cases, but are relying on other measures to keep the ongoing community spread reduced.

        Reply
    • Jester 10.4
      21 September 2021 at 10:42 am

      I think we could have been at level 3 at least a week ago and the South Island could be at level 1 now.

      Reply
      • Red Blooded One 10.4.1
        21 September 2021 at 10:47 am

        Oh well, that's that then, We don't need a team of health professionals driving our Covid response, we can just hand it over to The Jester to save us all, I feel so much safer. /sarc

        Reply
        • bwaghorn 10.4.1.1
          21 September 2021 at 11:14 am

          I'll have you know jesters navel is a very reliable source of ideas.

          Reply
        • Jester 10.4.1.2
          21 September 2021 at 4:40 pm

          I must admit, I'm no "expert" like Shaun Hendy who predicted up to 80,000 deaths even though Sweden has twice our population and basically 'let it rip'. Mind you he did predict this outbreak could be as high as 100-120! I guess that's a bit more accurate.

          Reply
          • McFlock 10.4.1.2.1
            21 September 2021 at 5:11 pm

            No, he said that when the first positive case was found in the community there were an estimated 50-120 other covid-positive people undetected at that time.

            Keep pushing the 80k line as well. Pretend that it wasn't the absolute worst-case possible scenario with a virulent disease, no controls, no lockdowns, no change in personal behaviour (mandated or not) and business as usual. Helps remind people you're just a bad-faith actor who for some reason wants to see thousands of NZers dead. Sure, let's get Sweden's death rate. It's be good for small business owners (funeral directors in particular).

            Reply
            • Jester 10.4.1.2.1.1
              21 September 2021 at 5:43 pm

              We would not get anywhere near 80k deaths in NZ unless we all went around licking toilet seats or something.

              Reply
              • McFlock …
                21 September 2021 at 9:19 pm

                The behaviour requirements that led to an estimate of up to 80k dead were quite clearly outlined and published over a year ago.

                And if you match the prediction for the criteria describing the measures we actually implemented, it's pretty accurate: 0.0004% of 5 million is 20 dead. We're currently at 27.

                BTW, the accuracy of that prediction is the difference between science and economics. If treasury or RBNZ could predict GDP or unemployment 18months down the line to within 0.00005%, they'd be in heaven.

                Reply
            • Ghostwhowalksnz 10.4.1.2.1.2
              21 September 2021 at 5:45 pm

              Yes. And the very best case scenario with lockdowns and other public health measures the death toll could be …..20.

              Reply
      • mac1 10.4.2
        21 September 2021 at 3:50 pm

        Why do I always see a man with a striped short sleeved jersey, shorts and a handkerchief on his head when I read a statement beginning "I think……"?

        Reply
    • Ghostwhowalksnz 10.5
      21 September 2021 at 1:40 pm

      The peak was around 80 cases per day at end of August

      Reply
    • Gabby 10.6
      21 September 2021 at 1:49 pm

      It was about getting to a point where it was safe to drop to level 3. Duh.

      Reply
  11. Stephen D 11
    21 September 2021 at 9:27 am

    https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2021/09/21/auckland-light-rail-suggest-light-rail-in-auckland/
    I’ve a lot of faith in Michael Wood, but he better get this one right.

    Reply
    • Gypsy 11.1
      21 September 2021 at 12:05 pm

      So a government lobby group for light rail announces that "they think light rail is the best solution for the City Centre to Mangere corridor" and that's news?

      Reply
      • Cricklewood 11.1.1
        21 September 2021 at 1:51 pm

        They had a big presence at the Balmoral flea market right before lockdown.. about 10 staff handing out info lobbying etc…

        From what I heard very little thought put into how they might hope to preserve the little restaurants & character of Dominion road during the build. Best I got was but they'll all do so well when its finished… I'll bet theyll be gone long before its done.

        I can see it being an absolute disaster full of unintended consequences shunting traffic onto Mt Eden and Sandringham roads being one of them

        Reply
        • Gypsy 11.1.1.1
          21 September 2021 at 3:17 pm

          Auckland Council and it's offshoots have developed a ''talking points" approach to selling projects. This involves a large amount of spin and bullshit, and very little actual listening. AT are among the worst, but are by no means alone. When I looked at the Board of ALR and saw some of the 'usual suspects' (the CEO of AC, the CEO of AT, Chris Darby) I can only hope that this project is stopped in it's tracks.

          Reply
  12. Sacha 12
    21 September 2021 at 9:42 am

    Politicking by media (click on tweet to see full cartoon, damn cropping).

    Reply
  13. Sanctuary 13
    21 September 2021 at 9:52 am

    US Navy plans to expand to a fleet size last seen under Reagan, going from 296 ships to 512 in their latest plan –

    https://news.usni.org/2021/09/17/congressional-budget-office-analysis-of-navys-30-year-shipbuilding-plan

    An increased emphasis in littoral surface combat against peer opponents is noticeable. Lots of missile carrying destroyers and frigates, with a big increase in submarines and amphibious warfare capability & the ability to support expeditionary forces in extended operations. Many of the ships are planned to be un-manned.

    Combined with significant investment in missile defense systems and previously neglected advanced anti-ship missiles and it is obvious the US is in a huge and rapid build up for a peer conflict in east Asia. Wonder with who that might be?

    Reply
    • Gezza 13.1
      21 September 2021 at 10:16 am

      If it happens, like in all wars, it will likely be far easier to start than to finish, will not go exactly to plan for either side, & may well see some completely unexpected war-winning tactic or capability completely unforeseen used by one side to deliver a final victory.

      I’m wondering how many technologically advanced military assets of China, Russia, USA are critically dependent on “secure” internet or satellite comms, but actually have an achilles heel that the other side has – or will have – the ability to exploit?

      Reply
  14. Gezza 14
    21 September 2021 at 9:59 am

    Dreadful anywhere it happens. I usually expect these to occur in the USA.

    "At least six people were killed as a student opened fire at a university in the Russian city of Perm, the second mass shooting this year in a country where such incidents are usually rare.

    The suspect was detained shortly after launching the attack on Monday morning at Perm State University, which is about 1,300km (800 miles) east of the capital, Moscow.

    Russia’s Investigative Committee said the attacker had been identified as a student at the university. It has opened a murder probe into the incident.

    The death toll had previously been stated as eight, but was later revised to six. More than 20 people were injured, several with bullet wounds. The severity of the injuries was not immediately clear."

    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/20/several-killed-in-shooting-at-russian-university

    Reply
  15. Joe90 15
    21 September 2021 at 10:33 am

    Zuckerberg reportedly agreed with Kushner that FB wouldn't fact-check during the 2020 election and the tRump administration would avoid regulating FB. And Thiel's a thoroughly unlikable character.

    https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/peter-thiel-silicon-valley-contrarian-max-chafkin.html

    Reply
  16. Jester 16
    21 September 2021 at 10:47 am

    In my opinion the judge needs to be held to account after letting this gang member out on bail to travel out of Auckland. Who would have thought, a gang member would stop four times on the way there and not follow the rules.

    Covid-19 Delta outbreak: Infected inmate – PM wants answers over bail breach and family transmission – NZ Herald

    Reply
  17. Grafton Gully 17
    21 September 2021 at 11:20 am

    "It will take everyone doing their bit" resonates more with me than "playing a role" reminds me of what a relative said when I asked why they joined up in WW2. I was beginning to think she was getting into a reality TV state of mind and was losing confidence. A truly great Prime Minister.

    https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/451944/auckland-could-reach-90-percent-first-dose-vaccination-milestone-in-two-weeks-ardern

    Reply
    • dv 18.1
      21 September 2021 at 11:55 am

      Well worth the read.

      Reply
    • roblogic 18.2
      21 September 2021 at 5:17 pm

      Seconded. Great piece. Summarises how NZME and the gNats have attempted to sabotage a public health crisis response. And how NZME is taking a nosedive into Fox News territory.

      Yet, as with previous outbreaks, the clamour from critics of the government started almost immediately, a chorus of whinge.

      Business special interests laundered their messaging through an uncritical media …

      Writing in Britain’s Daily Telegraph, one commentator called the outbreak “poetic justice” and claimed a “once-welcoming nation is turning into an isolated dystopia, where liberties are taken away in a heartbeat and outsiders are shunned”.

      The economy must reign supreme, after all.

      [Barry Soper] issued a remarkable dog-whistle to New Zealand’s far-right, the kind of people who believe Ardern – a fairly mild political centrist – is turning the country into a communist dictatorship.

      “If you have ever wondered what it must have been like to live in a totalitarian state, then perhaps wonder no more.”

      This nonsense went on and on.

      This speaks to how the media has fundamentally misunderstood what the briefings are: public service announcements.

      Reply
  19. Sacha 19
    21 September 2021 at 11:51 am

    Some people have been working on this for a long time (90 second clip).

    Reply
  20. roblogic 20
    21 September 2021 at 12:09 pm

    No context tweet

    Reply
  21. Reality 21
    21 September 2021 at 12:42 pm

    Thanks John G for posting the excellent article by Glen Johnson of Aljazeera. I do wish we had a more intelligent and balanced local media here.

    Not having listened, but read about it, Mike Hosking was his usual rude obnoxious self with Dr Bloomfield this morning. It seems to me Hosking and his ilk would like nothing more than NZ to have an outbreak like NSW and Victoria solely to be able to accuse the PM of being a failure. Nasty, cynical people.

    The PM is absolutely remarkable how she maintains her dignity and commendable qualities in the face of these onslaughts.

    Reply
    • Tony Veitch (not etc.) 21.1
      21 September 2021 at 3:22 pm

      Ah, yes, Hoskings. The plonker who said this recently:

      "Berejiklian is Australia's most successful premier. Her state is the best economic performer, she is popular, and she has led far and away Australia's most successful COVID response."

      Does any sane person, a) listen to Hoskings or b) take any notice of what he says?

      Reply
  22. Reality 22
    21 September 2021 at 12:54 pm

    Anyone else getting tired of overseas based New Zealanders constant whining about not being able to get back.

    Obviously it is very frustrating and upsetting for them. But, many have chosen to live overseas for many years seeking a "better" and more lucrative and interesting life out of New Zealand. They have not paid taxes here or contributed to life here. But things got bad elsewhere so want to come back and seem to think NZ should take over every empty hotel, provide security and healthcare and cleaners and meals. We are a very small country with a small population. To build a dedicated quarantine would take two or three years to do, given material and staff shortages.

    I do sound grumpy! But with close family myself who have been away 14 years, the situation affects me also. Have had three trips to visit them cancelled in the last 18 months.

    Reply
    • roblogic 22.1
      21 September 2021 at 1:49 pm

      They have had over a year to come home, and chose to leave it to the last minute. Unfortunate but necessary border controls have saved NZ from a disaster that has traumatised the rest of the world

      Reply
    • Ghostwhowalksnz 22.2
      21 September 2021 at 1:51 pm

      Seems that the queue for MIQ spots is longer because there seems to be plenty in NZ who want to do trip overseas and come back.

      Sometimes for family reasons other times its because they can.

      When they get back in the country they will be 'surprised' at getting a bill for the MIQ stay. But it seems many have the 'family illness' theme all lined up

      Reply
    • KJT 22.3
      21 September 2021 at 5:35 pm

      Not just trippers though.

      People doing essential work, such as seafarers, who are residents and tax payers in NZ, who are stuck overseas for months after their normal leave is due.

      Most of them had to find jobs overseas, when the NZ Government in the 90's destroyed NZ shipping.

      I know several. Including those who have had to resign from jobs because of the uncertainty in getting back.

      No system with 3000 spaces and 20000 applications, will please everyone, but I still find who gets priority puzzling.

      Reply
  23. Scud 23
    21 September 2021 at 2:03 pm

    Holy smoke if this is true, it doesn’t bow well for NZ Foreign or NZ Defence Policies mandated by the NZG!

    A well known NZ Aviation Forum has mentioned that the RNZAF is now down 2 C130’s 04 &05 with 02 is retired at RNZAF Woodbourne to provide spares for 04 & 05? If this the case then it doesn’t bow well for the summer, the Sth Pacific Cyclone Season, the Antarctic Research Summer or any hort Notice Taskings in the short term 1-3yrs.

    But there is no mention the status of 01 or 03 either atm.

    I had heard from my Uncle, the RNZAF had said to the last Government & the previous National Government that they are running out of hrs for the Engines, critical Airframe components & other System related components. As Lockheed won’t support once these components or systems when they reach their end life design hrs as Lockheed couldn’t guarantee what would happen once those Systems & Components reach the end of their respective design hrs.

    Reply
  24. UncookedSelachimorpha 24
    21 September 2021 at 2:35 pm

    I'm OK with fines for Covid-19 rule-breaking increasing, but another clueless neoliberal move from a government that is blind to inequality. In more enlightened countries they recognise that a $1000 fine means completely different things depending on your income, and base fines on your income or wealth.

    Here in NZ the maximum $12,000 fine is completely beyond the means of people on the minimum wage, while our richest citizen could pay this fine every single day for the next 2,671 years or so…

    One law for the wealthy, another for everyone else.

    Reply
  25. Stuart Munro 25
    21 September 2021 at 3:06 pm

    Modern slavery: Time for NZ legislation (msn.com)

    Odd that a Labour government has to be dragged kicked and screaming to address this issue – but then it took them 40 years to acknowledge not all was sweetness and light on the slave ships. One of many acts, together with residency wage theft scams, that need to be cleaned up. MBIE might even be given the "please explain" over how they let things get this bad.

    Reply
  26. Gezza 26
    21 September 2021 at 3:14 pm

    I forgot that today is a Parliament sitting day.

    I switched on the tv & caught a bit of Question Time. Need to go find the video & have a proper look when it’s posted on the Parliament website.

    Whatever Covid-related Question it was, Bishop & Hipkins were absolutely hammering each other. Both sounded really insulting & bitter.

    Reply
    • mac1 26.1
      21 September 2021 at 4:00 pm

      It can be how people get when they're misquoted, misrepresented, and questioners are less than factual. Funny that……

      https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/hansard-debates/rhr/combined/HansDeb_20210921_20210921_12

      Reply
      • Gezza 26.1.1
        21 September 2021 at 4:08 pm

        Yes, no doubt. The venom was mostly spat by Hipkins, I see now.

        For those that like to witness the actual drama in The House.

        At least it didn't descend into argy bargy with the Speaker, & a "flouncing out" ejection.

        Reply
        • Nordy 26.1.1.1
          21 September 2021 at 4:31 pm

          Yes, if like me and most NZers you are keen on the truth about the reality of a pandemic like COVID & our Govt's response, then we (like Hipkins) can be forgiven for getting pissed-off at politicians (like Bishop) who don't see anything wrong with blatant, calculated lies, and misinformation.

          Reply
        • mac1 26.1.1.2
          21 September 2021 at 5:33 pm

          Venom, Gezza? This? " What I do agree with is that the member should stop spreading misinformation. That is not what any Minister in this Government has said. I would say to any New Zealander listening to him that they should think twice about any of the statements he makes, because most of them don't stack up." Rebuttal etc said forcefully but does 'venom' overstate it a bit? I watched it, by the way, at the time.

          Reply
          • Gezza 26.1.1.2.1
            21 September 2021 at 6:16 pm

            Telling off accepted. Sorry mac. “Venom” definitely does overstate it. I wasn’t watching the telly directly when I heard the raised voices towards the end. Was preoccupied in my dining room.

            Reply
            • mac1 26.1.1.2.1.1
              21 September 2021 at 8:01 pm

              No telling off, Gezza; I've too much respect for what you write here, but I have a grumpiness about over-exaggeration- like people who talk of a 'shambles' all the time.

              But Hipkins can give a telling off in parliamentary terms, and there was cause for that. He might look as young as a schoolboy but some responsibility and I suspect some good mentoring along the way has seen him grow impressively into the job.

              I hope I'm not over-exaggerating…….

              Reply
              • Gezza …
                21 September 2021 at 8:19 pm

                No, you’re not.

                Hipkins is a real blinken Peter Pan, isn’t he? He seems to have discovered the fountain of youth. Never seems to age a day. He’s one of Ardern’s better Ministers. Very hardworking & competent, imo.

                Thank you for that remark about respecting my comments. Nice thing to say.

                Reply
  27. Whispering Kate 27
    21 September 2021 at 5:01 pm

    Test

    Reply
  28. Ella 28
    21 September 2021 at 5:37 pm

    Seems James and his menagerie missed out on MIQ places. Off to the boss lady to get an emergency place. It’s not what you know …

    Reply
  29. Pete 29
    21 September 2021 at 5:37 pm

    I watched the video. I must come from a volatile background as I didn't think they were "absolutely hammering" each other.

    Venom being spat? Hipkins sounded peed off with Bishop for putting out what he says is misinformation. It seems he thinks Bishop is undermining with negativity.

    Bishop was on RNZ this morning. I didn't listen to hear how he would have had the MIQ system organised from the beginning and his ideas right now to have 25,000 expeditiously and fairly brought back into the country. * He has been loud in criticism but I haven't heard him say what specifically should be done and that he'd passed his considered views on to the relevant ministers.

    Maybe the Bishop parody has pertinent observations about his attitude.

    https://twitter.com/bishflap?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

    * Accepting that had his party been in government there probably wouldn't have been a need for any MIQ, we wouldn't have had lockdowns and everyone, 100%, would have been vaccinated fully many months back.

    Reply
    • Gezza 29.1
      21 September 2021 at 6:24 pm

      I’ll repeat my response to mac, above:

      Telling off accepted, Pete. “Venom” definitely does overstate it. I wasn’t watching the telly directly when I heard the raised voices towards the end. Was preoccupied in my dining room. And the video certainly doesn’t amount to “hammering each other”.

      More like Bishop getting a deserved metaphorical rap on the knuckles with a ruler.

      Will try to be more careful to avoid hyperbole & wait until I see on Vimeo what actually really happened in future.

      Reply

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    by Don Franks Foremost fighting the Delta virus are workers, especially in health, distribution, service and education sectors. Unionised members of these groups are centrally represented by the New Zealand Council of trade unions ( NZCTU). Political journalist Richard Harman recently noted:“Businesses are caught in a legal tangle if they ...
    RedlineBy Admin
    2 days ago

  • Faster transitions to clean energy are also cheaper
    This is a re-post from the Citizens' Climate Lobby blog Several clean energy technologies like solar panels have become consistently cheaper year after year as the industries have benefited from learning, experience and economies of scale. Falling solar costs are described by “Swanson’s Law,” much like Moore’s Law described the rapid and consistent ...
    Skeptical Science
    3 days ago

  • Abstraction and Reality in Economics
    Sometimes high theory loses the human point of the exercise.One of the joys of teaching is you learn from your students. When fifty-odd years ago, I was at the University of Sussex, a student doing our first-year economics course, Jim, came to me, saying he was pulling out because it ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    3 days ago

  • What Happened to the Team?
    Last year, in the early stages of the pandemic, the Prime Minister’s “team of five million” performed well; team discipline was maintained and we all worked well together. This year, however, has been a different story; team discipline has weakened, and many people have on numerous occasions behaved badly and ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    3 days ago

  • Climate Change: Another legal victory
    Across the world climate change activists have been going to court, seeking to make their governments act to protect future generations. And hot on the heels of victories in the Netherlands and Germany, there's been another one in France: A French court has ordered the government to make up ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    3 days ago

  • Invasion Of The (Covid) Body Snatchers.
    It's Here! They're Here! We're Here! Help! It’s as if we’re all living through a Covid version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. What has become of Jacinda? Where have they taken her closest Cabinet colleagues? The people on the stage of the Beehive Theatrette look the same, but they ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • NZ Politics Daily: 15 October 2021
    Today’s NZPD testimonial from Associate Professor Grant Duncan, Massey University, Auckland “The NZ Politics Daily email is very helpful in giving me a quick overview of current events and opinion. It allows me to pick out important or informative columns that I may otherwise have missed. I recommend NZ Politics Daily to anyone ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    3 days ago

  • Missing From The Anti-Covid Action.
    The Invisible Man: Where has the NZ Council of Trade Unions been during the Covid-19 Pandemic? Why hasn’t its current president, Richard Wagstaff (above) become a household name during the pandemic? Up there with Ashley Bloomfield, Michael Baker, Shaun Hendy and Siouxsie Wiles? WHERE HAVE THE UNIONS BEEN during the Covid-19 ...
    Bowalley Road
    3 days ago

  • “Go West, Young Virus”
    The Auckland Coronavirus Outbreak potters along, not helped by the perception that the Government is disturbingly enthusiastic about “managing the virus” or loosening the border. Health Minister Andrew Little said today he envisages 90% vaccination rates (which we don’t have) eventually leading to 5,000 cases in Auckland a week… ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    4 days ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #41, 2021
    How to fill a glass and thereby drink— from a fire hose So far this year, New Research has published listings for 3,291 papers concerning climate change from one aspect or another. Each edition includes two dozen or so articles describing freshly and directly observed effects of global waming. These ...
    Skeptical Science
    4 days ago

  • Climate Change: UKanians supports cuts
    The Guardian reports a study on emissions reduction policy from the UK, which found that UKanians overwhelmingly support stronger action than their government: The UK public backs a carbon tax on polluting industries, higher levies on flying and grants for heat pumps in order to tackle the climate crisis, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Media Link: “A View from Afar” on PRC-Taiwan tensions.
    In this week’s podcast Selwyn Manning and I discuss the upsurge in tensions between the PRC and Taiwan and what are the backgrounds to and implications of them. You can check the conversation out here. ...
    KiwipoliticoBy Pablo
    4 days ago

  • Labour’s 2023 election manifesto
    This morning Health Minister Andrew Little effectively unveiled Labour's 2023 election manifesto: 5,000 cases a week in Auckland alone: Thousands of people will be infected with Covid-19 every week even with vaccination levels at 90 per cent, and hospitals face being overwhelmed once restrictions are eased and borders opened, ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    4 days ago

  • Don't Blame James.
    Emissions Impossible! So, don’t be too hard on poor James Shaw. His pathetic little To-Do list is, indeed, totally inadequate to the crisis. But, you know what? He’ll be lucky to get half of the items ticked-off. There’s just too many entrenched interests – not the least of whom are ...
    Bowalley Road
    4 days ago

  • The “Pulpit of Strewth”
    Barry Soper is one half of one of one of those right-wing husband-and-wife duos in which the Herald seems to specialise. In today’s issue, he has a piece that doesn’t quite reach the heights (or depths) of a Hoskings-style anti-government hostility, but which does provide an interesting example of the ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    4 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on the epic fails of Kris Faafoi
    Ever since Winston Peters first breathed life into this government in 2018, its own branding has been all about social justice and how we all need to be “kind” to each other. Somehow, Kris Faafoi must have missed the memo. His performance in the immigration portfolio (in particular) has neither ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    4 days ago

  • NZ Politics Daily: 14 October 2021
    Today’s NZPD testimonial from Mike Treen, Advocate, Unite Union “Please continue your incredible work compiling these news digests. As someone operating in the fields of advocacy for workers and the broader social justice areas it is invaluable to be able to check what is happening in the media relating to the issues I have to deal ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    4 days ago

  • Overconfident Idiots: Why Incompetence Breeds Certainty
    This is a re-post from the Thinking is Power website maintained by Melanie Trecek-King where she regularly writes about many aspects of critical thinking in an effort to provide accessible and engaging critical thinking information to the general public. Please see this overview to find links to other reposts from Thinking is Power. ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Climate Change: Abandoning ambition
    When Labour was first elected to power in 2017, they promised us "[an] ambitious plan to take real action on climate change". Four years and a lot of foot-dragging later, they've finally released that plan. And its not what was promised. Where to begin? Firstly, they've taken the Climate Change ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    5 days ago

  • Young adults worldwide have blunt message for governments: ‘We don’t trust you.’
    This is a re-post from Yale Climate Connections by Karin Kirk Elizabeth Marks describes herself as “a psychologist who works on difficult problems.” Her past research aimed at helping people cope with challenging health conditions, apt training, it appears, for taking on climate change issues. A few years ago, she altered ...
    Skeptical Science
    5 days ago

  • Making ‘Second Age’ Hobbits Work: Amazon Series Speculation
    Time for a good old-fashioned fandom furore. The Tolkien fandom hasn’t had a proper one of those since the Great Nudity Scandal of October 2020… so it clearly must be time to pontificate from on-high about a television series we still know vanishingly little about. This time the subject ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    5 days ago

  • NZ Politics Daily: 13 October 2021
    Today’s NZPD testimonial from Dr Lara Greaves, Political scientist, University of Auckland: “I love the NZ Politics Daily emails as they help me to keep on top of current events. It’s incredibly easy to skim through and follow the links. I really appreciate these as it means that I am exposed to a ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    5 days ago

  • The Data and Statistics Bill and the OIA
    The government introduced a new Data and Statistics Bill today to modernise and replace the 45-year old Statistics Act. Part of the Bill re-enacts the existing confidentiality regime (with one exception), which while a secrecy clause isn't an especially controversial one. Another part is aimed at removing "outdated" (inconvenient) limits ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    6 days ago

  • Graham Adams: The debate over the $55 million media fund erupts again
    RNZ’s Mediawatch and a video clip viewed 42,000 times keep the topic of the Public Interest Journalism Fund fizzing. Graham Adams reports.   A week ago, the NZ Taxpayers’ Union posted a short video clip of the exchange in Parliament between Jacinda Ardern and Judith Collins in which the National ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • Multiple sclerosis: the link with earlier infection just got stronger – new study
    Scott Montgomery, UCL For most of the time since the first description of multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1868, the causes of this disabling disease have remained uncertain. Genes have been identified as important, which is why having other family members with MS is associated with a greater risk of developing ...
    SciBlogsBy Guest Author
    6 days ago

  • Hit hard by the pandemic, researchers expect its impacts to linger for years
    Sora Park, University of Canberra; Jennie Scarvell, University of Canberra, and Linda Botterill, University of Canberra   The impacts of COVID-19 on Australian university researchers are likely to have consequences for research productivity and quality for many years to come. According to an online survey of academics at the University ...
    SciBlogsBy Guest Author
    6 days ago

  • Covid and free speech
    by Don Franks Some commentators have likened the struggle against Covid 19 to the world war experience. To those of us not alive in those times, that comparison can only be academic. What the anti virus battle reminds me of much more is an industrial strike. In my twenties and ...
    RedlineBy Admin
    6 days ago

  • “Angry Blowhards”
    In today’s Herald, their excellent columnist, Simon Wilson, takes to task those “shouty” people whom he further describes as “angry blowhards”. They are those whose prime reaction to the pandemic is anger – an anger they seamlessly (and perhaps unwittingly) transfer from the virus to the government. The basis for ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    6 days ago

  • Looking Forward To 2022.
    Future Tense? Okay, so that’s where we are in 2022. Living in a New Zealand where all the usual rules of politics once again apply. And, guess what? Jacinda’s government, once again, isn’t doing very well – not very well at all.LET’S PLAY A GAME. Let’s pretend we’re half-way through ...
    Bowalley Road
    6 days ago

  • Gordon Campbell on Covid mandates, and the Covid pill
    The cliché about “living with Covid” will not mean life as we’ve known it, Jim. Vaccination is fast becoming a condition of employment, and also a requirement to participate in aspects of social life, such as travel, attending bars, cafes, and concerts etc. These protective measures enjoy a high level ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    6 days ago

  • NZ Politics Daily: 12 October 2021
    Today’s NZPD testimonial from Prof Alan Bollard, Professor of Practice at the School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington; Chair of the Infrastructure Commission: “NZ Politics Daily” provides a great public service – a quick and unbiased way to check policy announcements and analysis every morning.” Anyone can sign up to NZPD ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    6 days ago

  • Legal Beagle: A submission on the COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill (No 2)
    I have made a submission on the COVID-19 Public Health Response Amendment Bill (No 2).In preparing it, I looked at the Hansard for the first reading debate, and got name-dropped as someone likely to make a submission. So, of course I did. I focus on a small bit of the ...
    Public Address
    6 days ago

  • Hard News: More tales from the Medicinal Cannabis Scheme
    You may have read last week that two years after the publication of regulations for medicinal cannabis – and three years after the enabling legislation – two local products from a local manufacturer have finally met the minimum quality standards for prescription. You may also be interested to know that ...
    Public Address
    6 days ago

  • Climate Change: Real action requires government
    Over the weekend someone pointed me at a journal article on "The Poverty of Theory: Public Problems, Instrument Choice, and the Climate Emergency". Its a US law journal article, so is a) very long; and b) half footnotes (different disciplines have different norms), but the core idea is that the ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Climate Change: Not doing our bit
    Last month the US and EU announced they would push an agreement to cut methane emissions by 30% (from 2020 levels) by 2030 at the upcoming climate change conference in Glasgow. The good news is that New Zealand is looking at joining it. The bad news is that that won't ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    7 days ago

  • Delta’s Week Of Doom.
    Classic Shot: Are the Prime Minister’s formidable communication skills equal to the task of getting her government’s anti-Covid campaign back on track?IF JACINDA ARDERN thought last week was bad, the week ahead promises to be even worse. Sixty community cases of Covid-19, one of the highest daily totals so far ...
    Bowalley Road
    7 days ago

  • Urgent measures needed to allow the safe re-opening of Auckland schools
    Dr Rachel Webb, Dr Jin Russell, Dr Pip Anderson, Dr Emma Best, Dr Alison Leversha and Dr Subha Rajanaidu* In this blog we describe the range of urgent measures that are needed to facilitate a safe return to schools in Auckland and other regions of the country where there is ...
    SciBlogsBy Public Health Expert
    1 week ago

  • Children live online more than ever – we need better definitions of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ scree...
    Kathryn MacCallum, University of Canterbury and Cheryl Brown, University of Canterbury   The pandemic has fundamentally altered every part of our lives, not least the time we spend on digital devices. For young people in particular, the blurred line between recreational and educational screen time presents new challenges we are ...
    SciBlogsBy Guest Author
    1 week ago

  • Putting Aotearoa on the map: New Zealand has changed its name before, why not again?
    Claire Breen, University of Waikato; Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato; Robert Joseph, University of Waikato, and Valmaine Toki, University of Waikato   Our names are a critical part of our identity. They are a personal and social anchor tying us to our families, our culture, our history and place in ...
    SciBlogsBy Guest Author
    1 week ago

  • Speaker: Yes, of course festival organisers will follow the law on vaccination
    On Tuesday 5 October the New Zealand Government announced that proof of COVID-19 vaccination would be a requirement to attend large events this summer.It took a few days for event owners to absorb the information and understand the implications. By the end of the working week, most of the big ...
    Public Address
    1 week ago

  • NZ Politics Daily: 11 October 2021
    Today’s NZPD testimonial from Jim Hubbard, Cartoonist “NZ Politics daily is a go to for cartoonists, or should be.  Political reporting enmasse like this gives cartoonists and political junkies a smorgasbord to get their teeth into. Essential and I daresay vital reading for those who care about the future of NZ.” Anyone can sign ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 week ago

  • 2021 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #41
    Listing of articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, October 3, 2021 through Sat, October 9, 2021 The following articles sparked above average interest during the week: VFX Artist Reveals how Many Solar Panels are Needed to Power the ENTIRE World, Will you fall ...
    Skeptical Science
    1 week ago

  • The Night of Parmenides: accepted
    A bit of good news on the writing front. My 3900-word short story, The Night of Parmenides, has been accepted by SpecFicNZ for their upcoming Aftermath anthology, to be published in early 2022. This is my first published short story to be explicitly set in my home-town of ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago

  • The Virus, the Politician, and the gang member
    . . . . . References Newshub Nation: Gang leader Harry Tam denies Winston Peters’ claims he helped infected woman breach COVID boundary, sparking Northland lockdown Te Ao News: ‘Apologise!’ Mob leader slams Peters’ Covid, Northland allegations Stuff media: Covid-19 – Search for contact of Northland case ‘extraordinarily frustrating’ CNBC: ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    1 week ago

  • Rapid kits, responses, and openings: watch motivations, or catch something worse with Covid…
    Last week was probably a high point for many armchair “experts”, fresh from their high after some deep inhaling of the various musings and fumings, of an actually very smug, and very insualted John “Things all work for me…” Key, former Prime Minister and FOREX trader, had blitzed the ...
    exhALANtBy exhalantblog
    1 week ago

  • Bollocks
    It would appear we have an unwelcome presence in town.Positive wastewater results had been detected in Hamilton and Palmerston North on October 6 and 7. There are 26 cases in hospital, seven of these are in ICU or high dependency units (HDU).One of the people in hospital is in Palmerston ...
    Left hand palmBy lurgee
    1 week ago

  • World-leading?
    So, the Herald has found someone, as we can see from today’s issue, who is able to explain why we should not claim to have been “world-leading” in our response to the covid epidemic. It seems that we have been kidding ourselves when we celebrated our low total number of ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    1 week ago

  • Why Is Labour So Frightened Of “Mr Stick”?
    Force Multiplier: Why are Ardern and her ministers so loathe to put a bit of stick about? The “emergency” legislation eventually enacted to authorise the measures needed to combat the Covid-19 pandemic failed to confer upon the New Zealand Government the unequivocal authority that subsequent events showed to be so ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • The Need for an Updated Strategic Approach to Covid-19 Control in Aotearoa NZ
    Prof Nick Wilson, Dr Jennifer Summers, Prof Michael Baker* The NZ Government appears to have drifted into an unclear strategic approach to Covid-19 control. In this blog we outline one potential way forward: a regional strategic approach that considers “regional suppression” and “regional elimination”. To maximise the success of this ...
    SciBlogsBy Public Health Expert
    1 week ago

  • Mairon: The Actual Source for the Blasted Name
    Long-time Tolkien geeks – or those bemused enough to run across a certain internet phenomenon – might know that ‘Sauron’ is not actually the real name of the Lord of the Ring. ‘Sauron’ is just an abusive Elvish nickname, meaning ‘the Abhorred.’ Sauron’s actual name, at least originally, ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    1 week ago

  • Forced Re-entry
    The elimination of Covid strategy is not so much defeated but changing circumstances means that policy has to evolve. Our elimination stance was never sustainable or at least it would not be until the rest of the world also eliminated Covid-19. Elimination of the virus was a strategy we adopted ...
    PunditBy Brian Easton
    1 week ago

  • Repeal this unjust law
    Yesterday the Supreme Court ruled on National's unjust "three strikes" law, and found that the sentence it required was (in the case in question) so disproportionate as to "shock the conscience" and violate the Bill of Rights Act ban on disproportionately severe treatment or punishment: The Supreme Court has ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • Climate Change: Preparing for the flood
    The Christchurch City Council has published new "coastal hazards" data, indicating which places are under threat from sea-level rise. And its not good news: Parts of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula are likely to become unhabitable [sic] as the city council figures out how to adapt to sea level ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    1 week ago

  • The Virus, Not The Government
    I wonder if Mike Hosking ever reads the paper in which he appears so regularly? If he does, he might have noticed a report in today’s Herald about the problem that could face churches in Auckland if a vaccine passport becomes mandatory for those wishing to attend church services. The ...
    Bryan GouldBy Bryan Gould
    1 week ago

  • NZ Politics Daily: 8 October 2021
    Today’s NZPD testimonial from Bill Ralston, Media consultant and columnist: “NZ Politics Daily provides an invaluable service for journalists, politicians, businesspeople, decision makers and the public at large by providing an easily accessible, exhaustive, link to every significant political story in the country’s media that day. It’s a gem of a service ...
    Democracy ProjectBy bryce.edwards
    1 week ago

  • Open letter to Michael Barnett, Julie White, et al
    . . Congratulations,  Mr Barnett, Ms White, and your business colleagues. It appears that we will end up having to “live” (ie, get sick, end up in hospital, perhaps in ICU, intubated on ventilators, and possibly dying as our lungs fail) with covid19. But at least businesses will open up. ...
    Frankly SpeakingBy Frank Macskasy
    1 week ago

  • Introducing Mr Stick.
    MR STICK: You media types think the people of this country have changed, but you’re wrong. We’re the same tough bastards we’ve always been. Put a bit of stick about – and listen to us cheer!JOSEPHINE MUCH-ADOO: Kia ora, everyone, and welcome to “Introducing”. Today we are very pleased to ...
    Bowalley Road
    1 week ago

  • Skeptical Science New Research for Week #40, 2021
    "Old" research There's little point in trying to best this excellent article describing the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics by Ars Technica authors Jennifer Ouelette and John Timmer, each having a gift for concisely on-target, accessible science journalism. Here at New Research we'll punt and quote the The Royal Swedish Academy of ...
    Skeptical Science
    2 weeks ago

  • Standing on one leg is a sign of good health – and practising is good for you too
    Dawn Skelton, Glasgow Caledonian University Research shows that people’s ability to stand on one leg is an indicator of health and that getting better at standing on one leg can add to fitness and potentially lifespan. Being able to stand on one leg is linked to increased levels of physical ...
    SciBlogsBy Guest Author
    2 weeks ago

  • Climate Change: More dishonesty over the CCR
    Last month the Emissions Trading Scheme turned into a farce, when the government flooded the market with credits in a failed and wasteful attempt to Keep Carbon Prices Low. When I asked about the background of this policy Climate Change Minister James Shaw sent me one of the most egregious ...
    No Right TurnBy Idiot/Savant
    2 weeks ago

  • Schrödinger’s Wraith: The Status of the Witch-King of Angmar, 15th-25th March, T.A. 3019.
    My recent re-read of The Lord of the Rings reminded me of one of the vaguer head-scratchers in Tolkien. The status of the Witch-King of Angmar between his death at the Battle of Pelennor Fields and the Destruction of the One Ring ten days later… was he, in the ...
    A Phuulish FellowBy strda221
    2 weeks ago

  • How rainbow colour maps can distort data and be misleading
    Philip Heron, University of Toronto; Fabio Crameri, University of Oslo, and Grace Shephard, University of Oslo   The choice of colour to represent information in scientific images is a fundamental part of communicating findings. However, a number of colour palettes that are widely used to display critical scientific results are ...
    SciBlogsBy Guest Author
    2 weeks ago

  • Gordon Campbell on Korea’s march to global cultural domination, plus a K-pop playlist
    So far, South Korea’s culture industries seem to be pandemic proof. They’re also winning huge global audiences, and not merely large domestic ones. In recent years, South Korea’s TV series (Squid Game, Descendants of The Sun) and movies ( Parasite, Oldboy, The Handmaiden) have become global hits. However, it has ...
    Gordon CampbellBy lyndon
    2 weeks ago

  • In a lockdown, where does work end and parenting begin? Welcome to the brave new world of ‘zigzag...
    Candice Harris, Auckland University of Technology and Jarrod Haar, Auckland University of Technology   All parents work. The difference lies in the breakdown between their paid and unpaid workloads. That equation is influenced by many things, including education, qualifications, age, ethnicity, financial status, number and age of dependants, gendered and ...
    SciBlogsBy Guest Author
    2 weeks ago

  • Using Rapid Antigen Tests to Improve COVID-19 Control in Aotearoa NZ
    Figure 1: Rapid Antigen Test kit given out freely from the NHS in the UK Dr Jennifer Summers, Assoc Prof James Ussher, Assoc Prof Nikki Moreland, Dr Leah Grout, Prof Nick Wilson, Prof Michael Baker* Most COVID-19 testing aims to identify infected people. To date, Aotearoa NZ has relied almost ...
    SciBlogsBy Public Health Expert
    2 weeks ago

Older posts

  • New Zealand increases climate aid contribution
    Government commits $1.3 billion over four years to support countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change At least 50 percent of funding will go to the Pacific as it adapts to the impacts of climate change The increase means New Zealand now meets its fair share of global ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 hours ago

  • Super Māori turnout for Super Saturday
    Māori have put a superb effort into mobilising to get vaccinated over Super Saturday, with thousands rolling up their sleeves to protect themselves, their whānau and communities from COVID-19, Associate Health Minister Peeni Henare says. “It was absolutely outstanding that 21,702 Māori got vaccinated on this one day alone with 10,825 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    17 hours ago

  • Language assists Tagata Niue to thrive
    Despite the uncertain times we face with the challenges of COVID-19, our cultural knowledge, values and language remain constant, helping us progress towards goals in life, said  the Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio. This year, the Niuean community in New Zealand decided on the theme, “Kia tupuolaola e ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    20 hours ago

  • New Zealand Ambassador to France announced
    Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta today announced the appointment of Caroline Bilkey as New Zealand’s next Ambassador to France and the OECD. “Aotearoa New Zealand and France have a shared history, and enjoy a strong, collaborative partnership. This includes a strong trade and economic relationship, a shared commitment to support ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Govt welcomes nurses’ pay settlement
    The Government is welcoming news that a new employment agreement for nurses working in public hospitals has been settled. “I am very pleased that the hard work of the Nurses Organisation and District Health Boards has led to a settlement that both can support,” Health Minister Andrew Little said today. ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Judge of the High Court appointed
    Māori Land Court Judge Layne Harvey has been appointed a Judge of the High Court, Attorney‑General David Parker announced today. Justice Harvey graduated with an LLB from the University of Auckland in 1992 and commenced employment as a law clerk with Simpson Grierson in Auckland that same year. In 1997 ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Kiwis to have their say on plan to reduce waste
    New Zealanders are invited to have their say on proposals for a new waste strategy and options for new waste legislation. “Reducing waste is one of the issues all New Zealanders – especially younger Kiwis - care deeply about,” Environment Minister David Parker said today “New Zealand is one of ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    3 days ago

  • Next steps in action plan for indigenous rights kicks off
    Minister for Māori Development Willie Jackson has today meet with more than 30 national Māori organisations in an online hui, kicking off the process to develop a plan for New Zealand to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (the Declaration). The previous National Government signed ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Iwi-led housing solutions build homes for the future
    Whai Kāinga, Whai Oranga will open on 20 October, to receive applications for investment through Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Te Puni Kōkiri The $730m fund combines investment from Budget 2021 ($380m) and the Māori Infrastructure Fund ($350m) - the largest investment seen ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • E whakarite ana Te Kāwanatanga i ngā tūāpapa mō twhakamaumahara ki Te Petihana Reo Māori ka t...
    I te rā nei, i pānuihia e te Minita mō Manatū Taonga, ko Carmel Sepuloni, rāua ko te Minita Whanaketanga Māori, ko Willie Jackson, ā tērā tau, ka whakanuia rawatia te 50 o ngā tau mai i te whakatakotoranga o te petihana mō te Reo Māori me te huanga mai ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • E whakarite ana Te Kāwanatanga i ngā tūāpapa mō tewhakamaumahara ki Te Petihana Reo Māori ka t...
    I te rā nei, i pānuihia e te Minita mō Manatū Taonga, ko Carmel Sepuloni, rāua ko te Minita Whanaketanga Māori, ko Willie Jackson, ā tērā tau, ka whakanuia rawatia te 50 o ngā tau mai i te whakatakotoranga o te petihana mō te Reo Māori me te huanga mai ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Government green lights rapid antigen testing
    Some of the country’s largest businesses have put in an order for 300,000 approved rapid antigen tests for their workforce, after working at pace with the Government on a new scheme unveiled by Associate Minister of Health and Research, Science and Innovation Ayesha Verrall. A coalition of around 25 businesses ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Government lays foundations as Māori Language Petition commemorations take shape for 2022
    Taiaha hā! Taiaha hā! - Te kairangi o te reo hoki mai ki taku tikanga, ki taku taumata, ki taku reo, ki taku ao. He reo whai tikanga, he reo whai mana, he reo whai tangata koe. Ki te whāngaihia te reo Māori he ao tēnā, ki te kore he ...
    BeehiveBy beehive.govt.nz
    4 days ago

  • Major contract awarded to power NZ Battery investigation
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  • Additional Funding for Foodbanks and Social Agencies
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  • Generating a new generation of guardians
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  • Parts of Waikato, Northland staying at Alert Level 3
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  • New courthouses for Tauranga and Whanganui
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  • Convention on Biological Diversity COP 15, Virtual High-Level Segment
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  • Government books show resilient and strong economy
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  • Government provides certainty to working holiday and seasonal visa holders and employers for summer
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  • Lower card fees good for businesses, consumers
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  • Mandatory vaccination for two workforces
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  • Fund allows more Pacific community led vaccinations
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  • Small business at heart of economic recovery across APEC region
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  • Restrictions on abortion medication lifted for health practitioners
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  • Record day for Māori vaccinations
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  • Northland to move to Alert Level 3 tonight
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  • Prime Minister's Christmas Card Competition
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  • Speech : Pacific Public Sector Fono – Friday 8th October 2021
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  • Pacific Public Sector Fono – Friday 8th October 2021
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  • Ruapehu social housing pilot, providing value for generations to come
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  • New Children’s Commissioner Appointed
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  • More support for business available from today
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  • Compelling case made for modernising local government
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